🍷​Wine Without Rules: A Night with Dave Phinney 🎨

Wine Dinner with Chef's Tasting menu August 10th at Nolia - $199++ per person for 7 courses and 7 wines - and you'll get to meet Dave!
​Winemaker signed bottle of Mercury Head? Yes please. 

🎨 Where Wine Meets Art: A Glimpse at Dave Phinney 🍷​

​About Dave Phinney
Dave Phinney is the creative force behind Orin Swift Cellars, known for crafting bold, expressive wines with unforgettable labels and rich storytelling. After falling in love with wine while studying in Florence, he returned to California and launched Orin Swift in 1998. His approach blends fearless winemaking with artistic vision—resulting in cult favorites like Papillon, 8 Years in the Desert, and Mercury Head. With global vineyard projects and a passion for the unconventional, Dave’s wines defy tradition and deliver a powerful, personal experience in every glass.

🍴 A Culinary Journey to Match the Wine​

This dinner isn’t just paired—it’s choreographed. Each course has been designed by the chefs at Seasoned to mirror the bold artistry and global sensibility of Dave Phinney’s Orin Swift wines. The result? A daring and dynamic tasting menu that pushes the boundaries of fine dining. 

We begin with Caribbean lionfish crudo, delicately garnished with black plum and citrus pearls. From there, things get wilder—Louisiana alligator tenderloin, pancetta-wrapped and crab-stuffed, kissed with a Colorado peach glaze. Then, a standout: crispy duck bacon, served over sweet potato purée and finished with a luxurious cognac-plum reduction.
Richer flavors follow: porter-braised elk short ribs plated with butterbean cassoulet and topped with a sunny-side-up quail egg; and pistachio-crusted venison chops alongside hand-folded tortelli and a deep cherry wine demi-glace. For a final flourish—kangaroo filet, plated with roasted mushrooms, root vegetable purée, and slow-cooked onion dashi.
The meal concludes on a decadent note: a warm fig tartlet served with our house vanilla bean ice cream.

​Every plate is intentionally crafted to complement Phinney’s signature wines—like 8 Years in the Desert, Papillon, Mercury Head, and his newest, unreleased bottles—creating an experience where flavor meets philosophy.