I traveled from New York and made it a point to visit Orin Sift Cellars. I called to confirm it was open. A woman answered and confirmed they close at 5pm. When I arrived with my friend, it was 4pm and that woman slammed the door in our faces while saying, "sorry, we'll be open again tomorrow." I then called and Monica confirmed it should be open. We told her what had just happened, put us on hold and then came back to say they were short staffed and had to close early, not caring that we traveled across country and chose this place specifically to visit. How short staffed can you be to pour wine in a glass? I am very disappointed. This was not a good experience. read more

Love this place. The overall vibe of their tasting room is really unique for a winery, as is there wine. Affordable flights, with unique wines. Staff is super friendly. Great experience. I always hit up this place when in wine country. read more

Love these "beefy" wines! The new location has a minimalist style but is very artistic. Heath was our host and was a pleasure to spend an hour plus with - informative and friendly! Just before leaving, a manager walked in (Josh?) and was also very nice. Both were helpful in providing suggestions on what to do and eat during our wine country visit. The only reason I didn't give it the 5th star is because I think its necessary to have crackers or nuts at the least when wine tasting. It helps with identifying the taste difference between each sample and decreases potential for light-headedness. Will definitely come back!!! read more

My husband and I were striking out in Napa. It had been years since I last was there and I didn't realize how much the cost of tasting had inflated and that you needed appointments for nearly every winery. We went into Orin Swift as a final try to save our spontaneous anniversary trip and we were not disappointed! Great wines, great prices and Keki was beyond helpful and saved the day! He also recommended a few other places that welcomed walk-ins. I will definitely be recommending this place to friends and family if I find out they'll be in the area! read more

I cannot speak more highly of Orin Swift. We had the best tasting experience with Justin- he was full of knowledge and made the tasting incredibly personal and fun.This tasting essentially ruined the rest of our day- it was that good. We enjoyed the tasting and the wine so much that we came back for a second tasting towards the end of our fourth day here. They were closing down but the girl that was hosting us- we didn't catch her name- was more than happy to have us. She led us through our tasting and offered for us to taste any other of their incredible wines we were interested in. She was a delight and even comped our tastings. I do not have enough great things to say about their wines, the space, the employees and the owner. My only complaint is that they cannot easily ship to MA or distribute there- come on MA! read more

This was the first place we went on our Napa wine tour, and we were so glad that we did. We were staying at the Carneros Inn, and drove straight up the main drag through all the wineries to Orin Swift in St. Helena. There is no vineyard here, just a tasting room, but you can literally pop in there when they are open just to have a taste. We originally went because I thought Orin Swift made my favorite wine, the prisoner, but upon talking to the guy managing our tasting we found out they sold off the prisoner brand to another company, now known as "The Prisoner Wine Company". They used the proceeds from that sale to build up the company and experiment with a ton of other new, interesting wines. We also found out that the prisoner wine company does have a vineyard/winery in Napa, but you cannot make a reservation or go there to taste the wine. When we got into the Orin Swift tasting room, we opted for two different tastings, and shared them. All of the wines were awesome, and the guy doing the tasting was super knowledgeable. They focus on blends here, not your traditional cabs or chardonnays. Also, this place has nowhere to really sit and take in a view like some of the other vineyards/wineries, here you just walk in, stand at the tasting counter, do your tasting, and leave. We had one of the upper, more expensive tastings to split as well after we polished off the first too, and thoroughly enjoyed all the wines. We did not join either of the two wine clubs they have, but I was tempted to as I really like all of their wines. There really is no merch on sale here either, pretty much just wine tastings, wine bottles, wine cases, and wine club memberships. It's a very cool spot, dark and chill. We paid $40 for three flights, which I though was pretty decent. Was tempted to buy a bottle of the wine most like the prisoner, "Abstract", but we had a lot more wine tasting ahead of us and didn't want a bottle to break on the flight home. However, we were recently in our local long island town wine shop and saw they had one of the Orin Swift wines, "Palermo", and having remembered the label (as it was similar looking to the prisoner), we went for it. Without doing the tasting, would've never known to even look for other Orin Swift wines. This place was exactly what I wanted, a no reservation place to taste great alternative wines. The guy didn't even shy away from recommending a few other vineyards to stop at on our way back down the main drag through the wineries and vineyards. Just wish they had some merch for purchase, like a shirt or wine glass. read more

Orin Swift never disappoints. The wine is amazing, the tasting room, while small, is incredibly well done. We love it there and St. Helena in general. read more

Recently I tried a glass of the Orin Swift Papillon at The Winds Cafe in Yellow Springs Ohio and was delighted. This is the most flavorful wine that I have tasted in decades. Even the smallest sip was sensual and lasting long after the wine cleared your palate. The price made me reluctant. The taste made me desirous of an entire bottle which I will soon purchase. read more

Wines were ok. Pricing ok. Decor really nice. But it's a small tasting room with some horrible acoustics. You cannot have a normal conversation with more than 6 people in the place. So really hard to talk to staff about the wines. It's a crowded bar level volume yet only holds like 20 or or so people. It's a higher energy vibe so some people may like this just not me. read more

Awesome tasting room with an edgy vibe and fantastic service. We'll definitely be back.

Great pseudo-casual very friendly vibe. The bottles themselves are worth the stop, but the wine is pretty good too.

Should make everyone's best value list. Shows that cutting your their teeth at Whitehall and Opus One makes a fine winemaker. Kim Leonardini Phinney made Whitehall Lane special in the 90s/00s, hope they open a tasting room one day using her expertise. read more

A must-do destination when in St Helena if you want to try some guaranteed awesome wines with reasonable tasting fees. The tasting room itself can get a bit crowded with little room to dance around other tasters- but it's worth taking or throwing elbows to get some of the good stuff! read more

We came here on a Sunday. They opened the doors a few minutes early for us. Great service. Justin was very informative and engaging. Favorite wine was the mannequin white blend. So many flavors swirling around in your mouth. If you like bigger reds, this is your place. Their Grenache was nice but not as overpowering as I expected. The design if the place is really cool too. We will stop by again. read more

Visited on 10/29. Spent about 45 minutes with Katie - amazing host and fantastic knowledge of everything she poured! Absolutely loved China Doll, Mannequin, Abstract and NV Mute. Without pressure from Katie, we joined the Milk Run and Equinox wine clubs. I highly recommend a visit to Orin Swift if you are looking for something "different". Thanks Katie!!! read more

What a great spot to do a wine tasting. The service was excellent and the winners were even better. I came years ago before there was a tasting room and this was definitely a huge upgrade, Thanks BONES for a nice tasting read more

Oh yes, it is that good. The Prisoner was so good I almost regret opening it since now I can't find it anywhere. And so I now ponder Abstract, laying there so patiently... read more

After entering the cool old building and wondering if we were in someone's office, we opened the door to see a large table with a group of folks. It was awesome! Small group setting and excellent explanations of the history of the brand and a vision of the future. Oh! Let's not forget great tasting of many great wines! read more

Another place we just wandered in. Alex was great. Fun conversation. And informative. Great explanations without all the snobbery that can happen in Napa. The wines were excellent. Something for most palates. High quality wines. Really cool bottle art as well. Not that you should buy a bottle for its label. But wow creative. Highly recommend...you won't be disappointed. read more

When it comes down to it, if your in the valley to find great wine that isn't plastered all over billboards across the country, this is your place. Small local owned/operated by wonderful people and fantastic wines at very reasonable prices. If your coming into town do yourself a favor and make an appointment here. read more

Great tasting wine, but unfortunately their customer service sucks. Don't bother ordering from Orin Swift online unless you simply could care less when you receive your purchase. I ordered a bottle two weeks ago, paid $16 for UPS shipping, and the product (which was supposed to be a gift) has still not arrived. I've emailed Jared, product manager, several times regarding a tracking number or any type of evidence my $65 dollar bottle of wine ever shipped and he continues to blow off my inquiries. Finally I called Orin's office and a man named Scott took my order number, said he would get back to me and of course, I'm still waiting..... read more

Holy cow!!! The 2004 Mercury Head Cabernet Sauvignon is out of this world as is the 2005 Prisoner (2006 is good but not as good). I always look forward to drinking wines from this winery...one sip and you will agree. read more

I used to sell these wines in a wine bar, and kind of expected a more interesting experience at their tasting room. The winetenders were not particularly interested in engaging in story telling about their wines, or even much about tasting notes. Other than that, the room was well-designed and it was fun to check out St. Helena. read more

Really unique wines that were delicious from every angle. Tasting room is very cool and tastings are just $10-20. We subscribed to their super exclusive club and can't wait to get our first case. read more

Love this place. Great wines, very reasonable for the quality. Staff was awesome. Can't wait to come back.

Very informative and delicious tasting. We love the Prisoner and will likely sit on the 2008 for two to three years. Well thought out blending, for sure in all varietals. Delicious. read more

By the glass, I've seen it at Akasha (1/2 off glasses or bottles on Wednesdays?!!!!), Tavern (Brentwood), Bandera and The Brentwood.

Boy are we lucky we landed at Orin Swift this week. First, the service was excellent. We had two hosts telling us about the wines and the community of people who are Orin Swift Cellars. Second, perhaps more important;) the wines were tasty. After discussing flavor profiles, we selected Mannequin and D66. Mannequin will be a summer hit, with elements of oak coming through the fruit. It's clear from the tasting flights that they pay attention to how people select wine. The other couples selected different flights and found those equally enjoyable. Each set of guests left with at least a couple bottles. We'll be back, and watch for the grand opening later this month. read more

Wow. To start off, it's a wonderfully simple, classic tasting room. Very organic, minimal. Soft lighting. I could spend hours there (maybe I did?) Katie, thank you for the experience. Hands down one of the best wine-tastings i've had. You were warm, knowledgable, unpretentious, easy to talk with...just great. Thank you. And then the wines....well. I'll let them speak for themselves. Because they will. Cheers, keep it up! We will be back! read more

Best Port but sorry sold out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Got there late so make sure you get there an hour before closing read more

Disappointing visit to their tasting room. Wine was screaming to be decanted - strong alcohol approach and nothing redeeming in any of the 6 we tasted (and poured out). Young crowd who appeared to have passed the limit for their daily alcohol intake. I have just told a colleague to "skip it" when they head that way in a couple of weeks. We are thrilled to drink D66 (2009) from our cellar as well as some of their other great wine which they no longer produce (The Prisoner). read more

If I could give this place 10 stars I would. Went with my girlfriend and tasted the many wines they have. Justin showed us the best wine tasting experience we have ever had and we are Napa Valley pro's. The wines were fantastic. We signed up for the Milk Run to secure some of that great Trigger Finger wine. I cannot express the gratitude we have for Justin who also gave us a wonderful parting gift. I will be going back and taking friends. A Great time all around. Thanks Justin read more

Orin Swift Cellars - Orin Swift wine menu - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - St. Helena, California

I was super excited to enjoy some of the best that had to come from the original envisioner of 'the prisoner'. Being a wine maker myself I enjoy all that is to had from the production, the beautiful atmosphere... To the nitty gritty that all wine makers go thru to pour their heart and soul into every bottle they cap. However, despite my my precontempation on this vineyard, I had very high regards. I have tasted many vintages...and have been very impressed. What I was not impressed with was the service. The 'tasting room attendant' was less than friendly on a good day. I distinctly remember her telling a guest next to us to have a good day and 'bye', when she was in in mid-sentence telling her husband how she wanted to explain a similar experience to the taster. This girl explained absolutely nothing about the wine, and just rushed us out the door (btw we were the only ones there besides this couple). I am by no means a 'snooty' wine drinker; I taste wine to enjoy them and the atmosphere. im sorry, but she failed horribly on knowledge, interaction,and experience. I had high regards for ur business, but after this... Questionable at best. Casual is cool, and I embrace that! But respect ur customers and please embrace them... They r your life source. With much regards .... I realize this is not ur ownership anymore, but it is a Discrace nonetheless. Point being... I just want to drink good wine with good people, give me something! read more

I hate Yelp for the fact that people discourage others from visiting a place with negative reviews. Especially how many state that there was no Prisoner..you are getting a tasting in a private setting, don't act entitled. On a great note, we visited Orin Swift cellars and had a tasting with Jared Clevenger. He was very enthusiastic about the family he shares at OS and the wines they produce. They work very hard and he made the day very special. We has the Palermo, Pappilon, D66, Others, Mannequin, and Abstract. Also great to hear about the stories behind the inspiration for all the labels. Needless to say I purchased more than a few bottles, but it was so memorable and I cant wait to go back for more soon enough! Thanks again guys! read more

Love Orin Swift wines but I was a little hesitant about going to a tasting room as I have always enjoyed going to the vineyard! I was not disappointed. Very cool interior with a choice of cost on the wine tasting. Wonderful wine and importantly wonderful service. No hard sell but ready to answer questions and the people there are clearly proud of their wine. Bought a limited edition bottle (only one) and we were treated with great respect. Loved it here! read more

We had a great experience at Orin Swift last week. We went on a Thursday afternoon, and that allowed for fewer crowds and a more intimate experience. The tasting room is something to be seen even if you aren't a fan of their wines, as it is completely unique and well thought out. Of course, the wines speak for themselves. I fell in love with the 2011 D66 and we also went home with a few bottles of the Muté. Our overall experience was great, laid back but we still learned a lot about the wine and the space. It's a stop on our next visit to St. Helena! read more

Sad day, just went to visit closed early today on the news that Orin swift was sold to Gallo less than 24hrs ago. Will be at Equinox club party tomorrow, will raise a glass and toast a incredible mind for wine Dave P. read more

My wife and I stopped by the Orin Swift tasting room this past weekend while visiting the Napa area. The tasting room is built in a very narrow space between two other businesses. I like "modern style", so I loved the look of the tasting room with the reclaimed wood panel wall and the steel battleship panels. Plus the chinese book pages that were sealed into the floor added and interesting touch. I couldn't decide which tasting to do (heads or tails) so they let me customize an all red wine tasting for the same $10! We tasted the Palermo, Papillon, Abstract, Mute and they even let us tast the Mercury Head cab (fantastic). I will definitely be purchasing wine from Orin Swift in the near future. Go, you will not be dissapointed. read more

The staff very friendly and helpful, but the tasting room felt a little too "hip" for me. We were also inundated by a bus full of guests, which takes away from the experience. Prefer tasting rooms on site. read more