WTN: Orin Swift - The Prisoner 2009

This was the first vintage release under new owners. The wine is a brilliant rich dark red. My first impression after swirling and smelling, was that there was going to be a good amount of fruit. My first taste didn't disappoint. It was big, round and soft. I was getting bombarded by cassis, raspberry, and currant, but all done very nicely. You could almost feel the softness that resulted in using both French and Missouri Oak. The finish seemed to go forever, which I loved.

The Wine Makeup:
51% Zinfandel
19% Cabernet Sauvignon
18% Syrah
7% Petite Sirah
3% Charbono
1% Grenache
1% Malbec

I've got a 2008, bought Nov when I was in US.

Drink now or keep?

I purchased a case (which I like to do with nice wines) so that I can taste some now, save some , taste again save some and taste again.
With the grapes involved with this wine, I generally dont hold onto them that long. I've been drinking a few and they are really super now, could
they age a bit more? Honestly I am not sure.. I guess I will have to wait another 6 months to test it again.

Ron-
I've noticed that in a few of your notes you use the term "soft" as an apparent favorable or positive attribute. Can you help define/clarifythis descriptor so I can do a bit of palate calibration? I describe a wine as "soft" if it is lacking in acidity, tannins and structure. Flabby is a term that comes to mind.
Perhaps, what I describe as subtle, elegant, graceful or feminine is closer to your definition of "softness" or maybe it is something altogether different?
Again, as stated earlier, I'm simply trying to calibrate with you and in no way finding fault with your notes.
Thanks.
Bill Paumen

Bill, I understand where you are coming from. Online forums and discussions are great, but sometimes you really want to understand what a person really means.

Ok, to me
Soft

A big round wine that is balanced so that the acid's and tannin's are just right to make the wine an easy drinking wine. Like you I also use it to describe that the wine has a nice
subtle taste and is very pleasing.

I guess I've come to use that term dealing with the customers. Its a word that conjures up something nice.

Bill, I understand where you are coming from. Online forums and discussions are great, but sometimes you really want to understand what a person really means.

Ok, to me
Soft

A big round wine that is balanced so that the acid's and tannin's are just right to make the wine an easy drinking wine. Like you I also use it to describe that the wine has a nice
subtle taste and is very pleasing.

I guess I've come to use that term dealing with the customers. Its a word that conjures up something nice.

Well maybe things are changing but the last thing I would say about any previous vintage of The Prisoner is that it's balanced. Fruit bombs with very little structure has always been my experience.

[Jenise]

I've only had one vintage of this wine and that was well over ten years ago according to my memory of where we were at the time, and did not care for it. It had seriously overripe, jammy fruit, and was given to understand that same is typical of the wine. But apparently it has legions of followers--the biggest independent wine seller north of Seattle sends out an email annually announcing it's arrival indicating that quite a few people look forward to each new vintage.

I''ve only tasted it once. My feelings concurred with the latter notes in this thread. It seems to have gained cult status but I can't think why, other than the packaging. I assume the marketing is comensurate with the packaging too.

I''ve only tasted it once. My feelings concurred with the latter notes in this thread. It seems to have gained cult status but I can't think why, other than the packaging. I assume the marketing is comensurate with the packaging too.

Hi Jon, how are things down there in the Languedoc? Hope your wines are getting great attention over here!

Up early, Bob. Or so you call it late?

Yeah, still working on the inner-city kids outing on April 30th. 7 buses, yikes. Now I hear a bl.... coyote out there, where`s my gun.
Did you know a llama is a deterrent? Ray down the road has sheep plus one llama.

Opened the `05 Roc Epine Lirac red last night. Still tannic. In-house PO not impressed!

The Prisoner is one of those wines that I trot out for guests who aren't real fans of red wine. The fruit forward, jammy nature of the wine typically works well with their palate. I enjoy a good fruit bomb on occasion, but I have never really understood how The Prisoner came to enjoy the status that it has. The '06, which I own several bottles of, seems to have a split personnality between jammy, "in your face" early drinker, and big tannins requiring some bottle age. I plan to drink another one this year and see if it is progressing. "Soft" is not the word I would use to describe this wine.