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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.6 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 46 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by AllRed on 4/15/2023: Double decanted off its sediment and poured a couple of hours later. Leather and plum; drinking very well. (638 views) | | | Tasted by Gr8penut on 6/25/2021 & rated 92 points: From my posting on Instagram:
In Vino Veritas (in wine there is truth; people speak the truth when they are drunk), bottle #143 of my cellar sacrifices. A 1995 Joseph Phelps Magnum of Napa Cab. At 26 years young, this wine was fantastic! Deep in color and still retained its fruit, it was a smooth cab that everyone enjoyed. Hand-carried from a trip to Napa that finally paid off.🍷🍷🍷👍👍 👍 #wine #winelover #winelovers #josephphelps #josephphelpswinery #napawine #napa #napavalley
#redblend #redblendwine
#cabernetsauvignon #napacab (1395 views) | | | Tasted by mikkelmarius on 12/31/2018 & rated 80 points: From 750ml bottle. Definitely way past its prime. Drink five years ago. (2347 views) | | | Tasted by Border Boss on 9/20/2017 & rated 90 points: From magnum. Double decanted five hours before service. Still dark red. Nose shows black olives, cassis, and leather. The acid is very tame, allowing all the sweet fruit to come out. Lots of raspberries and strawberries with very mild tannins. In this format, another 5 years of great drinking. (3672 views) | | | Tasted by JOEABR on 9/5/2017 & rated 94 points: My all-time favorite wine (puts the '89 Cos a notch behind). And regrettably my last bottle. I've never been disappointed with this bottling and have followed it's evolution over the last 20 years, consuming at least 12 bottles. It is one of those wines that when I run out, I have to find more - purchasing at retail and auction in 3-4 bottle lots to keep some stock. Such great texture and aroma, in the mouth it is velvet. Even at this age, there is sufficient fruit. Now I need to find a few more.... (3460 views) | | | Tasted by ljl on 2/15/2015 & rated 92 points: Very Dark, good fruit. Spicy and fruity. Still very drinkable (5338 views) | | | Tasted by sstoloff on 8/6/2014 & rated 92 points: Still excellent, probably underrated in my previous note. Followed a 1997 La Jota Cab. and gave it a run. (5424 views) | | | Tasted by Tim and Bonnie on 1/17/2014 & rated 92 points: Bonnie raved over this one! We were unsure how a mid range '95 cab would drink, but it was great. Only thing we learned through the experience was that it was like watching a full moon rise, it is huge as it comes up over the horizon, but before you know it it's much smaller and not as inspiring. Thinking an hour in carafe and drink over the next hour or so. (5230 views) | | | Tasted by eniskonuk on 11/26/2013 & rated 92 points: - Garnet color. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of strawberry jam and raisin with a medium body. Polished texture with a medium finish. (4330 views) | | | Tasted by rsprouse on 11/22/2013 & rated 92 points: Silky smooth and lovely - not a blockbuster wine, but delicious and elegant. Perfect with a nice New York strip steak. I have five more 750s and two magnums - I'll be drinking the 750s regularly over the next few months. (4430 views) | | | Tasted by AllRed on 9/28/2013 & rated 90 points: Garnet color. Aromas of tea leaf, red currants and earth. Flavors of black currants, blackberry and earth. Develops a wonderful note of tobacco, along with cedar and herbs. Lovely; showing very well. Bordeaux-like. 90+ pts. (2741 views) | | | Tasted by Steve9134 on 5/25/2013 & rated 91 points: The wine looks Violet colored. It smells like Cedar, and Tea. The body is Medium. The wine has Smooth texture. The wine finishes Medium. (2883 views) | | | Tasted by FJhajduk on 9/30/2012 & rated 88 points: Let it breath for 1/3 hour. Started to come to life. Still had a little tannin and ended with a smooth, somewhat fruity and moderate in length finish. I was expecting very little, but really enjoyed this wine. Commend the wine maker for a fabulous 17 year old wine. (2944 views) | | | Tasted by dahub on 6/4/2012 & rated 94 points: Fantastic aging - mellow fruit (2790 views) | | | Tasted by WoodieBayArea on 4/29/2012 & rated 90 points: drank in vegas alongside a '94 Whitehall Lane Morisolli and a '90 Lafon Clos des Chenes... this held it's own but wasn't as good as i remember the previous bottles to be, fruit was in balance with the cedar/spice/green elements.. prior bottles were more about the fruit... liked this but not as exciting as i had hoped / remembered (2779 views) | | | Tasted by Vino Me on 3/31/2012 & rated 90 points: Brought by Allred. Red with a brownish rim. Drank this over 2 days. This 17 year old cab was creamy. Notes of black cherry and charcoal. Medium body. 90-91 points. (2789 views) | | | Tasted by AllRed on 3/30/2012 & rated 87 points: Notes of black fruit, plum, leather, tobacco and cedar. Medium-bodied; flavors of leather and cedar, with earthy undertones. The fruit has faded. (2344 views) | | | Tasted by eniskonuk on 10/9/2011 & rated 92 points: - Aromas of raisin and has flavours of mushroom and raisin. (2405 views) | | | Tasted by rwatkin on 4/2/2011 & rated 92 points: I second every word of the review by Julie DHS--my cork even also fell apar! This is a beautiful earthy Cab to drink now. (2853 views) | | | Tasted by JuliannaDHS on 2/20/2011 & rated 92 points: The cork literally fell apart on this one and I ended up with a lot of it in the bottle. But the wine was really good. Nice and earthy with a nice cherry and dark fruit flavor. Very smooth tannins, a great wine. (3057 views) | | | Tasted by kmack on 1/16/2010: Smooth and silky. Medium-bodied with nice cherry and currant fruit. Just a touch of earth. Mature and drinking absolutley beautifully right now. Restores my faith in Napa cabs. (3729 views) | | | Tasted by FozMonster on 12/19/2009: pretty average...expected more (2330 views) | | | Tasted by blard on 2/20/2009 & rated 91 points: Agree with the prior note -- very smooth -- tannins are very much in the background -- and does have a bordeaux likeness too it. Enjoyed it. Noticed considerable oxidation at the cork. Hopefully not a bad sign as I have several more bottles left (5086 views) | | | Tasted by Wino from Michigan on 1/24/2009 & rated 92 points: This bottle was at its best -- the tannins have smothed into a silky texture and the wine was sophistaicated with subtle but yummy flavors. It was a great bottle to cut the fat of a NY Strip. (4450 views) | | | Tasted by sstoloff on 1/9/2009 & rated 90 points: Surprised at how good this was. Dark cherry, graphite, earth, some smoke. A nice reserved Bordeaux quality; I think it's still in its prime. (4405 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| 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.Cabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is probably the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.
Used as frequently in blends as in varietal wines, Cabernet Sauvignon has a large number of common blending partners. Apart from the obvious Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the most prevalent of these are Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere (the ingredients of a classic Bordeaux Blend), Shiraz (in Australia's favorite blend) and in Spain and South America, a Cabernet – Tempranillo blend is now commonplace. Even the bold Tannat-based wines of Madiran are now generally softened with Cabernet SauvignonUSAAmerican 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 Napa Valley Napa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)Napa ValleySt. Helena |
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