Tasting Notes 264 found

Was one of the wines of the night at an all mag dinner that included some heavy hitting mags (ie Redigaffi, Ovid Hexameter, Valbuena #5, some high scoring aussie, and others. Some thought it was the WOTN but all agreed it was absolutely in a prime drinking window right now. Lots of mature, rich balanced black fruit, leather, tobacco, chocolate, and earth notes are perfectly rounding out the glass. (519 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

13.5% Napa cab comprised of 90% cab, 7% merit, 3% petit verdot.

Didn’t need the Durand (although I used it) since this cork came out in 1 piece.

Based on previous reviews I popped and poured and oh boy. Home run. Tasted like a 15yo Bordeaux. Full of life, balanced, tons of primary flavors still, mod tannins. Licorice, strawberry, raspberry, chocolate, pipe tobacco, mushroom.

After 1 hour getting some faint tertiary notes, but still fruit forward. Based on prior reviews I was worried this was past it’s prime, but the bottle I had could have gone another 10 years. Terrific wine. (635 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

A 65th Birthday Celebration (Schur House - Riverwoods IL): Tired. (947 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

part of vertical (1526 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Surprisingly still showing very well, but I would drink this soon. 13.5abv and drinking like a beautiful and well-structured Bordeaux. There is still some intensity, but a more subtle richness, Ripe/dried red and black fruit, sweet dried herbs, licorice, creme de cassis, and forest floor. Some primary fruit left, but dominated by tertiary note. We tried this side by side with the 2007 and we actually like this 1995 vintage more because of its elegance. If we were blind tasting, we would not have guessed this was a Napa cab. (1424 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Stunning and by far the most complex and best Insignia I have ever enjoyed.

Gently bottle breathed for 4 hours, loved the silky yet robust mouthfeel with medium acidity. Late sweetness was so enjoyable as was the very long complex finish.

Joseph Phelps produced 10,000 cases of the 1995 Insignia, which is about 120,000 bottles.

This is a blend of 🍇
90% Cabernet Sauvignon,
7% Merlot and
3% Petit Verdot.

It achieved 13.5% alcohol.

Three-quarters of the fruit came from estate vineyards and the rest from growers. It spent 26 months in new French oak.

This 1995 vintage began as a potentially troublesome year.

The early spring was very wet, and unusually cool weather plagued both June and July, two important months in the growing season. Warm weather finally arrived in August (much later than usual), and stayed through the end of October, producing a glorious Indian Summer that allowed growers to delay the harvest.

The results are wines that have gotten stronger and stronger in bottle.

Insignia especially these aged vintages, this one is coming up to 30 years now! What a treat...

Intense, powerful but silky and refined at the same time. Amazing..

Rich with arguably the best mouthfeel of all the spectacular wines we enjoyed that fun evening in Taman Tun, including aged Ducrus, Pichon Lalande and Cheval-Blanc too!

Coincidentally my Pichon Lalande Comtesse was from this same 1995 vintage too!

One of 10 bottles at TCs welcome home in TTDI KL, graciously shared by bro Dr Muruga Vadivale. Lesson learned.. Do not pop an Insignia below 10 years, better if its 15-25 years old!


Above Enoteca, TTDI KL Malaysia
1 Aug 2023 (1730 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Decanted for an hour and drank over two. Red fruit, beautiful napa cabernet with some leather and tobacco. Still going strong and not fading. Great bottle. Better than Solaia 2015 because of age i believe (1650 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Still dark in color
Nose has potent dark fruits and initially raw meat that then softens to tobacco and leather with hints of cinnamon and cardamom
The palate is that classic, lovely Napa fruit profile of blackberry/black cherry. Fine grained tannin is in the background and the richness of the fruit suggests this wine has a few more years
Very nice (1539 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Drank from 3L bottle New Years Eve at Tryons. Poured into glasses at beginning of evening, allowing to breath for a couple hours before drinking. Kind of flat/compressed on first taste at opening, but opened up dramatically after an hour. Excellent as we sat down to dinner. Nice flavors, tannins resolved but not pruney at all. Good drinking overall and a nice use of this trophy bottle purchased almost 25 years ago. (1619 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Drank side by side with 2000 Pichon Baron. The Phelps had dark fruit on the nose reminiscent of the old world. To me seems like a cross between right bank BDX and Left Bank St Julien. The palate still has lots of primary fruit flavors as well as secondary notes as well. Everything is in balance and was easily the WOTN. As prior reviewer suggested, just missing something. If you rate it blind score may be lower 90s but since I know it's Napa and this usually is not my thing I think it merits a 94. (1914 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

On the nose could be confused with a quality right bank bdx. Dark fruit, ripe plum. Fully resolved tanin. This wine is in a good place and very enjoyable. Just missing that specialness that Cali can’t provide! Drank side by side with a 2000 Pichon Baron … the two husbands (both wine guys) chose the Phelps. The two ladies preferred the pichon. Thoughts ? (1590 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

The Return to the Ledbury (The Ledbury, London): Our third bottle over the last 2 years and once again another 96. Interestingly this was served blind and our friend narrowed it down to a hot year top end Bordeaux (a 2003 Mouton?) or an early 90s classicist from Napa ( Dominus / Togni).
And indeed this boils down to that, well evolved, bright nose of full on classic aromas of a secondary nature, forest floor, leather but also with a very healthy fruit. Did feel a bit more brutish than it should have but these are finer elements. A truly impressive wine and a must buy more situation. 96 (1701 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Decanted for a good hour. Tasted blind.
Andreas who had this blind won no prizes guessing mid 90s Napa as in a way the wine , barring an impressive youthfulness , is really a text book wine. Much like 6 month ago when we had this it amazed us. We can go on and on here but its pointless. Well made Napa cabs of he 90s are now delivering to the maximum. Superb 96+ (2191 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Fabulous. Beautiful soft tannins. Likely less than five years left. (1644 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Wow, nice, decanted for a half hour or so….nice fruit and long finish. Bell pepper and smoke. (1584 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Opened for an hour, beautiful aged cab nose. Unfortunately seemed to be past its peak, with slightly faded fruit profile and less distinction and complexity as previous tastings. Not a bad bottle by any stretch of the imagination, but my hopes with these aged cabs are to have a transcendent experience, and this didn't reach that level. (1590 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

(Double blind in small capped bottles. Part of a 2 wine flight. By the time I got to the discussion, it was clear that one was France and the other was California. I think I would have probably gotten that, but I helped focus things by stating my view that this was a classic BDX vs CA cabernet throw down, and this was confirmed.)

This was better last night showing classic Napa markers but not overdone. Sweet lush fruits, some chocolate and vanilla, minty-ish herbal notes, a bit of oak left. Maybe some mocha and a bit of heat. A bit generic without the distinctive characteristics of the few CA cabs I like to drink (MB, Togni, DC, Dunn…) but solid and enjoyable. BUT, today this wine is a mess - rotting leaves and a bit sour on the nose. Palate is a bit better showing some of the sweet fruit but still has that rotting leaves thing. Last night it was in the 15.5-16/20 range and so I’ll score it based on that. But if I scored it based on today's performance it would be more like a 12/20 (84/100). (2040 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

I decanted the wine for 1,5 hours. The color was beautiful deep red. The bouquet was intense and complex: some dark berries, cassis, coffee, spices - finish after 40+ seconds with Lots of sweetness. Marvelous texture. A powerful strong wine at age 26 which offered us a joyful evening. Napa at its best. A decade more to Go. (1680 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Decanted a good 45 minutes before served and correctly the sommelier ( we BYOB at The Kitchen Table, London) spotted this as not needed more as the wine is also a touch fragile at times.
Napa of the 1990s strikes again and this a phenomenal bottle. Good evolution, leathery, spice, dark fruits and with a light touch of oaky feel at the background. An impressive wine though, bang on at a great time in its life to be enjoyed by people like us with a love affair with evolved , old school Napa. Superb 96 and we can go on and on here. (1707 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Beautiful now!!! Drink up. (1577 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

A stacked cabernet lineup (James and Carrie's house): 20 minute decant. Sweet oak, black fruit, it has that somewhat exotic fruit that I usually find in Insignia, refined tannins. This wasn't the best Insignia but it was still pretty darn good. (1675 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Outstanding Old World Napa Cabs: 20 min decant then slow O'd for 2 hours - Nose showed black fruit and a slight whiff of alcohol (which blew off pretty quickly) with some forest floor and sweet toasted oak. The palate was full of red and black fruit with hints of cobbler, some graphite/lead and hints of toasted wood. The tannins were well integrated and there was a slight alcohol presence with was not at all obtrusive. A very nice aged Insignia that has the fruit and tannins to further improve with a few more years of bottle age. 94 tonight, with the likelihood for improvement with some additional time. (2048 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Old OG Napa Cabs (James & Carrie's, Northern Burbs, Mpls): Very dark red/purple color. 20 minute double decant, drank a glass over 3 plus hours. The nose is the star here with cool Fall forest floor and cool black and blue fruit, cassis, balsamic and some light vanillin. Dense on the palate, the fruit comes off a little more baked, blackberry cobbler, high toned with some heat coming through, nice tannins. Very good, though we've had better showings in the past. (1576 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Like the White Queen said to Alice, there is jam tomorrow, and there was jam yesterday, but no jam today. This wine checked all the boxes, fragrant nose, integrated fruit and balanced palate, but today didn’t quite elevate to the level of classic old school Napa it is capable of. (1129 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

A fully developed, elegant, refined, classy wine that offers everything in balance and harmony. The dark red berries, with touches of earth, cocoa, and spice, are ripe, the tannins are sweet and the finish is long, with freshness and energy. I really like the style here. No decanting needed. Just pop, pour and enjoy... (2790 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Poured into a decanter to serve. Cassis, dark currants, vanilla, chocolate and ink. Palate is lush, ripe and rich. While it possesses a lot of power, it is also fairly elegant. Lovely. (1585 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Abbot Street Delights (Abbot Street, Ngaio, Wellington, New Zealand): Presented blind in a flight of three ("L'Evangile 1990, Craggy Range Sophia 2005), this was easily the most impressive wine. Very Napa in style, veering towards a more "culty" level of opulence in the mouth. Stunning fruit quality, a touch of Eucalyptus, and a massive palate profile. Absolutely mature, but will hold easily, and will continue to develop. Lowish acids and bottle age combine to good effect, resulting in a wine of plush, multi-layered complexity, with a very new wold personality, true to its terroir (1806 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

This wine is beautiful right now! Perfectly softened tannins and smoky, earthy notes frame a rich core of dark fruit. There's definitely some life left in the bottle, but it's hard to imagine how it could get any better. (1593 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

decanted over an hour and enjoyed with a nice steak and heavy mushrooms. fantastic. wish i had more of this same year. Now, i jump to only 2012 onward from my cellar. darn.. (2140 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Pure bliss. Perfect bottle. 2 hour decant. (2243 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

I'm afraid it has faded a lot since our 2017 bottle... it was promising when opened but began to lose flavor after about an hour. By the two-hour mark it was not great. Glad it was the last bottle. (2039 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Reviewer below nails it. Heavenly cedar on the nose of this brilliant deep red-hued wine. Lush and smooth tannins frame the core of perfectly ripe black fruit, mocha, currant and glycerine, with a touch of pine on the long sweet finish. Drinking brilliantly at 25 years. (1892 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Tasting very well, probably has at least give more good years. Lots of cedar in the nose, a little bit of leather. Tannins are soft, mouth feel is full and a long finish. (1994 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

After going thru 12+ bottles of the regular 1995 JP Cab, my first try at the Insignia. The regular is one of my all time favorite wines so I had high expectations for the Insignia and it did not disappoint. Wow! Did not decant but consumed over about 3 hours and this just kept building more and more with each sip. Great fruit structure, dark cherry, cassis, with just the right balance of oak to frame the wine. Great texture and mouthfeel with long finish. (1817 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Decanted for less than hour - loved it. Definitely at end of drinking window. (1911 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Well this doesn't suck. Powerful lots of fruit and with a touch of savory. (2190 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Still drinking well, but won't improve from here and not sure how long it will remain on this plateau, so drink up! A beautiful Cali Cab. Opened about 4 hours before drinking, decanted for about 2 hours, which seemed about right. (1829 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

consistent with note of 2 1/2 yrs ago, this is still sailing along in really fine shape. A nearly even mixture of tertiary and secondary traits now, with notable length, lovely lines, and a silken depth that is simply regal at this point. Should hold for another 5-7 yrs before it begins any slow, measured decline. A joy at this point in its life. highly recommended (2171 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

The best bottle so far of a 5 bottle auction lot. Balanced, with rich dark fruit shining thru. This is definitely at its peak and wouldn't wait any longer to open. Glorious example of California Bordeaux meritage. (1626 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Best wine I've had so far this year! Decanted 1.5 hours. This goes from strength to strength. Color still strong, just slight brown edge. Super complex and mature nose of cassis, cedar, earth, tobacco and minerals. On the palate, concentrated red and black fruits, hints of espresso, herbs and a bit of smokey oak. Every swirl gained more intensity and complexity. Super long, elegant finish. Terrific bottle - too bad its my last!
Reminds me of a second growth St Julien from a great, ripe old vintage!! (1500 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Purchased on release and professionally stored. Vibrant red in color, with just a hint of lightening on the rim... no bricking at 24 years of age! Gorgeous nose of ripe red fruits and spice. The palate was primary, rich and very vibrant. The tannins were evident, but very accessible. A gorgeous, energetic, bright example of California Cabernet. My last bottle, but in this condition, this could go for another 10 years. (1944 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

This magnum started out with a beautifully, explosive nose of wonderfully balanced red and dark fruit. The taste was bordering on "other worldly," and the finish seemed unending.
But, about 3/4 of the way through the bottle, it lost its beauty and turned rather ordinary. I guess that, like Icarus, it had flown too close to the sun.
Had it not been for the latter part of the magnum, this wine would have merited a 97 - if not more. Hopefully, my 750s have held together better. (1681 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Three hour decant- this was heads up with a 2009 Caymus Special Selection and dominated it. Very Bordeaux like with nice balance. This is missing something that the top insignias have like the 1997 or 2002 but a very enjoyable wine that paired nicely with pizza. Certainly in prime but will hold for quite a while (a decade) since the star of the show isn’t the fruit but the Bordeaux’esque cigar box and finish. (2045 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Good wine - quite good balance (2293 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Opened by our good friends prior to dinner. Aged brickish color in the glass.....in its tertiary drinking window right now. Plenty of aged red fruit, smooth texture, hint of acidity remains. The fruit is showing plenty of raisin and prune. Can't imagine this gets much better from here, though I'm sure it can be held quite a number of years more if you wish. (3600 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Superb. Two bottles with cheese and foie gras for 66th birthday dinner - all ten of us loved it (2089 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Opened a 1995 Insignia Imperial this weekend I have cellared. The wine was beautifully aged with nice earth notes and dark fruit. The tannins were almost all but gone as was the heavy toasted barrel flavor so I timed it right (luckily). I would assume a .750 might be a little past it's prime so if you have one, pop it soon. Let it breathe and open up for a bit as mine peaked about an hour after it was opened.
The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like fig, cherry, plum, mushroom and light toast. It tastes like blackberry, raspberry, black currant (cassis), fig, light toast and molasses. The body is medium/full. The wine has round texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has low acidity. (2229 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

A shadow of its' former self. (2792 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Souper de la ligue du vieux poêle 2018 (État Major): Un nez mentholé, avec un peu de cooconut, l'origine me semblait claire mais je le pensais plus jeune (2002). La bouche est dense et longue, de facture moderne, mais très bien faite. J'ignore comment le tout va évoluer car il nous parait encore très jeune, mais exhibe un peu trop d’élevage à mon goût pour son âge. Néanmoins, une belle bouteille. 92-93 pts (3049 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Gorgeous secondary and tertiary nuances on the big nose leaping from the glass. Brooding dark plums and sage with black tea and mushrooms. Fine grained tannins give this a solid structure that will keep this wine for at least another 5 years although there is no need to wait and enjoy this beauty today. (2464 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Big Insignia fan, maybe 15 vintages. This 23 year old 1995 had a wonderful floral nose and little evidence of brick. In the mouth, very smooth, with floral components and strong presence of pepper (others have noted). However...while it has aged gracefully...smooth tannins, everything integrated, it was a bit more monolithic than hoped for. We couldn't really get beyond the floral and pepper for other flavor components. Didn't really get the graphite or leather, and not a lot of fruit. So...really nice aged Cabernet (and I think Phelps Insignia does this better than almost all CA wineries), but not one of my favorites from the older vintages. (3409 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Decanted for two hours before pouring.
Nose of cherry and red fruits, Still fresh for a 23 yo wine.
This is the second of two ‘95’s. The first we drank a few weeks ago and it was thin, tired and too old . This bottle was much better.
This wine really opened up after a few hours.
A nice balance of heat, fruit and oak.
The finish is soft and lingering with the flavor of cassis and dark berry (3294 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Perfectly balanced. Superb. (3712 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

I bought this wine on release in the mid 90's and I have had it stored first in California, then in New York, then back to California and finally to Brussels. In all places, the wine has been stored in temperature controlled conditions. The wine was decanted about 2 hours before drinking. The cork was in superb condition and looked almost new, but there was a dark blackish purple layer of crystals at the base where the wine rested. On pouring into decanter, the nose exploded out of the bottle with dark blackberry, some cassis and chocolate notes. The wine was dark brownish purple with little amber at the edge. After two hours we poured into the glasses and what a wonderful experience. The colour remained dark, dark reddish/brownish purple. The nose had evolved to add touches of vanilla, nutmeg, coffee, tobacco, tar and some of that peppery cabernet so common in older Napa cabs. The wine was medium to full bodied, seamless, smooth, intense, with dark berries and touches of cassis nutmeg and bell peppers with notes of spices - amazingly sweet on the palate, no alcohol or tannins apparent in the mouthfeel. The finish went on for like a minute and brought out the spicy, exotic notes even more. It was clearly Californian, too intense and forward for Bordeaux, but so so balanced, elegant yet intense. Every sip was wonderful. It was a surprise, as I never thought 1995's were that heavy. Lovely bottle. Worth the wait. I can't wait to try my other 90's Insignias. (3489 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

The oldest Insignia I've ever had the pleasure to enjoy......beautiful well integrated fruit, tannins and cedar. Smooth in a good secondary phase with some dark fruit notes remaining. This is in my drinking window. Could go longer but to me it's perfect right now. (3767 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Absolutely delicious. Drank after a 2006 Harlan so unfair comparison! Outstanding wine! (2819 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

The spoils of a thorough cellar audit, this bottle, part of a case purchased on release (with all but two bottles consumed before I joined CT in 2008) has aged quite well. Color and nose both suggest good freshness, and the full(-) body confirms as much. The elegant side of the Napa equation, with the powerful fruit well-integrated and harmonious at this stage. Cold cellars will likely see this live on another ten years or more, though I love the spot its in now with a bit of primary/secondary/tertiary all in one spot. Best after the 60 minute mark, this continued to (slowly) unfold throughout the following two hours. A great match for burgers, with grilled onions and homemade catsup. IIRC, this was ~ $75 on release. Sigh. recommended (3673 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Outstanding wine in its prime. Tasted by side by side with 1994 Insignia and this was the clear winner. (2240 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Tight at first. Took 2 hours to open but kept getting better. (2071 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Napa Cabs in Boston: Terribly corked (2811 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

From memory at the Insignia vertical tasting at WW: Decanted for 1/2 hr then back in the bottle, med. ruby with no bricking, dark fruit, mod. tannins, long finish; delicious & my WOTN (94 was close), drink or hold (no rush) (3048 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Luis Wins CEO Aware (St. Genevieve): This seemed quite green initially. Then it just became rather big. There's still a lot of fruit and I don't think it's hit its stride yet. A pleasure to drink, but probably better in 3-5 years. (3809 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

A Mix of Older Napa Among Others (St. Genevieve, Mpls, MN): Very dark red color. 30 minute decant. Drank 1 glass over 90 minutes. This was oddly vegetal on the nose and palate for a long time. I was not really crazy about it at that point. Very slowly this came around and after close to an hour, it finally blew off entirely. Once it does, you can see the class. A bigger, youthful, 22 year old wine if i may say. Well balanced, dark fruits, deep creme de cassis, blackberry, dusty medium grain tannins, oak and spices. Very good, needs decanting and still not mature. (4038 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

This was really nice on the pop n pour and saw even more improvement over many hours. In good drinking spot but could easily cellar another 3-5 years. Yum (3677 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

A bit tight. Opened a couple of hours before drinking and decanted about an hour before. Probably could have used more time in the decanter. Clearly has plenty of runway left. (3640 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

A big CA Cab that needed two hours to really open and still had some tannin in the finish. That suggests it is still aging well and has more to go. I can't see it getting more fruit, it's very big now, but maybe it gets even smoother when it loses that tannin. A lovely Insignia that we liked better than the famous '94. (3351 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

- Crimsom color with a long finish - Drank on mother day. Perfectly balanced. Need to let breath for 1 hour. (2991 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Doubled decanted for 1.5 hours. Showed up really great. Profound aroma. Mature and balanced. No bricks and it's in its prime time. Can easily go another 5-10 years. (3957 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Outstanding. No bricking, fresh youthful nose and like drinking velvet. Can go another 5 years (3193 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

From magnum. Deep color and lots of dark berry on the nose. But either the bottle was a little off, or this is over the top. Definitely a roasted plum note to the finish. Not going to rate, thinking storage was at issue. (Bought at auction.) But 90-ish and disappointing. (3945 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Fabulous nose. Tasted in a flight of 93/95/97/03/05Perrot-Minot (Maison) Chambertin-Clos De Bèze 2003/08/09. This was my WOTN. Decanted for 1 hr, and this showed very well. (3933 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Wines that don't suck at Steak and Vine (Rhys, Insignia, Pape Clement, Figeac, Lynch Bages, Les Pavots, Rieussec and others) (Steak and Vine): Very dark, impenetrable mahogany color to a thin mahogany meniscus.

Lovely old world nose of pencil lead, shoe leather, roses and dried herbs.

Dry cassis/blackberries on the soft, plush palate. Very layered, seamless and long. A touch leafy (in a good way) with really nice acid giving lift on the finish. Some grip at the end and maybe a hint that the tannins are drying. Everything just seems in its right place - drinking beautifully now. I concluded - lovely wine, quite aristocratic. (4138 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Last bottle of many. Beautiful aging curve and near its best now. Wonder whether the modern Insignias will age so gracefully. (3207 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

pop pour

nose:tobacco,green bell pepper,dirty earth,plum,blackcurrant,mineral.deep n complex nose

palate:concentration is gd.acdity nt showing enuff.may b its due to richness of fruits.amazing depth n complexity.slightly dense.puwdery tannins stil present despite so many years of aging.

notes:cherry,plum,floral,blackcurrant,olive,some green notes

conclusion:tis bttl demand great respect.solid with a wow factor (3226 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Clear, dark ruby.
A nose of blackcurrant and blackberries, with vanilla oak, earth, tobacco and hints of green bell peppers. Developing.
On the palate, this had medium(+) acidity, a full body, pronounced flavour intensity of blackcurrant, dark cherry, tobacco, vanilla and a tinge of bell pepper and herbs. Medium(+) smooth tannins. Long finish.
Felt much younger than its age. The fruit was still very prominent. Keep this in the cellar and drink in 5 to 10 years' time. (2549 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Appearance was deep ruby, almost garnet.
Nose was clean and pronounced. Aromas of blackcurrant, tobacco, earth, tea leaves, leather, dried prunes, plums, mushrooms, bell pepper, cordyceps(?).
On the palate, dry, high acidity, high (but well integrated) tannin, full bodied, with flavours of black cherries, plums, vanilla, sweet spices. Long finish. (2435 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Tim + Ching Birthday 2016 (Extra Space): Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of toasty oak, blackberries, black cherries, tobacco, hint of herbaceous bell pepper. Developing.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (13.5%), smooth high tannins, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with flavours of blackberries, blackcurrant leaf, toasty vanilla, bell pepper, tobacco, cassis. Long finish.
Very good quality. Lots of polished refinement here. Still fresh for a 21 year old wine! Still has a life of at least 5 years ahead! Enjoy with a decant now. Better with air. (3004 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

USA 1995 (@ JK): Beautiful bouquet with dark forest fruits, coffee, chocolate and graphite. On the palate a lovely and well balanced wine which is completely ready. Dark berries, graphite, a beautiful balance between acidity and sweetness. Great wine! (2727 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Outstanding- needs a thirty min decent- full of fruit and good balance. In prime with another 10 plus years left. (2796 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

A beautiful, mature expression of the best that Napa Valley has to offer.
This wine is at its peak - red and dark fruit, graphite, smooth, lovely mid-palate, nice finish. (2764 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Double decanted then SO'd for a few hrs, garnet, no brick, nose & palate of fine Bordeaux with dark fruit & a touch of tobacco, soft/mod. tannins, long finish; Delicious & ready to drink but no rush (3607 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

1990's California Cabernet - Blind: Nose shows potential, nice and rustic but not overly expressive. Unfortunately the palate is still super oaky and jammy. Comparable to modern Napa Cabernets. Age hasn't really helped here. (4211 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Beautiful. Silky and deep but not overpowering. Right at peak. (4496 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Ripe, silky round and delicious, this is a finesse styled wine with a lot of charm that is definitely in the sweet spot for current drinking. (5274 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Beautiful aromas of black currant, licorice, and a hint of smoke, but this bottle had very little fruit remaining. Mid palate and finish just weren't showing up. Hoping it was just this bottle. (4160 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Drank with dinner at Bluestem. Decanted 30 mins prior to consumption. Wine is in a really great place per other notes. Finish was very long. Berries and light oak on first taste turning more into a forest like flavor on the finish. Glad I have one more left, will be drinking it soon. (3788 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Drank Saturday night with Costco Prime steak and World Series Game 4 (Go Royals), so this falls under the category of environment affecting the wine. Perfect evening, so wine was great too, which my dinner companion confirmed as well. Sure it must be true. But I wouldn't wait much longer on this. (3775 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

3rd flight of wine dinner at Press St. Helena - Another stand out wine this evening - wow this was really enjoyable. Really balanced with a notably long finish. (2100 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

This is in a fabulous place right now. Drink them! (4404 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Cork was soft and came out in pieces. A very good insignia but not quite as solid as other older vintages I have had. Needed a an hour to hit its stride and faded after several hours more. Good amount of oak, rich fruit, good balance. (3871 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Creamy. (4282 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Very good wine. Drank smoothly right after opening with slight improvement after decanting for about 30 minutes. Ready to drink now but will last a few more years. (4250 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Elegant. In my opinion, near perfect at this stage. A quick table decant at a steak house and this did not disappoint. We were a party of 4, and fortunately for us, 2 were drinking beer. Their loss. Enjoyed over a 3 hour period and savored to the last sip. I will be buying a few of these (4421 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

This was flighted with a 95 Montelena. What a great flight. I found it very difficult to rank one of these better than the other. I liked the structure of the Montelena and the accessibility of the Insignia. Maybe a slight edge to the Insignia for its more friendly temperament tonight? Both lovely and both would do well blind in a high end BDX tasting. Both wines evolved and changed significantly from the first pour but especially the Insignia. (4037 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

A Decadent Night of 1990's Napa Cabs and Bordeaux (Chez Dalluge, MN): Very dark red color, no bricking. Slow-O for 45 minutes with no decant; drank 1 glass over 3 hours. Great nose, very similar to the '95 montelena, earth, perfume, but richer and darker black fruits. The palate shines with layers of black and blue fruits; deep and concentrated without being overtly heavy, despite the glycerin; deep blackberry, blackberry liqueur, cassis, spices, pepper, some wood, and a full bodied richness that coasts into a long finish ( just a bit of heat at times). Classy and gorgeous, with a bit of savoriness on the lengthy finish. I loved this. 95+pts. (4505 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Toms Bday at H Club: To compare aging between Bdx and Cali Cabs: Next to 95s from Comtesse Pichon, Pichon Baron and Leoville Barton. This was super good, great bricked color, super flavorful nose and on palate just great elegance and lots going on. Not powerful but compared to the others it was most talkative. Yummy wine and better than what I tasted last time. (3900 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Very youthful. Tannins still evident, through the finish. Very nice. (3647 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

90's Cali Cab and the Kitchen Sink (Ursino in Union, NJ): The first taste of this was probably my wine of the night. It was decanted for maybe 30 minutes before pouring. Suspect the decant was a good idea, but would be careful on timing as the wine did slow down through the night. Initially just beautiful - great blackberry fruit, amazing spice characteristics, a bit of licorice. Just fantastic. Exactly what I love in older Napa cabs. With some time that shifted more to current and then more to stewed fruit and just held together a bit less well. Drink up. (4668 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

This opened immediately and drank like silken cherries. Served it with a perfect prime steak and let me tell you it was a remarkable experience. We were all smacking our lips out loud and oohing and ahhing. This was a stunning bottle. (4111 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

I needed something special tonight, so 1995 Phelps Insignia it is. Into the decanter at 7:35 AM. Cork in perfect condition. Fairly large amount of fine sediment. Whiff of tobacco on the initial nose. Initial tasting after 8 hours in the decanter, then consumed over the nest 24. Strong aromatics, menthol and eucalyptus. No sign of burning out. Soft tannins. Not a fruit bomb by any stretch. Classic old wine taste without that old musty and wet leather taste. (4183 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

initially a little alcoholic and sharp, but turned out pretty nice and fragrant, a little smoky on top of some cedar, woodsy notes. Definitely sweet on the palate since it's from a ripe vintage, and full-bodied. Tannins are still very much there after almost 20 years. (365 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Color is excellent, looks fresh
Nose is awesome
Still bright, very good fruit and tannins are present
Incredible, can likely go many more years
Thought I needed to open it now but should have waited (5678 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Bottle @ Doodler. Fair amount of leather, cola, and tobacco in the nose. Fairly tannic. A bit toasty. Mild chocolate, plums, and figs. Pretty delicious. (5611 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

- Garnet color. (5158 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

stunner (2851 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Excellent aged Napa CS. Had everything going for it. I would not hold any longer. Drank too long ago to provide proper details. (6254 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Love the Bordeaux styling. Some olives and cedar yet still holding onto some youthfulness. At 19, I think this will continue to mature nicely to 2020. (6417 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

A restrained and balanced beauty, in perfect balance, with no hard edges. Layers of lush fruit, fine acidity and sweet tannins, through to a very long finish. (6997 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Tasting wines in double-blind fashion is very educational and sometimes can be validating (although it is more often humbling). This opaque red/garnet wine (a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot) flaunts a beautiful nose of fig, cocoa, currants and Asian spices. Full-bodied, round and softly tannic at this point, it is very supple on the palate and has flavors which mirror the nose. The alcohol (listed as 13.5%) is nicely integrated and the middle palate is solid. With a finish which seems to last forever, this is one which will make current bottle owners very happy over the next 5-7 years. I'm pleased to say that I made an educated guess which was quite close to identifying both the wine and the vintage. Even if you are not concentrating to that extent, you will love this wine! Drink now-2020. (7400 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

My WOTN. Deep color, great balance. Smooth tannins in the Insignia style, with a velvety finish. Still drinking well and has a few more years left. This vintage has a higher concentration of Cab Sauv than other vintages, and it will continue to evolve. Love to taste again in a few years. (6929 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

The cork broke on opening, but was otherwise perfect. This wine is now a deep garnet , with a fading rim, and impressive legs. The nose is pronounced and amazingly complex, yet so fresh. There is cassis, blackberry jam ,cedar, menthol, bay/rosemary, anise, spice, liqourice, cherries, a hint of salty minerality, and the occasional waft of tea rose florality. The palate is chewy with flavours of cooked plummy fruits, blackberry jam, coffee, and chocolate. On first opening , the acidity was medium plus, but calmed down to medium after an hour or so. Tannins are well integrated , and the 13.5 per cent alcohol is lightly worn , on the silky mouthfeel. This wine seemed in a perfect place - elegant, complex, smooth, and refreshing , yet still exhibiting hints of youthfulness. Built for the long haul, in a classic Bordeaux style, this is California Cab at its best. I' m looking forward to tasting my remaining two bottles of this vintage over the next 5 - 8 years. Went perfectly with wild venison steaks, served with a port and blackberry sauce ( our own blackberry jam and wild blackberries from the garden) (6563 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Brown Bag Wine Dinner at Two Chefs; 6/25/2013-6/26/2013: The wine looks Garnet colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Blackberry, Black currant (cassis), Cedar, and Violet. The body is Full. The wine has Bright texture. The wine finishes Long. Al's Insignia. thank You Al!!! (7417 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Med dark red. Lead pencil, cedar, black currant nose says "Bordeaux". In the mouth there is also something lighter - like red currant jelly. Some silkiness and red fruit on the long finish. Elegant and excellent. (5736 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Good to very good. The fruit has died down, but still had that distinctive Insignia flavor profile. Balanced and a pleasure to drink. (5869 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Drinking beautifully!! Everything Insignia is supposed to be. (5735 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

The cork crumbled at the base but the wine was filtered and tasted fine. Tannins are soft, color is dark, fruit is black, medium body. Hints of cedar and oak. Ready to drink now. (6613 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Lovely mature Cali Cab PNP at in laws club after hellish drive with the older kids through a snowstorm on the day after Xmas. This was easily the highlight of my evening in all respects. DrEdwardo sums the wine up perfectly and I might even give it one additional point just for the elegance. Not a blockbuster at this point, but wonderful full fruit and tannins fully resolved and the oak integrated. My brother in law and I polished this one off efforlessly. Fortunately the rest of the family stuck to their normal white wines. Would gladly buy this wine again at a fair price (6024 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

For a 17+ year old wine this was impeccable. Dark colour. Redolent sweet cassis nose. Obscenely silky entry: cassis, cedar, sweet, seamless tannins. Obvious oak treatment but at this point fruit, oak, acid and tannins are in perfect harmony. Many years ahead of it. Vinous craftsmanship (5897 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Drinking really well. Deep brooding, some nice bottle character, seamless. Was favorited slightly over the 2001 David Arthur cab, which we really liked as well. (5189 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

needs more time (6078 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Typical Insignia. Balance, integration, fruit forward, classy. Less acidity and seemingly softer than the 94. Drinking very nicely but longevity may be in question. 50+8+9+19+8=94 (6136 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

still drinking incredibly well. very full of berries. (6151 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Brittle cork when it was opened. After some breathing, the wine revealed terrific structure - very Bordeaux-like in character. Aromas of earth, dried herbs, black berries and anise. The palate is full and densely packed with flavors of black currant, cassis, smoke, chocolate, and espresso. Quite amazing with layered complexity, but doesn't match the 1997. Drink now until 2017. (4135 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Typical insignia profile with dark red and black fruits with mocha, tobacco and spice. This bottle really benefited from at least 2hrs in the glass as the acidity was somewhat sharp and out of balance initially. Still very youthful with only slight secondary characteristics and moderately firm tannins on the long finish that softened with time. Medium body. Not as concentrated or complex as the best years. Not worth current prices. (6652 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Enjoyed this tonight with my wife along with grilled Bryan Flannery steaks, grilled artichokes. The wine has about 10 years left -the color was a deep purple, the aromas typical of Insignia, and the fruit was amazing - lots of berries, cherry, and about a 10 second finish. Would love to try this wine in about 2, 5 and 10 years. An excellent Insignia. (7087 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Decidedly youthful. Pop and poured, drank over about 90 minutes. No hint of age in the color. A bit of funk on the nose upon opening, but that blew off. Firm tannins and lots of tartness...though the fruit didn't keep up with the tannins. Has the structure to age longer, no worries there, but don't know how much longer the fruit will hold up to the tannins. I'd decant next time...if I had another... (6418 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

While its no 1970 Latour, this was definitely showing strong. Dark, dense and powerful, the vibrant dark fruit, cassis and herbs were well integrated. A long finish with soft but lively tannins, this was delicious (6652 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Epic Wine Dinner at Bourbon Steak (Washington DC): The wine is a baby. It's a beautiful example of young Napa Cab -- and I'm shocked to learn its 17 years old. The wine opens with fresh blackberry, huge dark fruits, and eucalyptus, with some earth, pencil lead, and wild mountain herbs playing a supporting role. The wine has great structure, soft-but-mouth-coating tannins, and delightful front-of-mouth acidity. Truly exceptional. (8040 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Decanted an hour prior to drinking. The nose changed over the course of consuming, from something that more resembled Bordeaux at first to something more like Napa. At the beginning there was some mustiness and earthy notes, which gave way to dark berries and some mild spiciness. On the palate the wine is surprisingly light, with lots of acidity, medium fruit concentration, and mild tannins. There are notes of menthol and blackberries. It is light-bodied and at 13.5% alcohol it doesn't have any "hot" characteristics. Nicely balanced, but could use a little more fruit concentration to hold up for more aging. Tannins were well integrated. Not as complex as I would have hoped, but should continue to age well for 5+ years. A very subtle wine. (7070 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Fresh dark-fruited nose. Palate has hints of beef stock, salt and graphite to go with the cassis. Some bitter earthiness on the finish. (7282 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

A beautiful bottle of wine drinking wonderfully. Shared at Atlas Bistro in Scottsdale with Ogburns and Kirbys along side a '91 Dunn Howell Mtn. and '97 Silver Oak NV. A rich and succulent recipe of dark fruit, smooth tanins with a velvety mouthfeel. While this is driniking as well as you could ever hope it still have 5+ years in it. A great wine on a great evening. (7097 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Cassis, licorice, herbs, truffle, blackberry, tobacco and earthy aromas lead to a balanced, fresh, round style of California Sauvignon that ends with soft, ripe, layers of blackberry and cherry. This is drinking great today. (7517 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Opened after '93 Opus One - a bit darker than the Opus and more fruit, spice, plum and a much longer finish. Still has a year or two left but this was my last bottle. (7375 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

From magnum. Having recently had a 91 Insignia that was tired at best, I was completely taken by surprise at this wine's youthfulness, depth, layered nuances and balance. Served blind I guessed the vintage correctly but thought this was Mouton instead of Insignia. It is a dead ringer for that wine. Gorgeous, polished, deep red and black fruit, lead pencil, touch of tobacco/leather, black olive and a pronounced minty note. Very youthful, packed palate with more black fruit, minerals, baker's chocolate. Amazingly deep, with superb balance and integration to a fine, long finish. A very special wine and about 180 degrees from the 91 we opened just a few weeks ago. (7980 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Dark, purple color that does not show a hint of its 15 years in the bottle. The nose was powerful with cassis, plums, spice, and violets. The palate is complete with ripe fruit, spice, licorice, and violets. Since the blend added layers of complxity, the Insignia's profile was slightly more impressive than the 95 Arrowood Reserve, but both wines were phenominal. Structurally, the mouthfeel is full-bodied and plush with balanced acidity and polished tannins. The finish coated the palate with an ocean of fruit and spice. Overall, this was excellent because of its vibrant fruit, plush mouthfeel, and layered palate. It should be considered one of the best wines made in 1995. (7611 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

A fantastic and still vibrantly youthful, pure example of California fruit, this '95 Insignia matched any prior bottle of the amazing '94. A wonderful, still jammy attack led to a well-stuffed mid-palate that possessed ample secondary notes (spice, saddle leather) and really distinguished this wine from the sea of very good but incredibly uniform-tasting California CS and blends that have been produced over the last 20 years. The finish was deep and long, and the overall impression left behind was richness with supple balance. This was a perfect complement to Julia Child's Beef Burgundy. (7732 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Wonderful wine that is at a perfect maturation stage. Mind blowing aromas of violets, dried and ripe fruit. Super smooth and very elegant mouthfeel. Great finish. Simply a great wine! (7637 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Dark red color
Nose of heavy fruit
Taste is a fruit bomb
Good finish

wish had more (8138 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Tasted alongside Pichon Lalande 1995 with Lamb Loin sauteed in hazelnut oil, this was a near profound wine. Rich cabernet fruit, brilliant texture, "Rutherford dust", gorgeaus aromatics. A very stunning wine that is clearly in a wonderful place but bottles in this condition will continue to develop positively. A finer pairing of Fr and US 95's that at the start fo the year with the Mouton and Araujo. (8111 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Chocolate. (9431 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Terrific (had two bottles, very consistent). Ripe fruit, hitting maturity but still so much left. Really as good as a Cali cab gets. Any score 96-100 I couldn't argue with. (9193 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

CellarTracker Wisconsin June 2011; 6/24/2011-6/25/2011 (Madison, WI- various venues): Tasted non blind at a tasting that included 94-99 Insignia. Nice nose of cassis and violets. Similar palate with mint and cigar box and a touch of sweetness in the middle. Very long and consistent finish. Drink now and over the next several years. Very nice overall and one of the standouts along with the 94 and 97. (10543 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

CellarTracker Wisconsin Offline I - Part Two - Double Vertical Tasting (petiteblanc's house in Madison, WI): WIMLNR

Tasted non blind at an offline. Double decanted and left cork out for four hours before serving.

Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. nose of underbrush, dried herbs, a bit of berry and a bit of lavender. Flavors of berries, currants and plums. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, full boded. Drink or hold.

At first whiff the wine smelled a tiny bit corky but not enough to notably mute the nose and palate. However, withholding a rating just to be safe. (9894 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

CT Wisconsin Offline (Madison, WI): On the nose I got sweet dark berries, a little green/earthiness on the nose, a slight black tea component.
The palate was smooth and packed with nice berries and plums. Nice dry tannins and a lovely finish. (10251 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

CT Wisconsin Offline; 6/24/2011-6/25/2011 (Madison, WI): Initially very lovely perfume on the nose, turning slightly secondary on the palate. This seems to be developing nicely and may turn into a fine mature wine to revisit in 3-5 years. (10279 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Decanted. The nose was initially fairly expressive, showing some plum, dark berries, hints of oak resolved tannins and a medium plus finish. Smooth and perfectly drinkable. After about three hours, it did begin to fade a bit, with the nose and palate becoming somewhat muted 92 (9267 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

opened for an hour, then decanted through aerator and left for a second hour. perfectly balanced with pencil lead, soft tannins, and blackberry fruit. was still rising about two and a half hours after opening and can't hlpe but wish i had given it more time in the decanter. no signs of fading, but no reason to wait. (9103 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Commanderie Pre-Dinner (Restaurant Vincent, Minneapolis): Double decanted approximately 4 hours before tasting; started out profound and seemed to fade a bit by the time we drank it. Rich and intensely flavored, showing plummy fruit, anise/licorice, baking spices, and dark chocolate. Long finish. Delicious, but outclassed by the '78 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill. (9967 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

opened for a steak dinner, this was really disjointed at first and dominated by oak and tannin. I decanted this about 5 hours before tastiing it, and only drank a bit then left it-on day 2 it was vastly improved, showing me the telltale Insignia characteristics-a rich, smooth wine with blackberry, dark chocolate, cassis and a very long lingering aftertaste that just stayed with me... can't imagine this getting any better than it is now. (8853 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Earthy, funky, a bit bretty with pleasant barnyard notes--a bit CdP like; Rich earthy mouth, stewed cherry, softer and plush, a bit low acidity at this stage is the only drawback. (3785 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

2 hrs in decanter. we drank it after a very good Paul Hobbs malbec (Cobos) which was super. This was great and balanced in te nose upon opening bu it fell flat when we poured, nose closed a bit and on the palate you tasted good fruit but something was missing. maybe it closed in between and needed more time to open up?? W'll get to try again soon I think. this should live for quite some more time normally. hope it was somewhat off-bottle (8428 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Overwhelmed by VA (8686 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

A beautiful wine. The fruit remains strong as the first impression but the earthy finish was to die for. I've always loved the mid-90's Insignias and this one was no different. Going amazingly strong with years and years of life ahead. Merry Christmas! (8560 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Wow, was this great! Initially when it was decanted from a magnum and tasted, it was very tight. It was slowly decanted from one decanter to another five or six times. It opened up and was pretty darn good! It had lots of red berries, tobacco, a bit of licorice, cedar and silky tannins. Great balance and mouthfeel from start to finish. You have plenty of time for this one. (8344 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Wow, what a great wine. Rich dark fruit, some coffee, a hint of chocolate and a little smoke and earth, perfectly balanced, long finish. this is everything you'd want from a wine. Drink it either alone or with food. (8368 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Essentially pop and pour. Excellent nose, lots of berries with just a hint of smoke/oak. This is a very smooth wine now, no harsh tannins and not overdone. There is still a fair amount of fruit here, but certainly not a fruit "bomb". Just a very pleasant drinking wine, with or without food. Enjoyed it very much. Not sure holding it any longer will have any benefits. Drink now and enjoy. Wish I had another. (8441 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

A bit disappointing. Nose a bit thin. Fruity and nice, but compared to Mondavi and Ducru wasn't up to snuff. (8221 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Magnum. See my prior review for the 750ml bottle, note that the smaller bottle was not as good. Cork was intact with almost no intrusion. Decanted, filtered, minimal sediment. Opened some in the glass over drinking period, but I do not recommend an extended airing. Drank over 2 hours. Deep purple color. Nose of dark fruit, medium alcohol. Tannins fully integrated. Silky mouthfeel. Very well balanced on the palate with the expected Cali-blend taste of fine Cabernet fruit and just a hint of old-world left bank style. For this reason and my note that the 750 ml bottle was declining I believe this wine in the magnum is just past its peak and it is time to drink up. It will not get any better with age; if it loses any (more?) of its grape structure it may be thin on the palate. This is a $400+ bottle of wine in the magnum format....I've had it a long time in the cellar, and figured it was time, no regret for pulling this cork now. It compares quite well to some other aged Cali cab based blends on the cult side, but is a bit overpriced, likely due to its reputation as a "go to" high end selection. Insignia is dependable, that's for sure but it is priced a bit high. (8223 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Cork was very dry. Smooth with some complexity. Needed decanting and time before drinking. (8271 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

very impressive. Aging beautifully. Simply georgeous with a very complex nose and palate. FInish for miles. Easy to drink but lots to pay attention too. Some medicinal, but very minor compared to other bif california reds. This wine lives up to the billing and is going to be more in line with old world drinkers than some other huge cali cult wines (and much better priced). (8590 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Strong showing but this has been cellared at 55 degrees since release. This wine is clearly at it's peak and there is no reason to continue to hold this wine. I plan on drinking the rest of my bottles over the next 4 years. I see no real faults in this wine other than lacking a little complexity. (8693 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

nice wine but past its prime (8871 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Amazing. (7406 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

A blend of 90% Cab. Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, aged in French oak. Right out of the shoot this is all California Cab with a nose and palate full of lip smacking anise, cedar, pencil finishing up with cocoa nots. This is much rounder and softer than the Arrowood. The first sip you taste is just like the last sip. From that aspect, it is a less cerebral wine than the Arrowood, but not any less pleasing to the senses. Although some of the fruit is Rutherford Bench, I cannot say I detect any distinct Rutherford Bench dustiness. Bob and Michael see it more akin to Lafite. Some sediment on the shoulder. 13.5% alc. With grilled duck with grilled plum sauce. With the Rosses and Col. Cuozzi. Highly Recommended. (600 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Cork was slightly easy to pull out. Dense purple/ruby - not showing too much in the way of age. On first opening, the wine displayed dense plums, earth and cedar - classic Napa cabernet. Stunning wine in the mouth - liqueur-like intensity and wonderful length - this has great sweetness. Eucalypt and fennel seed - herbal in a gorgeous way. Tremendous balance - exceptional wine making. A great Napa wine in a very new world style - this would not be confused with bordeaux! It misses out in the end because there is not that extra dimension that one gets in profound wine, even taking into consideration the perfect balance. The wine held ll night at a very high level - a pleasure to drink. This wine is great now. (7538 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Overall a bit disappointing. The nose was quite lovely: cassis, cedar, vanilla, smoke and a touch of cinnamon. Palate was where things did not quite come together. Considering the year and quality of the vintner, I would not expect this wine to be past its peak. But alas, I think it is. The fruit was simply not there as it should be. The wine seemed to lack structure, and tasted a bit flabby. Still outstanding by almost any measure, just not (or at least no longer) extraordinary. (7960 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Quite attractive dark-fruited nose. Prominent graphite notes on both the nose and palate. Fruit appears to have dropped off on the palate, making the tannins and oak more noticeable. (7508 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Mouth filling flavor of cassis and blackberries, a hint of tar. Soft and not showing much tannin. Comments from people at table -- "Love it!" and one person noticed a maple syrup element, but that was subtle. I'm glad I drank this now, think maybe it's hit its peak. (7504 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Opened for 30 min before drinking. Classic Insignia aromas and smooth silky finish. Not as full bodied as 94 or 97. Ready to drink now and looking forward to next bottle! (7833 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

This wine was very slightly corked but drinkable and enjoyable. Last bottle of this wine I had 2 years ago was totally corked. Problem at the winery? Bright intense colour. Quite complex nose of red fruit, cedar and leather, very St. Julien. Tannins present but well integrated. Long finish. (7640 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Wednesday Night Blind - April 2010 (Peter Pratt's Inn): Blind Wine #5 - So familiar, in my mind when Lance said Insignia I knew he was right. These wines flat out rock! Great dark color, huge rich fruit, deep and complicated, richly textured. Great juice. (7804 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

WIML91-92

Tasted January 13, 2010 at an offline. Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Slightly subdued nose (could've used more air) of roses, leather, talc, plum and berries. Flavors of plums, berries and cherries. Medium acidity, tannins and body. Drink or hold? (7385 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Nice youthful color, a bit closed and shut down in the first hour.. Then wine opened with a red berry, lead pencil, sage and Napa dust bouquet.. This wine possessed a very long sweet finish that was very fruit driven. The balance was good.. (7541 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Var forkølet. Ingen note. (7839 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Dark red core, slight lightening at the rim. Rich forward nose of cassis, plums, nints of cedar, tar, and floral notes. Medium-full body, ripe plush fruits, some Bordeaux-like aged notes of sweet tea and cedar, very nice balance, mostly resolved tannins, medium finish, not as big as a few years ago but still drinking very well, excellent. (7543 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Kevin & Margaret's Thanksgiving Dinner (Their House, Hong Kong): Deep blood red semi-transparent colour. Pure nose of Pauillac that is very remniscennt of Pichon Lalande. Palate is a real disappointment because it's just acidity and milk chocolate and surprisingly linear and surprisingly hot and acidic on the finish. I suspect this must have suffered from poor storage at some stage but I note that a lot of other CTers have had the same experience so maybe something went wrong with the bottling that year because there seems to be two distinctly different Insignia 1995s out there. (7915 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Perfumey floral bouquet of dark fruit, dark purple in color with finer sweet tannins. Maybe a little too sweet? Aerated for only 20 minutes but seemed to drink the same 3 hrs later. Fair amount of sediment at bottom of bottle as would be expected by now. I was more impressed by this wine in Nov. 1999 than now, but received rave comments from others present this time. (7430 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Decanted for about a 1/2 hour. On the nose wonderful aromas of black fruits, cedar and hints of tobacco. On the palate the same with hints of chocolate. The tannins were silky smooth and the finish was as memorable as any. Gorgeous wine. Drinking wonderfully right now. (7628 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Concentrated and purple, the color and nose would lead one to believe they are about to have a wonderful experience. However, the palate is unbalanced with dark fruit separating out from the relatively firm tannins in a borderline unpleasant manner for a wine of this heritage. The acidity and tannins were not in balance either. This wine did benefit from about an hour of aeration. I don't think that it will benefit from any additional cellaring either. (7683 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Beautiful complex nose on opening, smelling fresh but also with complex secondary notes. Palate did not live up to the nose, with the finish still being tannic but astringent, with a hole in the midpalate. Continued to harden with opening. This bottle had less than ideal storage, and likely suffered from this. (7574 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Still delicious but I believe a shade past its prime. (7931 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Simply delicious, with firm structure, plush and juicy dark fruits, and caramel undertones. I was most impressed by the structure and balance of this wine (my first Insignia). (7980 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Needed a couple of hours to breathe and then was hogged by Dave. Had it with the 89 Pichon Barron and 94 Mondavi Resv. I hogged the PB. (7723 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Cult Californians Wine Tasting (Crown Wine Cellars, Hong Kong): I have never been disappointed by Insignia when it has gone beyond 10 years, which is when it turns into my kind of a wine. Lovely powdery tannins, elegant, refined but still with power. Lovely........ (8894 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Structured and more primary than a 1997 Insignia side-by-side. Plenty of life left. Paired well with bison and black pepper notes. (7682 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

This is a 13 year old Napa Cab that truly evolved aromatically. The nose is incredibly appealing, offering a complex array of aromas. Leather, smoke and earth lace the fruitful core. It is an absolute pleasure to smell. In the palate, though, time has affected it adversely. It has lost density and weight, and the full midpalate it exhibitted when young falters now. This wine exhibits the weight of a 20 year Bordeaux. Tannin is not as evident as in its youth, but is still present, exhibitting a dusty quality. The finish is very long and pleasant. For the nose, this merits 96 points. For the palate, it only gets 88 points.

This was paired with a Fois Gras terrine and a steak au poivre. (7094 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Drinking window seems to be right in the wheelhouse at the moment with a possibility to improve just a bit more as the tannin stood out just a hair. A bit light on the mid palate but overall a nice drink. But IMO, inferior to the lush, rich 97. (7699 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Special, always but seems to be sweeter out of a 3.0 liter. Great structure, balance and finish.Great blend. (7359 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

I proposed to her on 11/11 at 11:11 in 1994. We got married the following year March 11, 1995. Not sure what it is about 11s but I'll never forget the day I proposed. So today, a 1995 Insignia to celebrate the occasion. I was blown away by the condition of this wine. No telltale signs of age but rather a dense, deep purple wine. It possessed a nose of dark fruit with hints of smoke, toast, pencil lead. Under any other circumstances I would expected this to be bordeaux. Palate of smooth sweet tannins, dark berries, pencil lead. Nothing but pure pleasure. (7411 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

very Bordeux like nose and flavor including "blue cheese" notes. Tasted a little old and tired (4056 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Looking into the glass there is only a slight bricking of the wine...but you have to look for it to really notice it. Scents of black fruits, leather, and slight pencil shavings could lead one to believe this was in fact from Bordeaux. Underneath it all there is a light hint of cinnamon that can be caught in a trail at the end. In the mouth this is everything that people love about California Cabernet based wines...it's plush, full, round, and offers such wonderful focus as flavors of black & blue fruits lead into a symphony of bakers chocolate, graphite, and intense minerality. An absolutely outstanding wine... (7385 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Always delivers. Had some bad bottles so needed a last minute "pop and pour" . This wine delivered just that. (7370 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Decanted for 90 mins and put back in bottle for another 60. This wine still has loads of fruit and tannin. Improved significantly in the glass, so if i had another bottle, would let breath for at least 3 hours. (7466 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Nose was very promising but ultimately no fireworks on the palate. Least impressive showing out of maybe a case of prior bottles. Have to assume this is an outlier. (7267 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

This was in the zone tonight. From the start it was pumping out the flavors (94ish) but really shined after a couple hours of air (97). (7568 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Best wine ever had - ultra smooth with well integrated tannins. Glorious aroma as soon as the cork was poped. (7411 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Pulled this out, dusted it off and pulled the cork (cork was in excellent shape), allowed it to sit upright for 2 hours then decanted. Medium body, medium finish nice complexity.
Cedar, black currant, white pepper, chocolate, tobacco, and berries (no tar for me) on the nose and palate. This had the stuffing to easily go for another 5 years or so. It should gain in complexity and garner another point or two 92-94. (7555 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

This was a wonderful wine. Dark, no sign of age visually. The nose was exeptionally leathery, tar, tobacco...wonderful. In the mouth, very well-balanced with substantial sweet fruit with notes of tobacco and cedar. The smooth tannins were evident. Classic CA CS in traditional Insignia style. Not all all heavy or over-extracted. Terrific wine showing well now, but not remotely on the down side. Glad we have a few left. (7503 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Tasted along with 2 other greats from 1995: Beringer Private Reserve Cab and Peter Michael "les Pavots". The Insignia was dark red in the glass with not much sign of aging. The nose was alluring fruit and wood spices. On the palate, the wine showed excellent intensity and seemed quite youthful. Black fruits dominate, along with vanilla and a bit of anise. The wine had medium body, not quite as velvety in texture as the Beringer. The finish was good, but didn't show much nuance. A fairly classic Insignia with plenty of aging potential from here. (7395 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Decanted 1 hour. (7542 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

super chocolately, oaky and showing some age, nice but not special (7370 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Still a baby with no sign of age. Dark and dense. Intense but primary. Fruit driven palete finishing with mouth drying tanins underneath the oak. There is a lot of stuffing here and this wine needs either a lot of air or more years inthe bottle. (7442 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Beautiful bottle Great nose of dark fruit, licorice, spices. Great mouthfeel. Excellent fullness, great balance. nice long finnish. The group was divided over this bottle or the 1994 Pahlmeyer which were tasted side by side. This was a little more evolved of the two (3820 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Thirty Years of Phelps Insignia (1974 through 2004): A nice nose of mainly dark fruit with a hint of VA/paint thinner that blew off in time. Very impressive on the palate with concentrated dark fruit and a heavier/oakier personality. Perfect balance. Very tannic. Should develop nicely with additional bottle age. (9402 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Insignia Vertical Tasting 1974-2004 (WA Frost, St. Paul): More floral nose than the other wines in the flight. Intense, brooding dark cherries. Seems to have higher acidity than the 1994. Well-structured, thick, and showing very young. (8966 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Drinking beautifully. Loads of dark fruit and cassis on the nose. The palate has really opened up since up a couple of years ago. A little sweet but with a gorgeous core of Cabernet. Classy and tasty CalCab. (7361 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Perfectly mature Cali blend and the complexity is now in full force. Notes of cherry, blackberry, leather, tobacco and a bit of mint. The tannins have almost completely integrated making for a very smooth Bordeaux like bottle. (7436 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Very good sslighly muted alomst rhone like nose and finish, but this gives you a look into what great cabernet can be at 10 years age... (7116 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Gravel, oak, and dark fruits on the nose. Loads and loads of oak and dark fruits (black cherry, plum). Amazingly long finish with great complexity. I want more. (7124 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Just loved this wine. one of the best I've every had. Seriously, we put it up against some big tallent. And while I love the French this wine kicked their butts. Some of our Franco file friends wouldn't admit it, but that's OK. (7184 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Well, the last sample I had of this wine must have been an aberration. This bottle was singing. Expressive nose of cassis, chocolate, and damp earth. Silky smooth on the palate with a wonderfully lengthy finish. Hints of tabacco leaf and smoke accented the ripe, fleshy fruit. A great cross of youthful fruit and aged complexity. (7196 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

This wine was excellent. Great nose of casis , chocolate and very rich texture smooth and velvety with great balance. Incredible fruit with great structure and depth. Nice 45 second finnish. This is a wine that shows great right now and delivers all the pleasure expected! (3851 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

1995 California Cabernet Horizontal (Mercy, mercy, mercy.) (Ruth's Chris.): 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 3 % Petit Verdot.
I liked the '95 Insignia a smidge more than the '94 on release, but find that the '94 shows a little better today. Shows the thickest and richest mouthfeel of the evening with good levels of fruit and creamy oak that lacks the severe bite of many of the wines tonight. That said, it finishes with a touch too much of an alcohol burn, so I'd drink now. No real complexity, but there's a dearth of that tonight. Enjoy it for the fruit it has now. A-/B+. (4752 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Just a fabulous bottle of wine. It still has the vibrancy of youth, yet continues to develop secondary nuance. Smoky and sultry, at its heart is a deep, dense core of layered sweet California fruit, although it is the breadth and not the depth that is special here. Exhibits world class concentration and delination. Finishes like a champ. Stellar. (7503 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

96 lynnch bages vs 96 penfolds bin 707 vs 95 insignia..no losers in the bunch. Around the world theme . Similar vegative nose. Insignia was #1 at the table. Lynch the classic and the penfolds was just very good (7800 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Birthday bash part III, Tanglewood Santana Row! Insignias are always just great, especially the mid-90s. This bottle seemed really shy and subdued at first, but opened the Kimono as it warmed up in the glass. Loads of licoricey cherry and asphalt/graphite elements. Silky and seamless on the palate. This could be a newly released wine it is so youthful. Not a huge boisterous monster, but a class act nonetheless. (8068 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

from memory last week with dinner, along with a '95 dalla valle. similar to last tasting, this wine is ready to go, and is drinking very well, with a softer, fruit forward style compared to the dalla valle, which had more concentration and structure, but probably needed more time. A- (8107 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Trip to Dallas - 89/90 Bordeaux and Older Cali Cabs; 11/7/2006-11/10/2006 (Dallas, Texas): A big full wine, with complex red fruits a really enjoyable iodine/saline quality. Very solid tannins on the finish. (9384 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Tasted unblinded from the Vintage Wines, Ltd. ("killer") wine bar. Bright disc. Youthful appearance, with a deep ruby robe and red rim. Clean nose, showing moderately intense aromas of vanilla, black fruits and Asian spices. Full-bodied on the palate, with low acidity, big ripe tannins and similar flavors as for the nose. The vanilla/oak component is a bit too dominant at this point. Long, smooth finish. (4911 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Suprisingly mute on the nose. Soft on the palate with straitforward fruit, but not much secondary flavors. Simple and soft. Perplexing. (8316 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

So rich, so purple, so balanced...Beautiful nose, mouthfeel of silk, fruit and structure, singing like a beautiful canary (8349 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Drank after 1 hour of decanting. Coffee, vanilla and licorice. Impact mostly in the front, middle was slightly subdued in comparison but finish was long. Rich and chewy. A nice wine overall. Opened with a '92 Beringer Private Reserve which was more accessible but everyone thought both were good and represented different styles. (8826 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Uncle Ging's Wine tasting. This is the most awful wine I have ever tasted. Crushed rock and tabbaco are not flavors or smells I like. I've had so many other Insignia's that I absolutely love. This one is pure crap. (1626 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

No. 7% merlot, 3% petite bordeaux (6967 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Cab Lovers of NYC Insignia Vertical (Zoe): The first WOW wine of the tasting. Deep, dark and brooding. The fruit jumps out of the glass here-very California. Young and vibrant, this one had a dense, complex core of fruit (blueberry, blackberry), as well as secondary notes of cedar and tobacco. If I had to pick a hole in this one it is that the finish wasn't as extraordinary as the rest of the experience. Still, a phenomenal wine. Drink now, drink later. Tied for WOTF. WOTN. (11282 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

with a 95 la jota anniversary last night. big, ripe, rich wine with plenty of fruit and oak, and a great finish. really singing right now. although it may not have the structure of the la jota, it is great to drink right now. A (11089 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Atlanta Vielles Vignes – Bone’s and Cabs (Bone's Restaurant, Atlanta, GA): Slightly reticent nose. Dark, brooding black fruits and cassis and spice with great density in lieu of depth and significant tannins. Has a hint of violet. The finish was pleasant enough, but disappointing. This just had to be closed or a slightly off bottle – not what I had expected. (13679 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Great match with lamb to kick off spring break. Didn't decant...but after two hours, the aromas really came together. Black currants, cocoa, carmel, green peppers...very appealing nose. Palate was balanced, but medium bodied. Decent finish of 30-45 seconds. Struck me as a little more Bordeaux-like early on than other Insignia's we've had. Not quite as complete as the '94...but still very enjoyable. (11935 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

A little disappointing. Very different from the '94, thin in the middle, medium bodied. Not at all a fruit bomb like the '94. It took two hours for the tannins to settle down. Creamy with tons of licorice. Very Bordeaux-like wine. (11769 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

holy ****. massive. toffee. power like a peaking barolo. coats my palette with a blanket of fruit. (12031 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

There was deffinitely a hint of coffee at the start, maybe mocha java, along with familiar Insignia aromas of black cherries, currants and cedar. The wine was still very dense with an inky purple color. The first taste showed the pure fruit that I love about great Insignias. Tannins were definitely quite present, but supple and controlled resulting in a silky mouthfeel. Oak is well integrated and pleasant and not at all overbearing. Over a decade old now, this wine is still young and vibrant. The finish lasts and lasts and there is still fruit, tanin and acidity present, which along with the density and structure of the wine, makes me believe that the best may be yet to come. If the tanins continue to integrate and soften, this wine could be even better down the road. I give it at least a 96 right now. (12183 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

My first '95 Insignia. Still plenty of purple in the color. The nose on this wine was amazing! Dark, rich, lush - hints of chocolate, cocoa, plum. Some spice - cedar? On the palate, this is still a youthful wine. While not a "new" wine, it is surprisingly fresh (given the other wines we opened tonight - '95 Opus One and '99 Spottswoode). Some tea, tobacco, red fruits, sweet tannins, and great balance. This was really, really awesome! (12731 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Nice balanced bordeaux-like Cali cab. Dark fruit did not overwhelm. Tobacco on the nose and mouth. Not a long finish and muted secondary characteristics. (12067 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Medium ruby red with the faintest hint of garnet near the edges. On the nose, initially quite subdued, with classic Cabernet notes of Cuban tobacco, damp earth, and leather just beginning to emerge. In the mouth, this initially showed slightly agressive tannins, although the sheer flavor intensity and volume buffered this to some extent. With about a half hour of air, however, all of the elements came into play and balance, with the tannins (still present) integrating beautifully with a gradually expanding creme de cassis mouthfeel. The wine never showed as flamboyant and remained somewhat reserved on the nose and palate, but the creamy cassis mouthfeel actually reminded me a bit of some vintages of Leoville las Cases (especially the 1982, where tasters mentioned a reserved and only partially evolved nose and palate). This extremely fine, aristocratic, creamy character seems to leave some people unimpressed (whether here or in the LLC), but this Bordeaux-like wine is top shelf in my opinion. The tannins were a bit more troubling to some other tasters, so I think this vin de garde will be close to its peak in another five years. (12508 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Tasting for newbies: Old World vs. New World (San Marcos, TX): Very dark ruby color. At first the nose was reticent and giving little. With about an hour and a half, the wine started showing its stuffing. Gorgeous and layered nose of coffee, black currant and chocolaty mocha. Full bodied with awesome texture and a great finish, this wine improved all night long. this wine is already developing aromatic complexity while retaing a lot of its fruit intensity. It was great with food. Group Points: 26 (second group favorite). (13801 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Phelps Insignia Vertical 15+ Years: Veritcal tasting. Black fruit on nose with just traces of spice. Still somewhat backward with lots of dry slightly roasted fruit, I think this is still really picking up weight and complexity. Very finish with good spice. (4709 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

At tasting. Was wonderful, but, did not knock our socks off as with past two bottles. Did not seem tired, but certainly drinking well right now. Great balance, smooth tannins. Classic CS, with Bordeaux features of lead pencil, cassis, and darker fruit almost chocolate overtones. This was a blind tasting with multiple CA grapes, and many but were reminded of a merlot. (12618 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Richer than the 94. Real nice. (12748 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Nice. Bursting with cassis upon opening and then lots of rich, chocolate and fruit, cocoa dusted plums, a bit of blood, ripe, sweet on the mid-palate, yet finishing out with a nice mouthful of dusty tannins. (12889 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

WOW! We really enjoyed this. I got home and bought 6 bottles of 2002 to age for future anniversarys! This was perfect balance. Drank at diinner at Carr's for 10th anniversary. (12818 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Labor Day Weekend Brunch at Essex (Essex Restaurant (New York, NY)): It is difficult to tell whether our tastebuds were responding to our expectations or to the actual juice. However, the Insignia showed good plumminess albeit less extracted fruit than we had anticipated. In fact, it was surprisingly tame. This may have been due to a storage mishap the day before. Nonetheless, the finish was strong and smooth and the wine complemented our burgers very well. (13391 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Not decanted; moderate sediment. Extended Fathers Day dinner of grilled ribeye. Deep ruby color, with the slightest tough of lightening at the rim. Wonderful balance and mouthfeel; deep, rich flavors of cedar, lead pencil, red fruits, and tobacco. Loads of structure; held up well over a 3+ hour dinner. The tannins seem pretty well resolved. Drinking well now; potential upside over the next few years. (13006 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

My friend brought this to dinner at Montparnasse in NYC and said it was singing. Man, was he ever right. A bravura performance, with all components parts in expressive harmony right now. A gorgeous bouquet and lots of showy fruit on the palate. Soft plush mouthfeel, with tannins barely lurking in the background. Did not even need decanting. Seems to be at its absolute apex. Drink now. (13223 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Pure cab deliciousness. Plenty of fruit, now very well integrated. Quite supple but with a firm backbone that still let you know who you were talking to. I really enjoyed this. It was great to try this, I wish I had some in the cellar. It's showing very well right now so there is certainly no harm at all in cracking this anytime. Terrific. 93 points.

Had this at the DC Crü April dinner at Corduroy. (12906 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

delicious and perfectly balanced, rich yet elegant, bursting with currants, dark berries, vanilla, cedar, flowers, coffee. (13023 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Forward aroma of black fruit and vanilla. Tight black fruit and coffee on the palate. Reminiscint of a nice Cote Rotie. 3/05 (7292 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Dark ruby/black colour to ruby rim. Aromas of coffee, earth, black licorice, eucalyptus. Medium-full bodied with red licorice, black plums, pepper, spice, leather. Moderate-long finish, 40s, with blackberry notes. (7780 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Long Island Wine's VS. The World... Who was the winner? You will be surpriced (Paumanok Vineyards, North Fork, Long Island, New York): Before this wine even reached my lips I knew we had a winner. Dark luscious red in color, the nose gave off hints of bubble gum and bright red fruit nuances. The palate was magnificent and this was easily picked as a California Cabernet. The copious fruit held up in the glass easily over the 30 minute flight and I couldn't keep my hands off it... Easily my wine of the flight and a wonderful wine experience. (15544 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Great cassis, vanilla and clove nose. Inviting. Lush soft palate of blackberries, blueberries, cedar, olive, a touch of green pepper, and a touch short on the finish. this felt a little tired tonite, but still excellent. reminded me a ton of the 95 Dominus. Very good. (13357 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Wow. Super smooth and delicious wine. Balanced and just wonderful juice. This wine is in its prime right now IMHO. Yummmmmm! (14320 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $