A blend of Petite Syrah, Syrah and Grenache. The goal with Machete was to elevate Petite Syrah to the main stage and showcase its multi-dimensionality: how it can be both brawny and delicate at the same time. To create the best possible Petite Syrah-based blend from California, Orin Swift chose quality individual wine lots from prominent vineyards across California to create a seamless blend with both finesse and power. Ageing for 10 months in French Oak, 40% new.

Top Tip: Decant an hour before serving.

About the Label

The creative (if slightly disturbing gothic and grunge) style of Orin Swift labels encourage you to rethink wine through a different lens. Each label is an evocative expression of art that leaves a heart-skipping impression. This rich and expressive red features 12 different labels in the series. The challenge was developing a label that would match the boldness and complexity of the wine in the bottle. On a journey, a machete exists to serve a specific purpose: to cut, slash and forge a path through the thicket. In many ways, Machete has done similarly, albeit symbolically. It forges ahead, showcasing a seamless blend with both finesse and power, ultimately, creating a wine that embodies the spirit and energy of Orin Swift. Phinney got the idea for the label while driving home from San Francisco one day. Spotting what he thought was a white police car ahead of him, as he got closer he realised it was an old cop car that had been resold. Behind the wheel was a postman with his arm hanging out of the window puffing on a cigarette. The word ‘Killers” had been keyed onto the side of the car. Inspired, Phinney set up a photo shoot with the cop car using Calistoga’s moon-like landscape as a backdrop. His initial idea of keying the word ‘Machete’ onto the car and shooting a machete-wielding model behind the wheel didn’t pan out. Shot over the course of two days, it took over 10,000 attempts to get a dozen Phinney was happy with. “The model is always high up in the frame of every image. She’s always in a position of power. That was important to me,” he says.