Department 66 D66 Grenache
Department 66 D66 Grenache is Dave Phinney's love letter to the old vines of Maury, France: a bold, full-bodied red built on old-vine Grenache from the steep schist hillsides of the Côtes Catalanes, aged 18 months in French oak, in a 750mL bottle. Phinney — the winemaker behind The Prisoner and Orin Swift — bought 300 acres of gnarled 10-to-65+-year-old vines in France's department number 66 and built a state-of-the-art winery to bottle their concentrated fruit. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- Size: 750mL
- Varietal: Old-vine Grenache (~80%), Syrah, Carignan
- Origin: Maury, Côtes Catalanes, Roussillon, France
- Aging: 18 months in French oak
- Vines: 10 to 65+ years old, black schist and red angile soils
- Winemaker: Dave Phinney (Orin Swift / The Prisoner)
Napa Style, French Soul
D66 drinks like a blockbuster Napa red that happens to come from the foothills of the Pyrénées. Jeb Dunnuck called it "rocking stuff" and "a big blockbuster beauty," and the scores have followed — consistently in the low 90s. The Tramontane wind, poor schist soils and ancient head-trained vines conspire to produce tiny yields of intensely concentrated fruit. Shop the Department 66 collection, more Grenache, and the red wine shelf at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
Opaque ruby with aromas of dark cherry, blackberry, cassis and cardamom spice. Broad and expansive on the palate — lush dark fruit, garrigue herbs, schist minerality and ripe, integrated tannins. Big, rich and built to age.
How to Enjoy
Decant an hour before serving at 60–65°F. Pair with grilled ribeye, lamb chops, wild boar ragù or aged hard cheeses — this is a wine that wants red meat and a fireplace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who makes Department 66 D66 Grenache?
Dave Phinney, founder of The Prisoner and Orin Swift, at his Department 66 winery in Maury, France.
What grapes are in D66?
Roughly 80% old-vine Grenache with Syrah and Carignan, from 10-to-65+-year-old vines.
Why is it called Department 66?
Maury sits in the Pyrénées-Orientales — France's department number 66.
Order Department 66 D66 Grenache online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA — Dave Phinney's French blockbuster, ready for your table.