Orin Swift Cellars 8 Years in the Desert 2020 (750 ml)

Tasting Notes For Orin Swift Cellars 8 Years in the Desert 2020

Bright violet in the glass, the 2020 8 Years in the Desert is the epitome of our style, the reason we are even here in the first place. As it’s being poured, the aromatics hit squarely on the nose with a perception of sweetness: pure brambly raspberry juice and blueberry preserves with a hint of white pepper and High Sierra forest floor. Yet, the perceived sweetness on the nose is just that, perceived, and doesn’t carry through to the palate. Lush and enveloping with a beam of acidity, notes of blackberry pie, plum and kirsch flourish. Ultra-round tannins and lingering raspberry, the wine finishes in slow-motion.

Eight limited edition bottles will be released – one at a time – for the next eight years, every year in October. Each is adorned with a handcrafted label.

Our relationship with Zinfandel goes back 20 years. Orin Swift Cellars was started with two tons of Zinfandel in 1998—perhaps the most important two tons we’ve ever purchased. Quite often, you learn more from your failures than you do from your successes. What we learned from those two tons is that there is neither a silver bullet nor alchemy once the grapes are in the winery. You can only make great wine from great grapes. This truism applies to Zinfandel more than any other varietal. Like golf or fly-fishing, you never truly master the game; you just have good days and bad days. By incorporating Petite Sirah and Syrah into the blend, we’re able to mitigate some of the unpredictability. In the end, our goal every year, is to get closer and closer to the mastery of Zinfandel.