Orin Swift Mercury Head 2021

Winemaker Dave Phinney expects to bottle a bit more than 6,000 cases of the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Mercury Head, what he calls a ‘typical volume’ for it. Sourced from a couple of well-known valley floor sites and the Stagecoach Vineyard (sometimes a bit of Monte Rosso Vineyard fruit makes it in the blend as well) and aged 13 months in 58% new oak, the nose offers up hints of menthol and cedar over a base of ripe cassis and cherries. It’s full-bodied and velvety in the mouth, while a hint of dark chocolate creeps in on the lengthy finish. Drink date: 2025-2040. Score – 94-96. (Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com, May 4, 2023)