Wine Type | Vintage Name Variety Locale | Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More... |
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Red |
2002 Joseph Phelps InsigniaNapa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more |
5/6/2024 - ocandelas wrote: NRWine of the Year - Wine Spectator 2005 |
Red |
2017 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valleymore |
5/5/2024 - Bobcat 31 Likes this wine: 91 pointsgood basic cab Did not need a long decant. |
Red |
2021 Joseph Phelps Pinot Noir Quarter Moon VineyardSonoma Coast more |
5/5/2024 - LearningWine Likes this wine: 92 pointsDelicious wine but needs some time still |
Red |
2014 Joseph Phelps SyrahNapa Valley more |
5/5/2024 - Jsilbe Likes this wine: NRYummy, buy again. |
Red |
1980 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valleymore |
5/2/2024 - skifree wrote: NRClear meniscus with some orange at the rim, though not as much orange as I would have expected. Nose of dried fruit, reminded me of fruit leather. Lots of dried fruit on the palate, then some ripe fruit and some acidity, but lacks depth. Finish is quite short. Last of 3 bottles, feel like this is on a downward slide. |
Red |
1976 Joseph Phelps InsigniaNapa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more |
5/1/2024 - acyso wrote: flawedTo Tony (La Grange Park, IL): Mostly Eisele fruit. Unfortunately, muddy and corked. |
Red |
1974 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valleymore |
5/1/2024 - Cailles wrote: 88 points23x California 1974: Do the legendary 1974s still hold up? The answer is a resounding YES, and not just for one or two top wines, but across the board. These best wines showed incredible complexity, with still vibrant fruit cores perfectly complemented by layers upon layers of tertiary aromas, a fully intact structural frame, stature, poise, and freshness. While many of these wines should continue to age well, I don't expect them to get any better than they are now. The top wines in the tasting were the Mondavi Cabernet and the Phelps Insignia (both 97pts), the Mondavi Reserve and the Mount Eden (both 96pts), and the Ridge Monte Bello (95pts). Many more wines scored in the 90-94 point range. I'm convinced that many wines would have scored even higher in a different tasting setting, where you can follow the wine over the course of an evening. Only 5 of the 24 bottles showed signs of weakness, with 1 of those already oxidized, but given the substance that could be tasted underneath, this is more likely due to weak corks or poor storage than anything nature delivered this year. All the wines had very good fill levels and had been quickly double decanted before tasting to remove the sediment. |
Red |
1974 Joseph Phelps InsigniaNapa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more |
5/1/2024 - Cailles wrote: 97 points23x California 1974: Do the legendary 1974s still hold up? The answer is a resounding YES, and not just for one or two top wines, but across the board. These best wines showed incredible complexity, with still vibrant fruit cores perfectly complemented by layers upon layers of tertiary aromas, a fully intact structural frame, stature, poise, and freshness. While many of these wines should continue to age well, I don't expect them to get any better than they are now. The top wines in the tasting were the Mondavi Cabernet and the Phelps Insignia (both 97pts), the Mondavi Reserve and the Mount Eden (both 96pts), and the Ridge Monte Bello (95pts). Many more wines scored in the 90-94 point range. I'm convinced that many wines would have scored even higher in a different tasting setting, where you can follow the wine over the course of an evening. Only 5 of the 24 bottles showed signs of weakness, with 1 of those already oxidized, but given the substance that could be tasted underneath, this is more likely due to weak corks or poor storage than anything nature delivered this year. All the wines had very good fill levels and had been quickly double decanted before tasting to remove the sediment. |
Red |
1978 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele VineyardNapa Valley more |
5/1/2024 - acyso wrote: 93 pointsTo Tony (La Grange Park, IL): An interesting note of cumin on the nose and palate here. Despite being mature with a mix of leather and dust, this still shows quite a bit of black fruit as well. In no danger of decline, tonight this wine came across to me as more structural than giving and straight-up pleasurable. One of the few wines that I felt could still stand to benefit from a bit of bottle age. My last bottle of this was around a decade ago, but the salient point I wrote then, which I still feel is true today, is that the modern Napa is not ever going to become anything like this. They really don't make 'em like they used to. |
White - Sweet/Dessert |
1978 Joseph Phelps Johannisberg Riesling Selected Late HarvestSt. Helena more |
5/1/2024 - acyso wrote: 95 pointsTo Tony (La Grange Park, IL): From half-bottle. These old Johannisberg rieslings are something special. Somehow, the colour always turns out to be motor oil, but also somehow these manage to maintain so much freshness despite that opulent, sweet character. Very much in line with old-school German TBAs in profile, though this doesn't have anywhere the same amount of botrytis spice. It's more of a figgy, PX-like character but with the lightness and acidity of a riesling. |
Red |
1997 Joseph Phelps InsigniaNapa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more |
4/28/2024 - snaff wrote: 93 pointsA bit better preserved than my last one. Love the damp earth running underneath the cassis and dusky berry notes. Well integrated and long complex finish. |
Red |
2012 Joseph Phelps InsigniaNapa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more |
4/28/2024 - Darwine Likes this wine: 98 pointsWow - best I have had in awhile!! The nosecwas so expressive of ripe dark fruit and leather with some nice herbs. Flavors followed with black cherry and blackberry with acid notes of ripe cherry. The tannis were perfect and layered leaving a beautiful long finish of black cherry and cassis. Chocolate notes were present but the cherry notes prevailed. Almost a perfect wine! |
Red |
1995 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Backus VineyardOakville more |
4/27/2024 - Charlie C Likes this wine: 94 pointsDark cherry red color with faint translucence. Earthy, berry nose. Dark fruited on the palate, black cherries, blackberry, tobacco. Gets brighter with air. The cherry fruit comes more to the fore. Smooth tannins, bright acidity, excellent balance. Finishes long, long, smoky and dark-fruited. Fully mature. Give it lots of air. Throwing fair amount of sediment. Drink over the next 3 years. |
Red |
2017 Joseph Phelps Pinot Noir Pastorale VineyardSonoma Coast more |
4/26/2024 - theebigjuan Likes this wine: 91 pointsIt has mellowed in the three years since my previous go. Still quite big but the alcohol didn't overpower. It's structured such that it punches above its weight when pairing. |
Red |
2018 Joseph Phelps Pinot Noir Quarter Moon VineyardSonoma Coast more |
4/25/2024 - Ecoenophile wrote: 93 pointsI liked it… a bit of an “old world” darkness. Nose tends towards bright red fruits - raspberry, strawberry… but not over powering or cloyey. Palate has a darker red fruit and (almost) Smokey hint. Nice tartness and acidity. Medium body contributes to a medium finish. Well balanced overall. |
Red |
2019 Joseph Phelps Pinot Noir Proem No. 1 Freestone EstateSonoma Coast more |
4/24/2024 - Darwine wrote: flawedThe age gave it a kick! Nose was full of red fruit- strawberry, raspberry and red plum and flavors followed with red fruit! Delicious!! The acid balance and red fruit flavors were fantastic! A great Pinot! Nose had a sweet essence that was delicious but alluring! This was a treat! |
White |
2019 Joseph Phelps Chardonnay Freestone Vineyards Sonoma Coastmore |
4/23/2024 - djhammond Likes this wine: 95 pointsAn excellent New World Chardonnay, which could give top Burgundy domaines a run for their money. Apple, citrus and nougat are prominent, with perfect acidity and balance. This should not be over chilled. As noted last time, the finish does not quite match the rest of the experience, and is a barrier to a higher rating. |
Red |
2017 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valleymore |
4/21/2024 - Bobcat 31 Likes this wine: 91 pointsgood bottle for entertaining short decant |
Red |
2018 Joseph Phelps SyrahNapa Valley more |
4/21/2024 - JJN Likes this wine: 92 pointsNeeded about an hour to open up |
Red |
1985 Joseph Phelps InsigniaNapa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more |
4/21/2024 - Cailles wrote: 95 pointsThis was a highly elegant bottle of Cab with a vibrating red fruit core, spices, an earthy minerality and a touch of herbs. Blind I would have guessed this to be a decade younger, it’s so fresh and lively and with a superb balance. This had a more new world style and feel than many other big names in the 80s, certainly more than my beloved pre-1997 Dominus/Opus bottlings. Still, that balance, the silky texture and complex aromas deserve 95pts. |
Red |
2002 Joseph Phelps InsigniaNapa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more |
4/21/2024 - ONEFIVE Likes this wine: NRDeep red/ruby in the glass. |
Red |
2015 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown Napa Valleymore |
4/21/2024 - Capt Cutlass Likes this wine: 91 pointsThis has become quite tightly wound since its early ebullient days. I would recommend a several hour decant or wait another couple of years. Note to me: from 2025, that 10 year mark should be a winner with the beginnings of tertiary evolution. |
Red |
2019 Joseph Phelps Pinot Noir Freestone VineyardsSonoma Coast more |
4/20/2024 - ewsds Likes this wine: 92 pointsClean red and blue fruits, especially black cherry. Nicely balanced with good acidity and modest tannins. Nice finish. Overall, a very nice wine, in a big California style package. |
Red |
2000 Joseph Phelps Le MistralMonterey County Red Rhone Blend more |
4/20/2024 - Gregmonroe wrote: NRSo I bought a cellar; 11/12/2022-12/31/2030: I’m really impressed by this. Opened with an ah so, and only moderately soaked cork. Nose of red fruit, but muted and light. Raspberry - maybe stewed - and other cooked berries, pie like, but not sweet. I had super low expectations, but this was nice. Certainly not improving, but if you have these, drink now with confidence. |
Red |
2015 Joseph Phelps InsigniaNapa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more |
4/20/2024 - markcic Likes this wine: 95 pointsReading the other reviews and tonight was our weekly date night and also prime rib night at my club and knowing I had a case in in my crawl space I decided to try a bottle. Opened and slow ox'd for four hours then put the cork back in and took to the club. The nose was deep fruit with a hint of wood. The palate was dark red fruit, red plums, some currants, tobacco and hints of cedar. The finish was long and full with a touch of spice coming out. It is a very good wine now and should develop more in the future. I have a grandson who was born in 2015 - I will save the magnum that I have for him. It should be perfect in 2036. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |