…cosmopolitan appeal

The story of Orin Swift Wines started in 1995 when David took up an offer from a friend to visit Florence in Italy, and spent a semester studying. During this time, David was introduced to wine, how it was made and was instantly hooked. After finishing University an opportunity led to a job at Robert Mondavi Winery in 1997 as a vineyard worker. David quickly decided that if he was going to work this hard, it should be for himself, so this led in 1998 to founding Orin Swift Cellars in St. Helena California. The name of the winery is a combination of: ‘Orin’ which is his father’s middle name and ‘Swift’ the maiden name of his mother.
Orin Swift is known for its edgy, bold imagery, memorable names and creative labels wrapped around well-crafted, expressive wines. Innovation has led the brand to become a multi-national luxury wine brand with a passionate following. This sparked the interest of the world’s largest wine company E. & J. Gallo, who purchased the brand and vineyards back in June 2016.
Dave has stayed on to continue guiding and crafting these dynamic wines and over the past few years has grown his expressions. I can imagine this will continue for some time to come - which is great news for early followers and new wine enthusiasts enjoying these adventurous wines around the globe.
Fashion goes through cycles with vintage becoming modern and contemporary becoming stale. Mannequins follow these trends - all the while, the mannequin stays relevant. In similar ways, Chardonnay has been going through its own evolution; the butter-bombs of the past have giving way to more cosmopolitan expressions. This Mannequin is a well-balanced form of Chardonnay, not overly oaky but has the trendy nuance of its time.
Sourced from the Laguna Ranch and Del Rio vineyards in the Russian River Valley, the Stagecoach Vineyard on Atlas Peak and other select vineyards in Sonoma County, the 2019 Mannequin represents some of the best Chardonnay growing areas in California. 56% was in new French oak barrels, and aged sur lie for 7 months.

★ Inviting aromas of green apples, jasmine, white flowers and a hint of freshly cut pineapple and a subtle almond note. On the generous palate, you have a tailored opulence, expressing juicy white peaches and nectarines all nicely balanced by a seamless use of French vanilla oak, while retaining a vibrant cosmopolitan elegance of lemon zest and detailed almond praline on an engaging dry finish.

This 2019 Orin Swift ‘Mannequin’ Californian Chardonnay has 15.2% Alc./vol. Crafted in a classic dry style. Chill gently and serve in a moderately shaped, oak wine glass at 9º- 10ºC. *NZ$75.00

CELLARING POTENTIAL: *(Review 3/3/23)
Drinking perfectly well this season; plus will age nicely for another 3 - 4 years.

FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
Perfect wine pairing with whole roast chicken, pork-n-crackling w/ apple sauce, chicken & gruyere grilled sandwich, creamy pesto gnocchi, and truffle brie on crusty bread - enjoy.