November 7th – Orin Swift Cellars, the edgy California-based wine label and creative studio, and Dave Phinney – the creative mastermind and winemaker behind the brand – just unveiled Napa Valley’s newest and most disruptive wine tasting experience. The completely redesigned tasting room, which includes a new and separate VIP space, is now open in downtown St. Helena.
Dave has designed an entire concept experience that veers from the standard tasting format, inspired by “rock, paper, scissors,” the universal game of American youth. To introduce visitors to the captivating wines of Orin Swift and the stories behind its labels and make them more accessible, the wine tasting experiences include Rock, Paper, and Vault, named for the eighty-year-old bank building it now inhabits.
Behind a private closed door, the most discerning customers can find Orin Swift’s most exclusive tasting, the “Scissors” experience. A truly bespoke experience tucked away in a speakeasy-style lounge, the experience is unique and curated to each guest. Serving an exclusive selection of wines that cannot be found anywhere else, Scissors is about to be Napa Valley’s most sought-after reservation.
Also founder of the cult brand The Prisoner, Dave is known for producing high-quality wines with memorable, eye-catching labels, so his fans know to expect the unexpected from him. In this case, Dave has designed the tasting spaces from floor to ceiling, thrifting furniture, reclaiming wood and metal fixtures, and even restoring an Art Deco façade from the building’s past life that he discovered – and embraced – during construction. He intentionally created a space for exploration, so that visitors want to linger and uncover layers of design and winemaking alike.
MORE ABOUT ORIN SWIFT’S NEW TASTING EXPERIENCES:
Rock Experience: $40 per person
A 45-minute standing tasting, designed to introduce guests to the captivating wines of Orin Swift.
Paper Experience: $60 per person
Embark on a captivating 60-minute seated tasting and delve into the exquisite world of the Orin Swift portfolio. Unravel the stories and flavors behind each meticulously crafted wine and prepare to be captivated. Offered daily.
Vault Experience: $80 per person
Indulge in a truly special and exclusive experience with a seated 75-minute tasting, where guests are invited to explore the Orin Swift portfolio. This extraordinary tasting showcases the best of the label’s wines, featuring magnums and library selections meticulously aged to perfection. The extended duration of this tasting allows visitors to fully immerse themselves in the nuances and stories behind each wine. This experience is offered Friday-Sunday at 11am & 2:30pm.
Scissors Experience: $125 per person
Hidden inside the new Orin Swift tasting room is an exclusive lounge that offers guests an opportunity to sample Orin Swift’s most exclusive experience with access to exclusive wines – and to engage in the creative journey Scissors is a unique experience that is curated based on guests’ preferences and palates, so it will look and feel different for everyone. We offer a selection of special wines that cannot be found anywhere else, which makes the experience truly bespoke.
Upon arrival, guests are greeted by a host who guides the way to the tucked-away, speakeasy-style lounge. The atmosphere exudes sophistication and has been curated to spark creative inspiration. The experience will expand the wine tasting into a creative journey, allowing a peek into the creative process of our founder and visionary, Dave Phinney. Please note that due to the exclusive nature of the Scissors Experience, reservations are required, and access is limited.
MORE ABOUT ORIN SWIFT CELLARS:
Orin Swift Cellars dates back to 1995 when Dave Phinney took a friend up on an offer and went to Florence, Italy to spend a semester “studying.” During that trip, he was introduced to wine, how it was made, and got hooked. Following graduation, Phinney decided to take a field worker position for Robert Mondavi to immerse himself in the world of wine. After studying every area of wine production that he could, Phinney took what he leaned and applied it to Orin Swift Cellars. He founded the wine label in 1998, naming it after a combination of his father’s middle name, Orin, and his mother’s maiden name, Swift.
