Come on, It's Dave freakin Phinney!
For all you math whizzes out there: What’s 200 + 8 + 1?
WRONG!!!
Whatever your answer, the REAL answer is: a wine tasting attended by 200 people, tasting 8 wines, from 1 iconic winery. If you read my post “It’s a case of “I just couldn’t help myself” you would have known I am talking about the meet and greet with the originator of The Prisoner, Dave Phinney!
Yes, the day finally arrived. I’ll probably lose my man-card for saying this, but, thoughts ran through my head like; what should I wear, what questions do I ask, should I have him sign bottles of wine, do I bow before his presence (that’s a little too far)? You get the idea though.
What happened? Jeans and a shirt (basic), he was so surrounded at all times I never got a chance to ask any questions, I had him sign the bamboo box that my G.B. Crane Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 came in (refer to my post “Have you spent the last eight years in the desert”), and my better sense told me not to bow down.
I could give you a bunch of mini-reviews on each of the wines being poured, but while attending the event and talking to others in attendance, I soon realized that everyone had a favorite or two or three, maybe even all 8! For me, there was one that I hadn’t had yet as it was a fairly new release and one of my favorites within the Orin Swift lineup. Mercury Head Cabernet Sauvignon 2016. If you wonder why they call it “Mercury Head,” it’s because the bottle actually has a Mercury Head dime embedded into the bottle. See photo. It’s a little on the higher side of pricing, but as it had received a 95 Point review from Wine Advocate earlier this year, it was slam-dunk as a “have-to-try” for the evening.
The wine didn’t disappoint either. Big, rich fruit and nice tannins deliver a wine of finesse with a long satisfying finish. I would easily concur with the 95 Point review, if not a point or two more!
There was one wine missing from the lineup. “Eight Years in the Desert.” Dave’s newest (I think) wine created after he was contractually bound to not make a Zin or Zin Blend for eight years after selling The Prisoner. Found out it was sold out until the next vintage. This sounds a lot like how The Prisoner progressed!
After the tasting, a friend of mine (yes, I do have one or two) sent me an email that I thought was a wonderful endorsement and history of Dave Phinney and a new venture for him written up in Forbes Magazine. I’ve attached the link and you can access by clicking here.
It’s been a couple of days since the “Big Event,” so I’ve come down from the clouds, I was able to sit still at my computer and finally get this post written, though I am pondering “What Next?” Never fear, I’ll regain my composure and get back to the work at hand.
Oh, for you math whizzes, okay, the answer is 209!
Cheers