In 2003, Cecil sold the De Loach Vineyards brand, which continues today.  Cecil moved on to found Hook & Ladder Winery in 2004. It would be a smaller project that would allow him to showcase the best of his Russian River Valley estate vineyards.

Hook & Ladder is a family project. With his wife Christine, Cecil works alongside son Michael (pictured to the right), the winery's President and CEO, and his grandson, Josh, who serves as the winery's Chef and works on the Sales team. Hook & Ladder's winemaker, Jason De Loach, produces award-winning wines under the tutelage of his Grandfather, Cecil.

A cult wine? Not yet, but quite likely one in the making. Dave Phinney, the personality and creator behind Orin Swift, is best known for his flagship wine- The Prisoner. Machete, is born out of the wine Dave has been enjoying in the Pyrénées-Orientales of the south of France. This blend is similar to his Abstract, however, there is more influence on the Petite Sirah portion giving this wine the "big brother" status. Machete is a limited production coming from some of our favorite vineyards in Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino including Dark Horse, Durell, Eagle Point, Fulton, Hudson, Las Madres, and Stones Throw. Low yields and small berries contribute to the concentration and dark inky color. Machete is perhaps one of the most interesting wines from Orin Swift to date, and is worth a taste before it's all gone.

"Beautiful notes of just picked warm, ripe blackberry with licorice and cedar box on the nose. The wine is structured and complex, saturated with smoky, dark, ripe brambly black fruit. It is bright and brooding, rich and powerful showcasing the intensity of Petite Sirah, the elegance and complexity of Grenache with the seriousness of cool climate Syrah."  Dave Phinney, Winemaker

49% Petite Sirah, 30% Grenache, 21% Syrah, 45% Napa, 35% Sonoma, 20% Mendocino

~Limited Supplies
Available~