Orin Swift 8 Years In The Desert, Napa Valley, California, USA 2023

Description

The wines of Dave Phinney capture the imagination in a way unlike almost any we know of in today's competitive wine market. They are unapologetically full-flavored and intense, yet with a backbone of structure that beautifully holds it all in place. Department 66 is a passion project of Dave's born out of an inspiring visit to the village of Maury in the Rousillon, which falls within France's 66th department. Dave discovered, in his words, "perhaps the most amazing confluence of vineyards I've ever been exposed to." He spent days driving around with his jaw agape, stunned by the raw beauty of this truly unique place. The terrain is dominated by black schist with small deposits of Granite and Limestone in red rocky soils known as Angile. From it, Dave Phinney and his crew craft three wines: the dark and concentrated D66 made of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan; the aromatic, opulent and layered Fragile Rosé; and a new release known as Others, which is a rich, intense wine that introduces old vine Mourvedre to the blend of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan. In recent years, Dave has built a winery in Maury and ammassed over 300 acres of vineyards, many of which are 60-100 years in vine age. Maury is not a second home to the Phinney family, but rather their "other home" as its place in their hearts and minds is second to none