# Mercury Head Cabernet Sauvignon (2022)

- **Producer:** Orin Swift Cellars
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Cabernet Sauvignon
- **Region:** California, United States
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 15.5%
- **Average price:** €150
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** blackberry, blackcurrant, plum, violet, black pepper, vanilla, cedar, toast, chocolate, cloves, tobacco, cedar

## About this wine

Mercury Head represents the pinnacle of Cabernet Sauvignon winemaking for Orin Swift Cellars. Founded by Dave Phinney, the winery is famous for its bold, expressive styles and highly artistic labels. This flagship bottling is sourced from some of the finest vineyards in the Napa Valley, including celebrated AVAs like Rutherford and Oakville. The wine is named after the iconic Liberty Dime (often called the Mercury Dime) minted in the US from 1916 to 1945. Each bottle is adorned with an actual vintage silver coin, hand-applied to the glass, making it a highly collectible piece of liquid art.

## Interesting facts

- Every bottle features a genuine, hand-applied silver Mercury dime minted between 1916 and 1945.
- Winemaker Dave Phinney started Orin Swift in 1998 with just two tons of Zinfandel.
- The winery actively crowdsources the vintage dimes, paying collectors and fans to find and send them in.

## Food pairing

The immense body, high alcohol, and rich tannin structure of this Napa Cabernet require equally robust dishes. High-protein and high-fat foods like prime cuts of beef or lamb help bind the wine's firm tannins, softening the palate. Rich, savory sauces with earthy or dark fruit elements mirror the wine's complex profile, while delicate or highly spicy dishes will be completely overwhelmed by its power.

## Wine making process

The grapes for Mercury Head are hand-harvested from select blocks across Napa Valley. Following a rigorous sorting process, the fruit undergoes fermentation in stainless steel tanks with extended skin contact to maximize color and tannin extraction. The wine is then aged for approximately 15 to 18 months in French oak barrels, of which roughly 50% to 60% are new, imparting rich structural complexity and sweet spice notes before bottling.