Featured Winemaker, Fall 2008
Dave Phinney
"California's most influential winemaker this century." D.D.
ORIN SWIFT Sauvignon Blanc "Veladora-Tofanelli Vineyard" Napa Vly 2007 $26
ORIN SWIFT "Papillon" Napa Valley Red Wine 2005 $55
CALIBAN Petite Sirah "Noble Savage" Napa Valley 2004 $45 net
BEAU VIGNE "Juliet" Napa Valley Red Wine 2004 $52
BEAU VIGNE Cabernet Sauvignon "Reserve" Napa Valley 2004 $85 net
The Dave Phinney Mixed Case
3 each of the Orin Swift wines,
2 each of the Caliban and two Beau Vigne Wines.
$575
(includes your 10% case discount)
Order Today!
In my little slice of the wine world, Dave Phinney is the most influential winemaker in California this century. Sounds impressive doesn’t it? I have five reasons why.
Reason #1: His Zinfandel-based blend “The Prisoner,” first made in 2000, has set the standard for super-premium yet affordable kitchen-sink blends in California. Really, I’ve had many Prisoner-like red blends presented to me since its inception. Many of them are very good and been greatly enjoyed by you. I think all of them have observed, admired, and in some way emulated the Prisoner “recipe” to some extent. The method gets into sourcing good grapes for reasonable prices so that an excellent wine can be put onto your dinner table for a good price (“Prisoner” runs in the mid to low $30s now).
Reason #2 is Dave’s winemaking style. Beautifully ripe wines with supple texture, explosive fruit, and judicious oak influence are telltale signs of a Phinney-made wine. He learned how to make wine in just the last ten years, and of course learned from others. It’s reasonable to say that he’s taken it to the next level. My five featured Dave Phinney-made wines below all have his winemaking stamp.
Reason #3 is his labeling and packaging. The Prisoner’s Goya print, the Mercury Head dime on each of his Cabernets, Vince Toffanelli’s tattooed hands on "Papillon," the Virgin Mary on Veladora. C’mon, we can debate the best, but noone is like him.
I sold “The Prisoner” starting in the 2001 vintage (the first vintage was 2000). Maybe 500 cases made at the time, and Dave delivered it himself. We hauled ten cases at a time from his flatbed and many of you enjoyed it back then. We recently sold out of the 2006 Prisoner (except for 2006 "The Prisoner" Magnums, which we sell for $79 each), and it sold like hotcakes too. Dave made upwards of 40,000 cases of this, and the quality was just as good as the 2001. This is a small miracle, and is reason #4 for Dave’s #1 Winemaker status in BRW land. He’s just in his mid 30s. If I didn’t like the guy so much I’d toilet paper his house out of jealousy.
Below are my five featured Dave Phinney-made wines. Two are Orin Swift wines, the winery he owns and makes. Caliban and Beau Vigne are small, outstanding wines that he makes for others and perhaps you’ve already bought from me and enjoyed. Don’t expect to see Dave’s name associated with too many other labels as he’s plenty busy as it is and he’s raising a family too. After my tasting notes, I’ve listed my other Dave Phinney-made wines that are too low in stock to promote. Have a look at these wines and launch into fall with a case of stellar wine that, frankly, is a great deal for the quality. Value in the marketplace: Reason #5.
ORIN SWIFT Sauvignon Blanc "Veladora-Tofanelli Vineyard" Napa Valley 2007 $26
All from Vince Tofanelli's dry-farmed, trellis-free vineyard. It's old-style farmiang with an organic philosophy. (Vince doesn't label the vineyard organic, but "with an organic philosophy-no pesticides, herbicides or irrigation." My guess is it's a matter of certification.) Prepare yourself for a richer, denser, stronger style of Sauvignon Blanc that you may be used to. It is blended with a bit of Semillon and 50% aged in new French oak. The nose is roast peaches, toasted marshmallow, allspice and pears. The flavors continue on this voluptuous journey with baked apple, sweet cream, nectarine and the flavors that started on the nose. I'd pair like food with like wine here and choose Fettucine Alfredo, creamy shrimp pasta and such artery-clogging, sinfully good dishes. 
Here to the right is the Veladora-the Virgin de Guadalupe (Virgin Mary) that presented herself outside of Mexico City in 1531. She adorns the Orin Swift Sauvignon Blanc bottle. 100% of profits for the Orin Swift "Veladora" are donated to "Open Hands" (Puertas Abiertas), a coalition providing dental services, counseling and health screenings for Mexican immigrants in need without checking for Immigration status. The image of Our Lady of Guadelupe conveys the vitality, recognition and deep respect for the Latino heritage in the production of fine wine and American's agricultural system as a whole.
ORIN SWIFT "Papillon" Napa Valley Red Wine 2005 $55
First vintage. Papillon is all Bordeaux grapes: 63% Cab Sauv, 19% Merlot, 9% Cab Franc, 7% Petite Verdot and 2% Malbec. I just tasted it again (September 6, 2008...firs time since winter) and damn it sure is good. This is an 
outstanding combination of vibrant Bordeaux-style fruit, lovely oak, balancing acidity and unmistakable Napa Cab power. You taste the very black cherry, currants, whiff of tobacco/vanilla/cola/nutmeg. Papillon is loaded with Big Cab pleasure with a twist of complexity that makes it better...more complex and evolving as it opens.
These are the weathered farmer hands of Vince Tofanelli on the front label. Striking "package" on a bottle weighing a pound more than average (be sure to lift a case of it with your legs!). "Papillon" was ultimately chosen as the name because it has eight letters to match the eight fingers (thumbs not allowed). No movie reference intended. Makes me think, though, that it's been a long time since I saw Papillon. Think I'll rent it.
CALIBAN Petite Sirah "Noble Savage" Napa Valley 2004 $45 net
Caliban Winery is owned by a mutual friend of our, Jack Bittner (his day job is G.M. of Cliff Lede Winery.) Old vine Petite Sirah from St. Helena vineyards. Second vintage, and Dave made them both. 200 cases made. Pretty great set up for a fantastic wine, don't you think? It comes through. It's fantastic, and I think offers as much super-sized quality satisfaction as any Petite Sirah made.
Has the purple black, deep color that stays on the side of the glass for five seconds after swirling. The flavor is pure, highest quality, bold as bold can be Petite Sirah: blueberry jam with pounded black peppercorns, hint of bacon and violet, immense flavors, chewy finish yet not drying. We've committed to a good chunk of the 200 cases made. Once you try it, we guess that you'll want more.
BEAU VIGNE "Juliet" Napa Valley Red Wine 2004 $52
Beau Vigne wines are known in a rather small circle of Cab lovers. The 2003 "Reserve" was reviewed very nicely by Robert Parker, but haven't seen much on them since. From my angle, this is great: more awesome Napa Cab to sell you, and I have supply. Beauv Vigne vineyard is perched atop Atlas Peak. Takes about 15 minutes to get there once you turn off the Silverado Trail onto Soda Canyon Road. "Juliet" is one heck of a introductory wine. It's so good, hard to believe they make one even better (see below). Very big and rich with copious black cherry, cocoa, berry liqueur, and toasty oak aromas. The flavors are full and lush, coating the mouth with black berry/cherry, smattering of red fruits, fine acidity and a wonderully long finish. Blended with some Petit Verdot (adds to the alluring, exotic nose and first taste) and Merlot (makes it silky).
BEAU VIGNE Cabernet Sauvignon
"Reserve" Napa Valley 2004 $85 net
First brought in and offered at Back Room Wines close to two years ago. How this can still be available is perplexing. I'm jumping on a nice chunk of this wine before my colleagues read this and beat me to it.
This is my #1 under-the-radar Cab pick of the year. I spoke with Dave last week and he couldn't believe this was still available. "It's the best fricking Cabernet I ever made!" he says. Same vineyard sourc as the Juliet above, top of Atlas Peak (via Soda Canyon Road, off Silverado Trail, should you know the lay of the land here). Kirsch, mulberry extract, mineral, cocoa, Indian spice, vanilla bean. Big time impact imact in the mouth that keeps expanding then a 60 second finish. Really drinking well now. Imbibe.