63% Cabernet Sauvignon
19% Merlot
9% Cabernet Franc
7% Malbec
2% Petite Verdot

Decanted for about an hour. Impressively frangant, with lots of floral notes, fruit (blackberry, cherry), vanilla, and other wonderful scents that I'm just not able to identify (novice that I am). This is a wine you just want to smell and smell and smell...

Ripe fruit, spice, and some dark chocolate on the palate, which wasn't quite as fulfilling as the nose. It also seemed to be a bit short on the finish, I thought, though still very delicious.

Initial score: 90-91, with room for improvement. Would be interested if anyone else has tried this wine and, if so, what your impressions were.

I really want to try this. I might visit the winery next month. The label is rather disturbing.

quote:

Originally posted by Berno:
I really want to try this. I might visit the winery next month. The label is rather disturbing.

If you go, please let me know what your impressions are. And I agree with you on the label being disturbing, though I think the label for The Prisoner is even more so (good wine though). Now that I think about it, if I'm having a bad day I'll just remember the poor bugger on that label... no one's having a worse day than him, I reckon!

BTW, I like your "signature block" Berno. My favorite Scripture is Isaiah 53.

Glad to see others enjoying this wine. I had a bottle 2 nights ago from our stock - we're selling a ton of it and for good reason - it was GREAT. Should come w/ a warning label. BIG.

I was allocated 1 case (less than 20 cases for KY)and I have sold through half of it. The label was photographed by Greg Gorman and they are the hands of the vineyard manager Vince Tofanelli, where most of the fruit comes from (Tofanelli Vyrd). THe blend is 63% Cab, 19% merlot, 9% cab franc, 7% malbec and 2% Petite Verdot. They made about 5500 cases.

IW

quote:

Originally posted by duckfaninmt:
BTW, I like your "signature block" Berno. My favorite Scripture is Isaiah 53.

I believe that one is used by gigabit, no?

I believe in the movie Papillon, Steve McQueen had the word similarly inscribed on the fingers. The movie Papillon is based on the real life story and book by Henri Charriere.

I will be on the lookout for some of this wine...

WineOCD,
I will be driving up to Rochester in November and can bring some of this if you want some. email me at justinhome at msn dot com if interested.

IW

i am very curious about this wine. would you say it was made in the same style as "the prisoner"?

I've visited the Orin Swift offices, and am a huge fan of the Prisoner. Papillon did not disappoint, and you could definitely notice a similar styling to the Prisoner. My wife and I absolutely loved it. The guy at the wine shop in Dean and Doluca said it won top billing in a blind tasting, where Caymus Special Selection came in 3rd. I guess that upset a bunch of people in the industry since a $50 bottle topped many bottles in the hundreds.

The story of the tattoo is this (according to Brian at Orin Swift) Dave likes the "look" of prison tattoos, which was his inspiration for the label. The photographer who took the picture typically charges $40k a day for his photo shoots, but he did it for free sense he was such a big fan of the Mercury Head Cab.

Enjoy!

Super sweet red and black fruit. Caramel and a sort of powder like flavor or sensation. A little syrupy. Not my thing but still nice. I would like it better in a couple years.

89 Points

quote:

Originally posted by Italian Wino:
WineOCD,
I will be driving up to Rochester in November and can bring some of this if you want some. email me at justinhome at msn dot com if interested.

IW

If you have any left by the time you come up I'll take a couple. I will send you an email...

WineOCD,

I sent you back an email. The price for 2 bottles is $110. This includes all the taxes.

quote:

Originally posted by Italian Wino:
WineOCD,

I sent you back an email. The price for 2 bottles is $110. This includes all the taxes.

Message received. Reply sent. Sold.

I bought two bottles of Papillon 2005 back when it was released. I can see from the postings here that it is a really nice wine. I wonder if somebody else besides spo thinks that it would benefit from a few years of cellaring.