Orin Swift 'Papillon' (2019)

The 2019 Papillon pours a neon crimson and settles into a dark core with a ruby rim—crimson through and through. Aromatically, the wine opens with powerful notes of blackberry, kirsch, coastal sagebrush and evolves into ripe pluot and roasted fig. An enveloping entry of grandeur, the palate reveals a more elegant side of the wine: black plum, blackcurrant, toffee and trace hints of sweet red vermouth, muddled mint, and orange peel. Polished, balanced and with an imagined sweetness, the wine closes with ripe but firm tannin and a mild drying character, capable of converting even the staunchest of Bordeaux-philes.

Tasting Notes

93 Wine Spectator
Fruit fans will dig this for its open and inviting display of açaí berry, plum sauce and warmed cassis aromas and flavors, all laced with melted black licorice and given a light mocha cloak on the broad, polished finish. A subtle savory tobacco element in the background adds a counterpoint, but this is aimed squarely at the hedonist crowd. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Drink now

92 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of all five Bordeaux varieties, the 2019 Papillon Red Wine is a full-bodied, open-knit effort marked by pronounced notes of cedar, mocha and black cherries. Soft across the mid-palate, it turns crisper on the juicy, mouthwatering finish, but it manages to nicely conceal its considerable alcohol content (labeled at 16.1%).