David Phinney, the creator of "The Prisoner," is back making Zinfandel under the label he created, Orin Swift Cellars! "8 Years in the Desert" is ripe, full, silky and unbelievably soft. The wonderfully smooth mouthfeel, and the bit of delightful tannin dancing across the palate is signature Orin Swift!

Dark garnet with a lucid rim, the wine exhibits aromas of briar fruit, ripe blackberry and dark plum with a tinge of minerality and charred meat. Brawny on the entry, it has an equally big mid-palate with complex flavors of ripe brambly fruit, a touch of earth and notes of espresso bean. Still massive through to the finish with soft drying tannins, the unique varietal characteristics of the blend clearly reveal themselves over time.