Orin Swift Cabernet Sauvignon Palermo 2021, Napa Valley, California

The spirit of Palermo resides in an allegorical catacomb that stands to honor the past, cloaked in deference to the vine, and strives to artfully frame what the harvest yields every year. Orin Swift has carefully assembled a diverse network of vineyards to work with. Palermo is a result incarnate from the flagship Cabernet Sauvignon program, which includes Mercury Head and Papillon. The wine represents years of experimentation with different lots, varying grape maturity levels, complex French cooperage programs, and some proprietary intuition. 2021 vintage – 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 11 months in French oak, 34% new. Poured as a dark garnet, the wine opens with primary aromas of ripe cassis and blackberry. Supporting hints of dark chocolate, toasted oak and cedar support the typical Orin Swift Cabernet Sauvignon nose. The entry is flooding with notes of dark fruits and a mid-palate bolstered with red currant, bay leaf and a reemergence of cassis. The wine closes with well-developed tannins and a striking minerality despite the supple and soft finish.