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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.4 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 23 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by M.J.G. on 12/2/2023 & rated 95 points: Opened this past week. Beautifully evolved wine. Bright and vibrant. Bought it on a whim and wow so glad I did. (107 views) | | | Tasted by Cantine di Vittorio on 8/25/2018: Solid vino. Great vinter, but again (1240 views) | | | Tasted by AlexHop on 1/19/2013 & rated 90 points: Really nice. Still showing strong, not at all faded. Bold nose with lots of herbs and earth. Bold flavors, dark dense fruit for a merlot and a bit of spice. (3442 views) | | | Tasted by Chrispx on 2/12/2012 & rated 90 points: Suprisingly good and deep. (3894 views) | | | Tasted by AlexHop on 12/6/2010 & rated 88 points: Decent and holding up well, but not that deep. (4266 views) | | | Tasted by AllRed on 8/15/2010 & rated 92 points: Notes of tobacco, plum and dark fruit. Developed a subtle dill note with air. Flavors of cherry and dark fruit; fully integrated tannins.
My last bottle, and what a gorgeous one to end on. It was lovely. This too was decanted briefly & returned to bottle about an hour before the tasting. If I had more, I'd drink 'em over the next year before it begins to decline. (4333 views) | | | Tasted by bwillia on 7/8/2010 & rated 88 points: Still alive but fully mature. Smooth drinking. (3632 views) | | | Tasted by AllRed on 7/2/2010 & rated 87 points: Notes of plum, leather and berries which follow through on the palate. Fully-integrated, soft. In a good place and nearing the end of its window, I got the impression it would soon begin drying out. Drink now. (1881 views) | | | Tasted by grossie on 5/2/2010 & rated 91 points: Surprise bottle found in my cellar. Lots of sediment in the shoulder of this bottle. This wine had wonderful concentration of fruit, although was slightly heavy on the oak. It drinks very well right now, I bet that non-winos would love the rich chocolatey oakyness and roundness of this wine. It actually held up for 48 hour after opening with only minor hints of oxidization on that 3rd night. Despite the obvious oak I really found this bottle to be a pleasure, and an example of a well-made wine in a rich style. (1892 views) | | | Tasted by Whine-oh on 1/17/2010 & rated 88 points: Popped and poured. Mellow dark fruit nose and some light toast too. Palate was consistent with the dark fruits and, a little spiciness, some firmness on the backbone to help it stand up to the food served at trendy SD Restaurant. Can't wonder what it might have been like several years ago. Nice wine, no wow but enjoyable and good with food. (1960 views) | | | Tasted by bgardner on 12/24/2008 & rated 85 points: Wine was OK. fruit taste was not big and seem to be near the end of it life. Wish we had drank in 2004. (2072 views) | | | Tasted by Gfritzh on 11/21/2008 & rated 94 points: A wonderful, full bodied wine with a firm structure and just the right amount of black cherry fruit. We have enjoyed this wine on numerous occasions over the years and I only regret that this was our last bottle. We opened and poured this bottle and the wine needed about 30 minutes of air time to open up. It was great with grilled steaks. (2047 views) | | | Tasted by Gfritzh on 11/20/2007 & rated 92 points: Still drinking very well. Smoth tannins and complex fruit and chocolate notes with a nice medium long finish. (2250 views) | | | Tasted by Gfritzh on 7/24/2007 & rated 92 points: Dark red color, good nose, firm silky tannins, this wine is drinking very well now and is one of the best of the California merlots. Should remain at its peak for another year. (2306 views) | | | Tasted by Brett on 8/29/2006 & rated 90 points: A very good Merlot. This bottle is drinking very well right now. (2666 views) | | | Tasted by AllRed on 4/17/2006 & rated 92 points: From Randy and Laura's cellar during end of tax season dinner. Opened and not decanted. Deep garnet color, with a rusty hue throughout. Notes of chocolate, blueberries and a faint earthiness. The palate was all dark fruit and chocolate, with fine, chalky tannins. The WOTN for me, and I think everyone else as well. This was singing right out of the bottle. I would say drink now to 2010. (2888 views) | | | Tasted by futronic on 9/29/2003 & rated 89 points: Deep ruby red/purple colour. Aromas of currant, spice, coffee, and chocolate. Palate presented with a full-bodied, plush wine. Well integrated tannin with cassis, spice and thyme. Still has time, but very approachable. (2707 views) | | | Tasted by Burgundy Al on 1/11/2003 & rated 84 points: Quick Day Trip to Napa (Napa Valley CA): Tasting at winery. Moderate black cherry aromas and flavors. Slightly harsh, not as soft as round as expected. (1464 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.MerlotMerlot is a dark blue–colored wine grape variety, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to be a diminutive of merle, the French name for the blackbird, probably a reference to the color of the grape. Its softness and "fleshiness", combined with its earlier ripening, makes Merlot a popular grape for blending with the sterner, later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon, which tends to be higher in tannin.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 Napa Valley Napa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)Napa ValleySt. Helena |
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