The history of Orin Swift Cellars dates back to 1995 when, on a lark, David Swift Phinney took up a friend's offer and went to Florence, Italy, to spend a semester “studying”. During that time, he was introduced to wine, how it was made, and got hooked. A few more years of university led to graduation and eventually a job at Robert Mondavi Winery in 1997 as a temporary harvest worker.
David decided that if he was going to work this hard, it would eventually have to be for himself. So in 1998 he founded Orin Swift Cellars; Orin is his father’s middle name and Swift is his mother’s maiden name. With two tons of zinfandel and not much else, he spent the next decade making wine for others as well as himself and grew the company to what it is today.
Sourcing for the Orin Swift family takes Dave across the state of California, with special interest in the Napa Valley, Sonoma County and Santa Barbara area. He sets his sights on small lots within the most coveted vineyards while ensuring that only fruit of the highest quality makes it into the final blend.
The creative (if slightly disturbing gothic and grunge) style of their labels encourage you to rethink wine through a different lens. Each label is an evocative expression of art that leaves a heart-skipping impression.
