Orin Swift, Mercury Head, Napa Valley

A dark, almost black coloring when poured. Closed nose initially that opened slowly to reveal black fruits, cassis and some graphite. A big brooding cab with kits if backbone. Lots of life left in this one. (Note, the cork crumbled, even using a Durand.)

2006 vintage

Fruit bomb Very good - full body, still room to go

2012 vintage

PnP, consumed over one hour. Appearance: Clear, medium-deep ruby with slight edge bricking. Nose: Clean, medium intensity with developed aromas of dried berry, tobacco, saddle leather, and clove. Palate: Dry, medium- acid, medium tannin, full body, medium intensity, 15.5% abv with flavors of ripe dark berry, tobacco, and clove with a medium+ finish. Drinking well at the moment, still a few years left to enjoy this - just be prepared for some heat from the 15.5% abv.

2012 vintage

From a mag, was near perfection with heavy Italian fare. Absolute fruit bomb, just the way i like them!!!!

2012 vintage

From magnum. Lots of room to run!

2012 vintage

I had higher hopes after holding onto this as long as I did. A lot of heat upon opening which took a full day bottle decant to blow off and settle in. Consumed over three days and this was just, okay. Ripe fruit and high abv... not my bag baby.

2012 vintage

Nice bottle. Was worried it was corked at first but flavors were full, mature and on queue. Would guess it is on the downside however.

2012 vintage

Still deep ruby black with dark currant aromas Nearly completely resolved with some dark berry flavors and bitter chocolate, but this particular bottle seems to be losing its charm. Fine� but

2012 vintage

Berries, cherries and more but not a lot of nuance. I have to say the wine is overpriced. There are a lot of wines I've enjoyed of similar quality that were half the price.

2012 vintage

Great wine. At my cousins daughter�s wedding This is a 1.5l. Has life left. But if you have a 750 I would start thinking about drinking it up

2012 vintage

the last of this vintage; truly is perfect; hoping, the subsequent years ar as good

2006 vintage

- Ruby color with medium forming legs with a medium finish - Ready to drink

2012 vintage

PDQ93+ Holy purple. This will stain your trash. But it tasty lovely right now. Big beast.

2006 vintage

Nice bottle.

2012 vintage

Reticent nose upon opening and for at least an hour after that. Highly tannic and not at all inviting. After two hours it started to fill out and show some fruit. Still, after 3 hours, nothing special and disappointing at the price point. As the price of Cali cabernet continues its seemingly "inexorable rise", I find myself becoming more discriminating and critical of producers and professional critics who over promise and under deliver.

2012 vintage

The color was opaque and dark purple and the legs were dead slow. Did a 3.5 hour slow ox decant in the bottle. Nose had the typical black currants, blackberries,oak and a bit of red fruit rind. On the palate rich with black currants, blackberries a bit of pencil lead and oak. Finish was every full a and lots of blatant black fruits but lacked definition and any sense of terroir. Still quite tannic and youthful. Will try another one …

2012 vintage

Mercury Rising Mercury rising is an astrological term; if you have Mercury rising it means the planet Mercury was rising on the Eastern horizon when you were born. Hermes is Mercury, a messenger of the gods, a "language-god" as he's called. The phrase is used in order to introduce the character of Mercury. I�m not sure if myself, or anyone in this post, was born during this astronomical event, but I do know that it�s a great way to introduce …

2012 vintage

From a magnum on Christmas Eve. Smooth and silky now, but has miles to go. Merry Christmas!

2012 vintage

Opened on Monday and not much going on. Tried on Tuesday not that great. Pulled the cork again on Thursday and it was just right. Some of the soft fruit that was muted at first came to life. The upfront minerality rounded out and became a nice compliment to the fruit that was hidden.

2012 vintage

Without a doubt new world characteristics

2012 vintage

Beautiful.

2012 vintage

Waited too long to add my notes, however, everyone raved about this wine. Drinking well now.

2012 vintage

Big and bold. Very enjoyable red berry nose. Balanced and good length, soft finish of chocolate raspberry vanilla.

2012 vintage

Smooth carb with good fruit, blueberry, flint, vanilla.

2012 vintage

Great balance. Decanted an hour. Big but approachable..

2012 vintage

Different story from when I tried this about a year ago - that time was pop and pour - this time our friends had decanted the wine for a few hours before we tried it - so much better. Seemed mature and balanced, still a new world cab but with everything in its place and drinking very nicely. Ready to drink now, but do yourself a favor a give it a very long decant.

2006 vintage

Not decanted. Consumed over 2 nights. The first night a lot of friut and a bit heat (90-91 pts). The second night it was much better. More than "just" friut. It impoved a lot. I guess it might be even better with more age. 92(-) pts.

2012 vintage

Stunning.

2006 vintage

Jammy notes of raspberry, cassis and a touch of asphalt. Nose carries through on the palate. Upfront style.

2012 vintage

Pnp, another big napa cab, dark fruits, drinking a bit more on the sweeter side than I prefer. More of a ripe, fruit forward style, without a lot of acid to provide freshness and energy.

2006 vintage

this needs to decant at least 2 hours was great with bread

2006 vintage

Starting to show well. Big, napa fruit, but not overpowering. Ready to drink, but plenty of life. Some dust (not sure if it's rutherford :-) PDQ94

2006 vintage

this is very good

2006 vintage

Inky core, pink rim Rich blackberries and Molasses on nose Medium acid and medium-full body. Metallic finish, but not unpleasant. Avery nice wine that needs to be laid down a while.

2006 vintage

Very good, legs to go another 10 years.

2006 vintage

Wow - reminded me of a Ciela Welch wine

2006 vintage

Truly outstanding. Pleasant berries on the nose. Extremely weell balanced with only a hint of tannin. Silky smooth finish. Unanimous agreement among tasters.

2006 vintage

Blackberry, slight oak/cedar on the nose. Dark fruit, well balanced with slight tannin and some wood at the mid palate. A strong (long) finish with mild acidity and the fruit carrying through.

2006 vintage

HUGE wine with excellnet character. Needs quite the decanting.

2006 vintage

Very good cab, but like many others, i found nothing in it that would justify paying $70 for this wine. Don't get me wrong, this is a good bottle of wine, but theres much better wines from spain, australia, italy, and even california right now, that are half the price.

2006 vintage

Moderate nose. After one hour decant it was smooth, with just a little tannins and oak. Black berries and leather. Probably should show a little more considering the 68 buck price. Nice cab.

2006 vintage

Good fruit, but needs time

2006 vintage

On opening: Moderate blackberry over faint cedar and fainter cranberry nose. Powerful blackberry, with some black cherry, on the attack, faint cedar overtones after the first attack growing to dominate the finish, little tannin until the tail of the finish and very modest acidity. +60 minutes decanted. Cedar aromas overwhelm the rest of the nose, and except for a little hint of smoke on the finish, the taste as well -- like licking cedar paper. +120 minutes. Pretty much back …

2006 vintage

2009 Family Winemakers Annual Tasting; 8/23/2009-8/24/2009 (Fort Mason, San Francisco, California) : Pure cassis, berry nose; rich but poised tart black fruit, tart berry palate with a touch of eucalyptus; medium-plus finish

2006 vintage

The rich, fruity nose belies this big, but not particularly interesting or complex cab. At the price point, if you want Orin Swift, you're better off with the '06 Papillon.

2006 vintage

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Orin Swift, Mercury Head, Napa Valley

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