Inside the Narrative of Orin Swift Wines

Wine Label Orin Swift hands spelling papillo

Any seasoned or successful vintner knows one thing to be true: In the realm of winemaking, never underestimate the power of good storytelling. Whether it’s tales of the terroir, a soul-stirring love story or a mysterious eye-catching label, a good yarn can differentiate and distinguish a wine.

Dave Phinney, maverick winemaker and master brander, understands the power of the provocative. And he’s got a good story. As do his wines.

Like many, Phinney “stumbled into the wine business.” After studying abroad in Italy and falling in love with winemaking, he ditched his plans for law school and got a job on the night shift at Robert Mondavi Winery. There he learned the ropes, made his first barrel with second crop pickings and stepped forth onto a path (albeit a little rocky) to success.

Orin Swift Cellars, Wine

The following year, hard work, combined with good grapes, a little luck and uninhibited blending led to an eight-year epic run with The Prisoner, which he then sold (along with his brand Saldo) for a cool $40–50 million in 2010. Everyone’s favorite zinfandel blend, The Prisoner stood out for its balance, approachability and memorable label. Story has it that as a teen in his Dogtown-obsessed West LA days, Dave wanted a skateboard for his 13th birthday, but instead received a Francisco de Goya etching from his professorial parents, which ended up as the infamous label. A fortuitous gift indeed.

Getting the Look

Phinney’s early success didn’t deter his focus on his company Orin Swift, an amalgamation of his father’s middle name and his mother’s maiden moniker. Orin Swift’s brand became known for its outstanding high-scoring wines, striking imagery, memorable names and badass labels.

From the rawness and grit of a field worker’s dirt-crusted hands with “Papillion” tattooed across the fingers, to the Tarantino-esque series of images of Machete, his legendary labels inspire conversation or a moment of pause as standouts in the noisy aisles of grocery stores, wine shops and wine bars alike.

Orin Swift Cellars, Wine

A three-year compilation of magazine images turned into a striking pop-culture collage for Abstract, reflecting the complexity of this red blend from multiple wine lots. In contrast, Mercury Head, Orin Swift’s flagship cabernet, is a stark empty bottle holding a single silver-winged Mercury dime, a nod to Phinney’s coin-collecting youth. For the full-bodied chardonnay, Mannequin, Phinney hired renowned Hollywood photographer Greg Gorman to shoot an assemblage of mannequins, begging the question: Which one mirrors your own expression upon tasting the opulent white for the first time?

Orin Swift Cellars, Wine

And while Phinney will claim there’s no silver bullet or secrets, that “90% of winemaking is in the vineyard and starts with good fruit,” there’s no denying that his winemaking talents, coupled with his creativity and voracious passion, fueled his monstrous trajectory of success and cult status.  

Case in point.

In 2016, E. & J. Gallo Winery purchased Orin Swift for a mega million deal, impressed by the consistently delicious wines and the brand’s powerful connection with consumers. Phinney happily accepted. 

“It’s important to me there’s good stewardship of the brand,” he says. “The philosophy at Orin Swift is to be humble and to over deliver, and that describes Gallo’s philosophy too.”

Phinney saw the deal as more of a synergistic partnership fulfilling Gallo’s interest in growing their luxury wine segment while affording Phinney incredible access to fine fruit, funds and freedom to pursue creative play. “I’m like a kid in a candy store,” he said back in ‘16, “I’m freed up to do all the things I love.” 

Today, he remains head winemaker, and continues to excel as the brand curator, and all-around creative visionary, backed by the rock-solid sales support of Gallo.

Orin Swift Cellars, Wine

Just last year, Orin Swift Cellars on St. Helena’s Main Street expanded into the historic bank next door, tripling the square footage. Peeling back the stone, they uncovered the original 1955 Art Deco facade that’s now the exterior of the building. In concert with the playfulness and intrigue of OSC labels and wines, their tasting room experience is not your average cheese-nibbling, sit-and-sip experience. Rock Paper Scissors, the names of the tasting experiences, pay homage to the old classic game and suggest that wine tasting should be playful not pretentious. Whether standing at the wine bar sipping Slander during a “Rock” tasting, exploring the OSC labels and in the living room-esque Paper space or wondering how to get invited into the secret Scissors room, guests will find the tasting experience highly charged with good energy, fine wines and more outstanding art. Private parties can also book the Vault to enjoy magnums of Mercury Head and other library wines.

In this OSC orbit, each piece of furniture, art and decor has a story of its own. A quadrant of shadow boxes showcase a single burnt leaf against a white backdrop, a solemn reminder of the 2020 Glass Fires when the Napa Valley was scorched. In response to the tragedy, Orin Swift created the Burnt Sacrifice label, a wine honoring the resilience of the locals that supports Napa Valley Community Foundation.

Orin Swift Cellars, Wine

Antique scissors, Dogtown skateboards and old newspapers, collected from around the globe for Phinney’s art installation, decorate the secret Scissors Room, and the wines served in this no-iPhones-allowed space cannot be found anywhere outside of the room. Phinney also makes exclusive wines and labels for the Orin Swift’s Equinox Wine Club, so if you want to join the other “Phinniacs” at private member parties and access more good wines, sign up for the waitlist. 

Over the course of 27 years, Phinney has come a long way from operating the forklift at Mondavi to becoming “one of the most talented winemakers of our time,” as described by Robert Parker. 

And the partnership with Gallo has proven to be the perfect pairing.


HOLIDAY GIFT BOXES

With the holidays approaching, a perfect marriage of art and wine can be found in their distinctive gift sets, whether you want a duo, 3-pack or large format bottle to dazzle anyone on your list.

Orin Swift Cellars, 1321 Main Street, St. Helena


Anne Wycoff

Ann Wycoff is a travel and lifestyle writer whose work has appeared in San Diego Magazine, Coastal Living, Modern Luxury, and many more. She lives in Encinitas, CA with her husband and daughter, and believes in traveling with a purpose.