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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 93.7 pts. and median of 94 pts. in 20 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by acyso on 4/6/2023 & rated 95 points: BYOK with Olivier Krug at Next (Chicago, IL): Mostly Eisele fruit. Phenomenal old-school Napa, the way God intended the wines to be. Definitely very fruit forward and unmistakably Californian with its sunny disposition. Distinct herbal notes as well, this is fully mature with fully resolved, silky tannins. This is drinking exactly as I would expect a top-notch bottle of Napa cabernet to drink now. (1634 views) | | | Tasted by englishman's claret on 11/16/2021 & rated 85 points: I found this a little oxidative with sweet, fruitcakey notes and Christmas spices, porty and peppery. Others felt this was correct, if overripe, but if so I would be hard pressed to find a number higher than 85 to attach. (2440 views) | | | Tasted by RockinCabs on 11/12/2021 & rated 95 points: Nose: Blackberry, cedar, redwood, plum skin and cherry. There is a furniture policy and roasted herb element I like here too. Palate: Enters with slightly sharp acidity, but equally rip dark fruit and ceqdar. Lots of loam and pl to enjoy. Finish: Nice plum and berry. Touch of eucalyptus and sandalwood.
Classic old school napa. You could taste the redwood elements here. (1444 views) | | | Tasted by Glaso da Vino on 6/26/2020 & rated 95 points: This was amazing. Evolved, blueberries, chocolate, tabacco, with a long silky finish. (1881 views) | | | Tasted by fcxj on 9/25/2019 & rated 94 points: Incredibly elegant lifted aromatics touch of cinnamon. Elegant palate. (2344 views) | | | Tasted by acyso on 9/19/2019 & rated 95 points: Dinner at Nico Osteria (Chicago, IL): I've made some pretty snarky remarks about the modern incarnations of Insignia (because they suck really bad), but man, these old ones are some of the best that Napa has to offer. The nose has a bit of a sharpie marker thing alongside a really lovely green eucalyptus tone and fruit that is still very youthful. It's an inky wine, with opulence that no Bordeaux can hope to match, but it's also very restrained and well-executed. There are no sharp edges at this point -- it is a silky and fully resolved bottle of Napa cabernet, from the golden age. (2319 views) | | | Tasted by salil on 9/19/2019 & rated 95 points: Dinner at Nico Osteria: Phenomenal wine. There's a sunny ripeness and richness to the fruit that sets it apart from all the Bordeaux poured right before, but it's also carrying the same restraint and finesse as the best of the clarets on the table. Lots of rich red and black fruit, mature woodsy and earthy notes, and a really intense green/eucalyptus note that would have had me guessing old Heitz Martha's Vineyard had this been poured blind. The tannin here feels fully resolved and the texture is just amazing. A stunning bottle that was among my favorites of the night. (2460 views) | | | Tasted by AB16 on 11/1/2016 & rated 100 points: As good as cab and any wine gets. Agree with comments that insignia has gotten overripe but this one amd most I’ve had prior to 2000 are beautiful examples of how great Napa Cab can be. (611 views) | | | Tasted by Vinnut on 1/24/2016 & rated 94 points: Deep, dark garnet in color with only slight clearing at the edges. Fragrant, forward & attractive nose of mature & complex nose of fruit aromas of dark cherries, plums & cassis with overtones of cedar, tobacco, leather, some floral notes of violets, earthy, dusty, minty, herbs, dark cocoa, some spices & minerals. Full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced, silky smooth textured, mature & complex ripe dark fruits of cherries, plums & cassis with earthiness, minty, dark cocoa, herbs, spices and minerals. Long lingering smooth finish. Drinks quite well at present and although it may be at its peak of development, it appears to have the structure and ripe fruit flavors to continue holding at its current plateau of maturity although any further development with additional aging is highly unlikely. A wonderful example of a well-aged & mature Napa Cabernet at 40 years of age & still going strong. [A blend of 94% Eisele Vineyard Cabernet & 6% Oakville Merlot; Alc. @ 13.8%] (4270 views) | | | Tasted by davergny on 8/3/2013 & rated 96 points: This is some wine! 94% Eisele cabernet, 6% merlot. Very aromatic nose of sweet currants and mocha. Big, tannic wine, has has an elegance to it as well. Ripe cabernet fruit dominates the palate, with some leather and earthy notes. Tannic and a slight musty taste on the back end, but the mouth watering finish goes on and on. Amazing wine, at 37 years old, that will last many more years. (6427 views) | | | Tasted by danielk168 on 12/11/2012 & rated 97 points: Even better than the last bottle, color is youthful as ever and surely this can last 10 more years. Only one glass this time and took 3 hours to enjoy it. When tasted blind, one friend thought it was a 10 year Bordeaux! (6552 views) | | | Tasted by danielk168 on 2/22/2012 & rated 95 points: This is one ofseven bottles from Zachys auction. Incredible nose followed by explosive sensation inthe mouth. Hard to believe it is36 years old. (7574 views) | | | Tasted by tooch on 10/25/2011 & rated 93 points: D.C. Dinner for Greg Golec (Toscana Cafe - DC): Mature nose of leaves, cedar, pipe tobacco and leather. The fruit was mostly hidden behind these tertiary tones, but was more evident on the palate. i thought this was particularly elegant with cranberry, violets, forest floor, and cedar tones on the palate. An iconic American producer nails this bicentennial cuvee. (8639 views) | | | Tasted by TheEngineer on 1/1/2011 & rated 93 points: A friend opened this thing amongst the others and it was a treat. The wine not only was alive but kicking and we had to decant it to open it up. It stuck around for the entire 4 hour dinner, improving along the way. Super nose, obviously older wine but did not feel that old. Color was still garnet, some fruit remains but the second and tertiary notes were good, medium body and finish but a wonderful look into the 70's (5530 views) | | | Tasted by carnyc on 12/2/2008 & rated 91 points: BYO Dinner at Tribeca Grill (Organized by Acker Merrall): No notes taken. (4461 views) | | | Tasted by dccc on 2/22/2008 & rated 90 points: Given the age this wine was remarkably lively. Decanted for two hours it still had hints of rasberry and current fruits. We compared with '94, 95, 96 Insignia's with the 96 being the big winner. But all were great! (3604 views) | | | Tasted by Siggy on 10/13/2007 flawed bottle: Insignia Vertical Tasting 1974-2004 (WA Frost, St. Paul): Showed some coffee and dark fruit, but woody and muted. Corked. (4597 views) | | | Tasted by Dave Dalluge on 10/13/2007 flawed bottle: Thirty Years of Phelps Insignia (1974 through 2004): Sadly this was slightly corked. It did taste pretty darn good though with a blast of red fruit and a big tannic finish. (5264 views) | | | Tasted by Burgundy Al on 10/13/2005 & rated 90 points: Casual Dinner with Great Wine with Friends (Chicago IL): Great black fruit aromas, modest spice, surprisingly fresh for its age. Black cherry and currant on palate, also fresh with good tannins and acidity for structural support. Very food friendly. (2301 views) |
| 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 Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.InsigniaOf interest concerning the sources for grapes for this wine:
http://wine.appellationamerica.com/wine-review/669/Insignia.html
jhtUSAAmerican 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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