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| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.3 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 22 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Swekman on 8/30/2014 & rated 92 points: The wine has a nose of honey, flowers, and fig. it is mooth and yummy -- liquid candy. (3105 views) | | | Tasted by usbeauty on 2/14/2013 & rated 90 points: Bright citrus flavors and fragrance when opened gave way after ten minutes to honey, apricot, pear and a hint of caramel. Long, sweet and luscious finish lacked complexity but made up for in mouthfeel. 8% alc. and wished it was more. I wonder what this was like in its first years. (4083 views) | | | Tasted by Austin Ferrari on 2/14/2013 & rated 91 points: 8% alcohol was a big surprise for me when I saw this bottle. The nose was bright, lots of apricot and white peaches. Mouth coating feel with the sugars of golden raisins. Reminded me of jurancon for some reason. I'd love to have a few bottles for myself! (4056 views) | | | Tasted by la dut on 3/3/2012 & rated 90 points: Golden honey with flashes of copper. Very ripe melon, papaya, strawberries and creme, pineapple, and honey. I'm also picking up some vague oak character: some vanilla and caramel. Sweet and acidic guava, pineapple, and other tropical fruits. Full-bodied and incredibly viscous, with caramel on the finish. Quite a delicious experience, though not worth buying again for the price. (4435 views) | | | Tasted by christophee on 9/24/2011 & rated 84 points: Clear honey in the glass. Honey, Summer grass, citrus and vanilla on the nose. After the initial sugar shock the palate turns round with soft honey, carmel, citrus, melon and creme. Medium finish. Sweet and simple. (4742 views) | | | Tasted by cos65 on 6/21/2011: honeyed apricot flavors with good acidity to handle the sweetness. **** (2321 views) | | | Tasted by Amrussell on 1/31/2011 & rated 91 points: Very tasty indeed. Honey and apricot like flavours. (2317 views) | | | Tasted by ggaccione on 1/7/2011 & rated 85 points: honey (2035 views) | | | Tasted by jeffm_fla on 12/24/2010 & rated 91 points: everyone liked this after dinner. (1362 views) | | | Tasted by pvetsch on 11/13/2010: Californian Scheurebe flash-frozen...can't go wrong with that. (2055 views) | | | Tasted by Berno on 10/20/2010: In March, I tasted the 2004 and 2006. These were both of the best dessert wines I've had from California. The 2008 needs that amount of time. There is a lot going on, the acidity is there but needs to be 6-8 years old to be really, really enjoyed. Pay no attention to the drinking window. (2633 views) | | | Tasted by Cantina Hill's on 3/28/2010 & rated 95 points: fruit, deep flavors, rich, next trip to Napa we will get more. (2277 views) |
| By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 2009, IWC Issue #144
(Joseph Phelps Vineyards Eisrebe White Wine Napa Valley (half bottle)) 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.ScheurebeWikipedia Scheurebe articles: German language, English languageUSAAmerican 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)St. Helena Appellation Napa Valley
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