I’m not usually a winemaker groupie, however I appreciate good winemakers and enjoy following their latest vintages and styles. I recently read a great interview with Dave Phinny of Orin Swift Wines. You may not recognize his name, but his wines and winery are becoming a household name. He named his winery after his father’s middle name, Orin and his mother’s maiden name Swift. Orin Swift Wines is now a thriving winery with lots of varietals to choose from including his original creations, The Prisoner and Saldo.
Dave Phinny, in my opinion, is one of the most cutting edge, risk taking winemakers today. He is young and thinks out of the traditional box. Here is a bit of his story. With the proceeds from his first two creations, he parlayed his profits and purchased 300 acres in the south of France for the sole purpose of growing grapes and created his little-known wine “D66.” After several adventures to Europe, he put his winemaking skills to work in the vast growing regions and varietals of Spain and Italy, inspiring his latest venture, Locations. His Locations wines are simply known from the first letter in the respective country’s automobile license symbols; E for Spain; F for France; I for Italy and AR for Argentina.
Orin Swift Wines, as one of his associates reflects, is “pure artistry” from his labels to his final blends created every year. So if you have not experienced a Dave Phinny Wine, now is the time to do it. Hope to see everybody at The Wine Shop soon!
The Wine Shop is open 10am to 7pm Monday through Saturday, and by appointment on Sunday. For more information visit the shop located just across the street from the Koloa Post Office, call 808-742-7305 or visit us online at www.thewineshopkauai.com.
Aloha,
DanO and Ellen O’Connell
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