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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 89 pts. and median of 89 pts. in 10 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by joekroe on 2/16/2014: Bitter fruits, vanilla, very soft tannin. Little terrior expressed in this wine. Initially thought this tasted like a big overpowered CA Pinot, but after a couple hours the Rhone grapes it is made of became more clear. Rhone blend, in the CA style. Not a huge fan, but I can see where this would be fantastic wine for some people. (2368 views) | | | Tasted by BklynNeophyte on 12/3/2013 & rated 92 points: Thanksgiving wine. The cork came out easily but the wine was very nicely integrated. Great rhone blend and kudos to big bottles. A nice hit both before and during dinner. Didn't overpower any of the dishes. Comparable: Jeff Bagwell. (2352 views) | | | Tasted by Cleve Miller on 11/19/2011 & rated 90 points: Garnet with a tinge of brick. Deep dark fruits, vanilla, and menthol on the nose. Palate showed leather, loamy earth, wet stone, black cassis, hint of black pepper, all nicely layered and structured in a full body. Round and silky. Medium finish with slight tannins still showing. Very nice wine, excellent value. (3184 views) | | | Tasted by poptart_nyc on 7/3/2011 & rated 89 points: it is insane the amount of rich ripe fruit that still exists in this. color isstil deep to the rim. the cork was slightrly low in the neck, and almost soaked through. was disappointed with many 1997, but this one is super fresh. kept a ton of silky body. i wish i had tried it in like 2001, to have something to compare it to. The nose is floral and drooplet berried. mouth is pure but slightly alcoholic. some cinnamon, leather. good finish. will see how things develop. (3356 views) | | | Tasted by markellen.foodies@gmail.com on 2/8/2010: FRENCH BAKERY 1997 NAPA vs TUSCANY BYO Dinner; 2/8/2010-2/9/2010 (The French Bakery, 1023 Kane Concourse, Bay Harbor Islands, Florida): Frank's wine (4438 views) | | | Tasted by cowtownguy on 11/23/2008 & rated 89 points: What a nice find back in the cellar. Has aged very well, was not as impressed with this when purchased but now wish I had more. Very smooth and well rounded. (1860 views) | | | Tasted by Mallards on 2/3/2007 & rated 87 points: Nice little Rhone blend. I would call it a poor man's Guigal - very approachable, nice Grenache flavor - wish I had more. At this point not showing any significant sign of being too old. (2038 views) | | | Tasted by cococafe on 11/23/2006 & rated 88 points: Getting a bit old, but still a nice wine. (2065 views) | | | Tasted by zinslurpie on 8/27/2006 & rated 87 points: Wow, this was one of the first fun bottles of wine my friends and I discovered tasting in Napa. I bought a case and have been trying it every so often (down to last two bottles), and it's terrific to see after 9 years to see it is holding up. Still bing cherry color, with just hints of of bricking. Not the fruit-forward wine that it once was, it has evolved significantly and has old mellow fruit (almost stewed) tone on the nose with a hint of pepper. No longer full bodied, more of a medium sized wine with dark cherry and red berry flavors, including the peppery note that was noticed on the nose. I don't really see anything left to find in aging this wine and will drink my final bottle within the year. (1686 views) |
| By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 2000, IWC Issue #90
(Joseph Phelps Vineyards Le Mistral Monterey County) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 2000, IWC Issue #90
(Joseph Phelps Vineyards Le Mistral Vin du Mistral) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Joseph Phelps Producer website
In the late 60s, Joseph Phelps was running one of the largest construction companies in the U.S. when he won the bid to build Souverain Winery (now Rutherford Hill) located a few miles outside of St. Helena. Enamored with the beautiful Napa Valley and contemplating a career change, in 1973 he bought the 600-acre Connolly cattle ranch in Spring Valley, and began planting vineyards. The winery was completed in 1974 and that same year the first Syrah was made, the first grapes were crushed at the new facility and the first Insignia was produced. It was a period of unparalleled activity, creativity, ingenuity, entrepreneurship and risk-taking and it put Joe Phelps on the map of top Napa Valley wine producers.
Nearly four decades later, the flagship wine, Insignia, is recognized as one of the world’s great wines. Twenty nine of 34 vintages have been rated ninety or more points by various wine publications. From 1990 to 2007, the average score from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate is 94.5 pts., with the lowest score still a fabulous 91. The 2002 vintage was “Wine of the Year” by Wine Spectator Magazine, and the 2007 vintage has been rated 98 points by Robert Parker and 96 points by Wine Spectator Magazine.
Over the years, the goal of becoming 100% estate grown resulted in carefully planned acquisitions of prime vineyards in the Napa Valley. Today, the Phelps estate consists of the Spring Valley Home Ranch outside of St. Helena, Banca Dorada in Rutherford, Las Rocas and Barboza vineyards in Stags Leap, Yountville Vineyard in Oak Knoll, Suscol Vineyard in South Napa and Backus Vineyard in Oakville.
Beginning with the 2009 vintage, estate-grown wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Insignia, Backus (the single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville) and Eisrébe, a dessert wine made from the Scheurebe grape. In addition, a small amount of Syrah is produced from fruit owned by Hyde Vineyards in Los Carneros.
Though the main focus is on Bordeaux varietals, Joe Phelps has had a life-long love affair with the wines of Burgundy and a desire to craft wines in that style. Originally Chardonnay was sourced from St. Helena, later from Yountville and then from Los Carneros. Through the years, however, Joe continued to search for the ideal spot to grow both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and his search ended when the perfect combination of climate, soil and location was found in Freestone, located in the Sonoma Coast AVA, a mere eight miles from the Pacific Ocean. In 1999, 200 acres were acquired and planting began. Today, 80 acres of Pinot Noir and 20 acres of Chardonnay are producing some remarkable wines which are available for tasting at the Freestone Guest Center. Visit Freestone Vineyards to learn more.Red Rhone Blend Read about the different grapes used to produce red and white Rhone wines
On CellarTracker, Red Rhone Blend is the term for a wine consisting of two or more of the traditional 13 Southern Rhone grape varieties. Typically it's the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre or Cinsault grapes, but can also contain the Muscardin, Counoise, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Picpoul, Roussanne, Terret Noir, Picardan or Vaccarese grapes.
A 'food' wine. Lacking pretension and intended for local consumption with local cuisine. Lacks the 'high' notes on a Bordeaux, more earthy and sharper so often a better partner to meat dishes with a sauce. USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Central Coasthttp://www.ccwinegrowers.org/links.html
http://www.discovercaliforniawines.com/regional-wine-organizations/
http://beveragetradenetwork.com/en/btn-academy/list-of-winegrowers-association-in-central-coast-california-274.htm
Central Coast AVA WikipediaMonterey County Monterey Wines (Monterey County Vintners & Growers Association) |
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