The latest project by Dave Phinney, the genius behind "Prisoner," has arrived in Japan for the first time.
This project was launched in 2012 by Dave Finney and the members who started "Olin Swift". It is a single estate of GB Crane Vineyard, a small 8-acre vineyard in St. Helena. In 1885, the first owner, George Beldon Crane, practiced "mixed black" (multiple varieties of red wine grapes), which was popular at the time. There are still about 4 acres of vines from that time remaining, and after passing through successive owners, Dave and others who purchased the vineyard in 2012 have carefully inherited it.
The nose is wrapped in fragrant toasted French oak, with juicy raspberries, ripe strawberries, and a hint of musk. It also has black plums, dark fruits, and a mineral feel reminiscent of crushed granite, with bright cherry and floral aromas emerging in the latter half. The well-balanced acidity and pleasant tannins lead to an unstoppable white pepper aroma.
It is very rare for someone to rise to stardom in a short time in the wine industry. Dave Finney launched Orin-Swift Cellars in 1998, including its flagship wine, The Prisoner, and made his name known around the world. With its unique, dark label and impressive flavor, The Prisoner brought attention to Zinfandel blends that had not previously been noticed, and was listed in Wine Spectator's Top 100 from 2005 to 2009. Finney sold the Prisoner brand to Funeis Vintners in 2010, and in the spring of 2016, it was acquired by Constellation, one of the world's largest wine companies. Finney continued to oversee production at Orin-Swift Cellars, but sold the brand to E&J. Gallo Winery at about the same time. Apart from the brand, which has grown rapidly, Finney, along with two other members who started OrinSwift and a Napa winemaker, embarked on a new project in 2012. This began with acquiring a small 8-acre vineyard in St. Helena just a few days before the start of harvest.
This vineyard, which still retains the gravel and soil that washed down from the Mayacamas Mountains over 100 years ago, was first owned by George Beldon Crane (GB Crane) in 1885, who cultivated many varieties including Zinfandel in a "mixed black" method (cultivating many varieties of red wine), which was popular at the time. This method allows for the creation of unique blends that make it almost impossible to produce wines that taste the same, even from a single vineyard. The winery's name comes from this method. About four acres of the original vines planted by Crane still remain, and have been carefully protected by the successive owners for nearly 130 years. As the new owners, Finney and his team want to firmly inherit the history and traditions of this vineyard.
Finney and his team, who were originally committed to making wines from old vines, released a Zinfandel blend, "El Coco'", and Cabernet Sauvignon using grapes from this special field. The label, like Prisoner, expresses Finney's unique world and uses a motif from Spanish painter Francisco Goya's "Queviene el coco" (Japanese title: Look, the ghost is coming).
You have successfully registered for the restock notification! We will notify you when the product is back in stock.