Still very alive and fully mature. Tastes of blackberries, currents, and mocha, fully integrated oak, mellow tannins, medium bodied. Very enjoyable. Drink now.
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Still very alive and kicking. Sticky red fruit, vanilla, sweet tobacco, and eucalyptus. Round and plush but still time to drink up as tannins are more than resolved. Drank from a 6 liter.
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Delicious. Lighter ruby in the glass to a pale purple edge variation, palate is more expressive than the color in the glass would indicate, full rounded and rich mouthfeel, delicious cherry and berry fruits, black currant, hint of coffee and a long lingering finish. LoB12 tasting - my best of the tasting.
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While I'd categorize this as a "middle of the fairway" California cab, that doesn't take away from the quality and enjoyment for those who appreciate this genre. Still displaying a very rich red color, the nose is full of ripe red fruit and some secondary elements of leather and cedar with generous use of oak rounding out the palate. All tasters agreed that the wine gets high marks for freshness - everyone thought this was a 6-7 year wine instead of almost 14 years. Where it loses a little is the fairly one dimensional nature and lack of secondary complexity; the fruit was a little overwhelming and tannins fairly muted. Nonetheless, still drinking very well and I imagine it will still hold up for at least 5 years. Perhaps a little generic but that doesn't mean it's not a great wine, good crowdpleaser and strong value candidate.
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I bought this bottle (and its 5 sisters) directly from the winery upon release and its been sitting at 55° ever since. This bottle was in stellar condition. The wine was alive, fresh, and delicious. It's color was still a pretty deep ruby with a slight suggestion of brick at the rim. Modest bouquet suggesting black fruits and cedar. On the palate, it suggested blackberry, cassis, prunes, leather, and cedar.
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- Brick color with slow forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry, strawberry and raspberry with a medium/full body. Round texture with a long finish.
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I agree w CapitolHack. Our bottle condition was excellent and the wine was fresh with great core of dark luscious fruit and lovely layers of earth, cocoa and a bit of spice. Last bottle. Time to begin opening the Insignia...
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Didn't love this bottle. I have been breaking open many of my early 2000s JPV Cabs lately. Many of them exceeded expectations by a mile. This bottle was past its prime -- not much acidity or structure left. It was ok, but it should have been consumed a few years ago.
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Excellent cabernet, worthy of the Phelps label. After 11 years the fruit is still strong and the finish is very smooth, with leather notes. A great example of a nicely aged, strong wine.
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The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like strawberry, blackberry, black currant (cassis) and strawberry jam. It tastes like strawberry and blueberry. The body is medium/full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
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- Brick color with medium forming legs. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of raspberry, strawberry and black currant with a light/medium body. Satin-Like texture with a short finish - Wine is slightly past it's peak. Time to drink up.
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- Garnet color with medium forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry, strawberry and black currant with a medium/full body. Silky texture with a medium finish - Great bottle of Cab.
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Very enjoyable red. Liked it better than 2003 BV La Tour last night. Thought it was better integrated with nice smooth tannins with mature fruit. Not as much depth as BV but much better drinking experience.
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- It's balanced and has flavours of raspberry, black currant and strawberry with a medium body. Silky texture with a medium finish - Please see my 08/13/2013 notes.
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- Garnet color with slow forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of strawberry, raspberry and blackberry with a medium/full body. Silky texture with a long finish.
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Lots of fresh red and black fruit on the nose with anise, fine leather, earthiness. Juicy fresh black fruit on the palate. Medium to med-high acidity with tannins that are subdued and not overwhelming at all. Full bodied with a long finish. Should stand up for at least a few more years.
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Without decanting last night, good wine. Decanted 1 hr today, Amazing which enhanced the taste 2 times. Very rich & fruity. Compatible to my favorite BV la tour, only half of the price. Great wine.
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Dinner with Casey McClellan (Sue's): Notes of cassis, currants and incense. Full-bodied, with slightly chalky tannins and flavors of red fruit, cherry and chocolate. Nice finish; balanced.
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I also agree that this is not past its prime. Probably not going to get better, but there is still fruit and depth! I think that it has longevity across the tongue, some nice wood, boysenberry, a touch of smoke. It has a long finish and tastes like a nice aged Cab. There have been better Phelps Cabs but this is very very good still. Guess it is time to start opening the 2004's. I would say these will go another year or two but I think they are quite good at the moment.
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Wonderful deep puple color, aroma of freshly hewn wood and a little smoke. Well balanced tastes of dark fruit along with some slight spice. Lucious mouthfeel and lIngering finish. 5+12+17+8+50=92
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Very dark red color. Popped and aerated into glasses. Drank 2 glasses over 2 hours. Nose is classic cabernet, rich pure creme de cassis, blackberry, subtle earth, tobacco leaf, licorice, chocolate. The palate shows medium full body, very elegant in the mouth, rich fruits of cassis, blackberry liqueur, tobacco, espresso, wood spice on the finish. This is drinking beautifully, and also stellar on day two. Well worth the wait, and i would have to disagree with recent comments suggesting this is past its prime, maybe a storage issue or off bottle as this showed impeccably well.
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was really concerned about this bottle as it fell off my radar and I was concerned it would be well past its prime, but I was more than pleasantly surprised. Showed extraordinarily well right out of the bottle, and got better with decanting. Don't believe I've ever had this much sediment in a bottle before--almost gel like at the end of the pour. Some fruit has dropped out but leaves a very complex wine that drank much older than it actually is. wish I had several more of these in the cellar.
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Really drank well. Sweet berry profile and not at all hollow like some other 2003's. Showing some age in a good way, it's mellow, no harsh edges. Length could be a little better, but really this is a pretty good wine in a nice place right now.
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Good fruit (cherries), smooth, decent complexity. Takes a while to open up, and was better the second night. Somewhat degraded from a bottle consumed 4 years ago, so on its downhill.
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Nice Napa Cab that would have stongly benefitted with a long decant. The nose and palate at 1st was very unbalanced with lots of extracted fruit and oak. I came back to it a couple of hours later and it had rounded out to some nice minty oak, dense dark fruits and some chocolate notes all integrated together. Not necessarily by favorite cab stylistically but it was enjoyable.
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Had trouble with my grill this evening, so the lamb chops and asparagus did not turn out quite as expected. Not sure if this affected the rating of the wine, but this is a fairly non-descript California Cabernet, with little to distinguish it. It has an initial nose of cabernet fruit, including casis, the colors are relatively dark with dark ruby edges, and the initial flavors are restrained but pleasant. There are many cheaper and more pleasant wines, but it is simply OK.
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Solid Napa cab for this tough vintage. WS only gave this wine 84 pts, which seems low. Upon opening I was disappointed that the wine seemed disjointed, a little hot, and lacking fruit, but after decanting for an hour all of this subsided. Cherry, current, oak dominate.
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Nose of raisiny rum cake, menthol, woody. Secondary flavors of smoke and tobacco are there. Shows some complexity of age. However body is thin. Fruit seems to be falling off. Finish is short. Tannins all but dropped out. Seems over the hill.
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VACATION TO MARTHA'S VINEYARD; 9/13/2010-9/18/2010 (BALTIMORE, MD/MARTHA'S VINEYARD/ATLANTIC CITY): Popped and poured, Finished a unlucky night of casino hunting in Atlantic City(this place was not built by winners) with this rich, concentrated cab full of silky smooth fruit, balanced with a good dose of oak. Don't believe this will improve much more, but should last for several more years.
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Very good Napa Cab, I would drink up now, don't see this getting much better, very soft, round. Tannins are very fine on the finish. Nice black current, cassis and hint of mint, which went very well with the grilled lamb chops with a mint pesto, great match.
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Drank with Susan and Sunny at Sunny home. Birthday dinner party for Susan. Popped and poured. Beautiful wine. Deep dark eggplant color to the rim.A little reserved on the nose and palate when first opened. Tannic holding back. This opened up in about 45 minutes and was dekicious. Classic cab fruit and spice to the last sip without faultering. Perfect balance and structure. Shoulp be good for at least another 5 years. Great QPR at $34.50. Will buy more if it comes around.
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A very nice wine. Good depth of color. Cassis, cedar, and vanilla on the nose. The palate is extremely well balanced with medium body and soft tannins that drink quite well right now, medium finish. A very nice Napa Cab. consistent with the other two bottles I have had. The scores of 79 on this wine are ridiculous: they were either bad bottles, or just plain biased against Cali cabs. Take your pick. You can argue the value of a 91pt wine for $40, but you can't say this is weak or undrinkable swill. get serious.
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Mints, kirsch and tobacco on the nose. Palate has anise, blackberry, and cedar. Finish is short, but a pleasant roasted coffee flavor is left. Definitely has a lot of life left and will improve yet with several more years I think.
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I thought this showed consistently better than the ratings. Very nice drinking, if a little fruity. Settled down nicely as it was consumed. I'd buy this again!
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Decanted an hour. Big nose of earth and berries. Dark ruby wine, velvet on the palate with medium tannins. Well balanced. Earthy, dark fruit and spice aromas. Elegant, and long on the finish.
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I wasn't expecting to much from this bottle based on some of the reviews, but I once opened and enjoyed, I thought it was a pleasant surprise. Would like to have had another.
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Definitely decant for at least an hour. Initially the aroma was overwhelmingly black olive. Smooth but not overpowering dark cherry and oak, silky round finish.
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Bright fruit, tobacco, mocha, plum and cherry nose. Fruit foward after allowed to open up for a while, but turned a little overly tannic and lost its finish.
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I thought this wine would be weak, but quite the opposite. Dark inky purple color,nose and palate consistent with previous vintages that got better scores. Nice finish. Good QPR at the $35 price point. Wish I had bought more when it available for $35. Just as good on the second night.
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This wine has improved dramatically but still needs a couple of more years to mellow. Tannins you can see that the fruit is there through the nose. I would not open again until 2009.
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Very muted nose of cherry, but you can tell it is going to be hot. Really lacking fruit, lots of oak. Probably best used as a cooking wine. I am really sorry I bought 3 bottles of this even though it was on sale.
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Good ruby color. Aroma what one would expect. Bit acidic. Bit hot. Did better after a little time in the bottle. Would have to say that there are much better cabs world wide for the price. but enjoyable, probably could have used a couple of years.
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Had a 2003 Joseph Phelps Napa cab last night. Yuck! Everything I hate about bad wine: Acidic, alcoholic, hot. Thin. Gross. Decent nose, but on the palate almost undrinkable. It got worse as the night progressed. The price: Forty-three bucks! Twice as much as 2001 Haut-Bergey! 50% more than '03 d'Issan! Same price as '04 Leoville Poyferre and Smith Haut Lafitte!
With competition like this fetching these prices, why shouldn't the Bordeaux owners charge more! If Joseph Phelps can get away with selling this crap for $43 a bottle, the Duhart Milons, Pontet Canets, and Smith Haut Lafittes of the world have nothing to apologize for if they decide to raise prices.
Actually, when you factor in the exchange rate, the Bordelais are selling their wines for less than this piss water.
We consumers have only ourselves (and Wine Spectator) to blame for elevating swill like this Phelps bottling to heights justifying forty bucks a bottle.
Rating: 79 points.
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This is the style I enjoy from CA cabs. Lots of fruit and oak to put it simply. Did not get the typical vegetal character I often taste/smell in other CA cabs. Oak was more vanilla than cedar which is another quality I find in some cabs that aren't to my flavor profile liking. Very pleasing wine.
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Nose of carmel and vanilla. Plum and dark cherry with hints of oak and vanilla. Decanted for a good 2 hours before the oak and heat mellowed. Tannins also became sweeter with time.
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Tart and disjointed. I tried decanting it to settle it down a bit. Like another person stated, it fell apart in the decanter very quickly. I then tasted what was left the next day and it was completely shot. Very disappointing.
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Oodles of fruit in this one up front. Another disjointed '03 Cab though. Pronounced heat on the mid pallet with sort of a mish-mosh finish. Drink up. 1-1/2 hours of air time and this wine fell apart.
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Dark fruit and some sweetness on the nose. Medium body with some softness and fruit but no fruit bomb. Moderate complexity and finish. A drink now sort of cab.
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Mocha, dark berries. Would be better if not for the overly strong vanilla oak. Maybe with time the oak will integrate better, but for now it's too much.
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Decanted 1 hour. Deep garnet color. Nose of cinnamon and mocha and maybe cookie dough? On the palate, there is a nice progression of flavors. Starts with butter and moves to rose petals and blackberry and finishes with vanilla and well integrated fine wood.
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Corporate dinner event. Ultra-soft plummy fruit. Moderate length and concentration. Very little structure. Slightly green. Decent finish with fine-grained tannins. This wine should be drunk up soon.
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What a great surprise! We expected an average Napa wine and got a wonderful example of what a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon can be when everything is in place and just right. I would have thought they reserved the best batch of cab for the Insignia but it looks like they held a little back for this one. Deep crimson color with lots of dark fruits on the nose. Wonderful smooth mouthfeel with silky tannins and just the right amount of oak on the finish.
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Tasted at the winery. Aromas of black fruits and dark chocolate. On the palate, the wine exhibits cassis, ripe cherries, and blueberries. Medium body. Medium tannins. A solid wine.
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Pop and pour. Tried this several weeks earlier at the winery and recalled that this was a relatively weak offeringand. So I selected this to go along with some fresh-caught halibut with an orange-lemon glaze and minced black olives. . Nice Cab coloring, deep purple though light around the edges of the stems. Began much more like a syrah than a cab, with typical syrah profile of graphite with some metallic notes. Nose retained red licorice and cherries aromas, and the oak on the nose only faded a bit over time. Consistency and depth seemed more like a merlot as the evening wore on, with some heat as well. Didn't disappoint as a pairing, but not one of phelps' better cabs. If rated against recent vintages the score would drop a few more notches IMO.
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Dark purple color and long legs with a cabby nose of cassis and black fruit. This got much better after opening(two hours) and was a lot easier going down than I thought on first opening...in other words, it lightened up a tad, and was almost flabby in its fruit presance, but there was enough tannic structure to keep if from falling off. Overall, this went well with steaks at The Palm in Chicago...and in the end, was a lot better than I expected. Not a strong presence, but enjoyable enough with the meal and friends.
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We both had long days at work on Friday so we opened a bottle and drank it immediatly. I was blown away by the flavor, smooth finish (no tannins) and a wine that was so good that we opened another bottle!! While the Insignia gets all of the attention, this is a wine that is a staple and can be ready to go quickly.
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Beautiful bouquet. Decanted for 90 minutes before drinking. Opulent, with vanilla, dark cherry and earth taste. A hint of tobacco, and a long finish. Tannins moderately firm, appropriate given its age, and a well balanced profile. Should age well for a decade, stored properly.
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Joseph Phelps is making the perfect red wines for me. This bottle has the typical hint of caramel on the nose I find in all Phelps red wines. Good bit of tannins with a nice clean finish. Decant for 1 hour.
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Tasted February 23, 2006 at home with a dinner of grilled hamburgers (what else?). Opened and splash decanted 1-1/2 hours before serving in a Spiegelau Authentis Magnum glass. Color is dark garnet, clear hue throughout. "Rich" nose of red cherries, cassis, a dash of vanilla and some spice box up front with a little cigar box later. Tertiary aromas of dried herbs. Flavors of black cherries, red cherries, mocha and a touch of earth on the finish. Good balance overall, surprisingly approachable for such a youthful wine. 30+~ hang time. Nice wine that can be drank now with at least 1 hour in the decanter but should drink well for at least 5 years. Good value from a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, especially at COSTCO prices.
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Mid-winter tasting (Gibby's Wine Den): Deep color. Notes of cocoa powder, chocolate, cassis and plum. Silky tannins, with chocolate, plum and dark fruit flavors. $45.95.
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About $32. Not decanted, but this bottle's been open about 3 hours. Dark red/purple color, opaque. The nose is remniscent of something Pride would put out- blackberry jam, not shy on the oak. There's great fruit on the palate, although the oak's a little strong right now. This one has some fine sweet tannin and is relatively low in acidity, giving it a "fat" mouthfeel. It finishes well. It may be a little simple, but I get the feeling it'll settle down with a couple of years of bottle age. I quite like this, and I'll grab a few more.
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3/27/2021 - Geoff Weathersby Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank beautifully, sill going strong. FYI, was from a 6L bottle.
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3/19/2021 - AltitudeAdjustment Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still drinking strong after 16 years in the bottle. Mellowed out. Tannins are light. Notes of cherry, currant, blackberry.
Basically PNP. Still about the same after an hour decant. Drink up if u have it!
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6/14/2019 - Endodr wrote: 90 Points
Still very alive and fully mature. Tastes of blackberries, currents, and mocha, fully integrated oak, mellow tannins, medium bodied. Very enjoyable. Drink now.
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11/17/2018 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 93 Points
Still very alive and kicking. Sticky red fruit, vanilla, sweet tobacco, and eucalyptus. Round and plush but still time to drink up as tannins are more than resolved. Drank from a 6 liter.
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5/8/2017 - AlexHop Likes this wine: 90 Points
Really nice round and balanced. Perfect age and all the parts come together. Medium finish.
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4/22/2017 - redpine42 wrote: 90 Points
Really mellow, nice fruits and tannins. Don't expect this to get any better. Drink up!
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3/17/2017 - WineCenturyAZ Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious. Lighter ruby in the glass to a pale purple edge variation, palate is more expressive than the color in the glass would indicate, full rounded and rich mouthfeel, delicious cherry and berry fruits, black currant, hint of coffee and a long lingering finish. LoB12 tasting - my best of the tasting.
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1/26/2017 - hrazdiiv Likes this wine: 92 Points
While I'd categorize this as a "middle of the fairway" California cab, that doesn't take away from the quality and enjoyment for those who appreciate this genre. Still displaying a very rich red color, the nose is full of ripe red fruit and some secondary elements of leather and cedar with generous use of oak rounding out the palate. All tasters agreed that the wine gets high marks for freshness - everyone thought this was a 6-7 year wine instead of almost 14 years. Where it loses a little is the fairly one dimensional nature and lack of secondary complexity; the fruit was a little overwhelming and tannins fairly muted. Nonetheless, still drinking very well and I imagine it will still hold up for at least 5 years. Perhaps a little generic but that doesn't mean it's not a great wine, good crowdpleaser and strong value candidate.
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2/27/2016 - ProfBainbridge Likes this wine: 92 Points
I bought this bottle (and its 5 sisters) directly from the winery upon release and its been sitting at 55° ever since. This bottle was in stellar condition. The wine was alive, fresh, and delicious. It's color was still a pretty deep ruby with a slight suggestion of brick at the rim. Modest bouquet suggesting black fruits and cedar. On the palate, it suggested blackberry, cassis, prunes, leather, and cedar.
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9/13/2015 - Marc S wrote: 90 Points
- Brick color with slow forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry, strawberry and raspberry with a medium/full body. Round texture with a long finish.
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7/19/2015 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 92 Points
I agree w CapitolHack. Our bottle condition was excellent and the wine was fresh with great core of dark luscious fruit and lovely layers of earth, cocoa and a bit of spice. Last bottle. Time to begin opening the Insignia...
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7/3/2015 - Wineshington wrote: 89 Points
Slightly past its prime. A little to candied or sweet. That said, stlil a nice wine, but not what it was 5 years ago.
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5/25/2015 - irish95 wrote: 88 Points
Didn't love this bottle. I have been breaking open many of my early 2000s JPV Cabs lately. Many of them exceeded expectations by a mile. This bottle was past its prime -- not much acidity or structure left. It was ok, but it should have been consumed a few years ago.
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2/8/2015 - Capitolhack Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent cabernet, worthy of the Phelps label. After 11 years the fruit is still strong and the finish is very smooth, with leather notes. A great example of a nicely aged, strong wine.
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9/14/2014 - Marc S Likes this wine: 88 Points
The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like strawberry, blackberry, black currant (cassis) and strawberry jam. It tastes like strawberry and blueberry. The body is medium/full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
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7/24/2014 - bhof2121 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good!
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6/14/2014 - Marc S wrote: 87 Points
- Brick color with medium forming legs. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of raspberry, strawberry and black currant with a light/medium body. Satin-Like texture with a short finish - Wine is slightly past it's peak. Time to drink up.
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4/19/2014 - Marc S wrote: 89 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry, strawberry and black currant with a medium/full body. Silky texture with a medium finish - Great bottle of Cab.
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1/1/2014 - sunalsorises wrote: 92 Points
Very enjoyable red. Liked it better than 2003 BV La Tour last night. Thought it was better integrated with nice smooth tannins with mature fruit. Not as much depth as BV but much better drinking experience.
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9/27/2013 - Marc S wrote: 88 Points
- It's balanced and has flavours of raspberry, black currant and strawberry with a medium body. Silky texture with a medium finish - Please see my 08/13/2013 notes.
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8/22/2013 - yipen Likes this wine:
Tannic has been resolved, quite nice. this wine need to wait this long to be drunk
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8/9/2013 - Marc S wrote: 89 Points
- Garnet color with slow forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of strawberry, raspberry and blackberry with a medium/full body. Silky texture with a long finish.
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5/10/2013 - lee.reiswig Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent fruit & tannin balance. Very enjoyable.
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5/8/2013 - tubeman wrote: 90 Points
So smooth
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3/12/2013 - JDRFoster wrote: 90 Points
Ripe and rich. Nicely balanced.
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3/5/2013 - grossie wrote: 89 Points
Strong fruit but not much complexity and a bit of a hard edge still present. My guess is that this will never be much better than this. Drink now.
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1/8/2013 - Tad GW Likes this wine: 89 Points
=50+5+11+16+7=89
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12/25/2012 - wth wrote: 91 Points
May be slightly past it's prime, but still brought hearty flavors of oak and earth.
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7/21/2012 - drunken sommelier Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lots of fresh red and black fruit on the nose with anise, fine leather, earthiness. Juicy fresh black fruit on the palate. Medium to med-high acidity with tannins that are subdued and not overwhelming at all. Full bodied with a long finish. Should stand up for at least a few more years.
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5/25/2012 - miyonhenry wrote: 94 Points
Without decanting last night, good wine. Decanted 1 hr today, Amazing which enhanced the taste 2 times. Very rich & fruity. Compatible to my favorite BV la tour, only half of the price. Great wine.
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4/23/2012 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Dinner with Casey McClellan (Sue's): Notes of cassis, currants and incense. Full-bodied, with slightly chalky tannins and flavors of red fruit, cherry and chocolate. Nice finish; balanced.
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4/3/2012 - psusfca wrote: 91 Points
I also agree that this is not past its prime. Probably not going to get better, but there is still fruit and depth! I think that it has longevity across the tongue, some nice wood, boysenberry, a touch of smoke. It has a long finish and tastes like a nice aged Cab. There have been better Phelps Cabs but this is very very good still. Guess it is time to start opening the 2004's. I would say these will go another year or two but I think they are quite good at the moment.
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2/23/2012 - Bottledrainer wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful deep puple color, aroma of freshly hewn wood and a little smoke. Well balanced tastes of dark fruit along with some slight spice. Lucious mouthfeel and lIngering finish.
5+12+17+8+50=92
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2/14/2012 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Very dark red color. Popped and aerated into glasses. Drank 2 glasses over 2 hours. Nose is classic cabernet, rich pure creme de cassis, blackberry, subtle earth, tobacco leaf, licorice, chocolate. The palate shows medium full body, very elegant in the mouth, rich fruits of cassis, blackberry liqueur, tobacco, espresso, wood spice on the finish. This is drinking beautifully, and also stellar on day two. Well worth the wait, and i would have to disagree with recent comments suggesting this is past its prime, maybe a storage issue or off bottle as this showed impeccably well.
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2/9/2012 - Jab_343434 wrote: 88 Points
A good bottle. Definitely seems like it may have been past it's prime. Flavored seemed a little muted. Still enjoyable.
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1/30/2012 - Fugu Me wrote:
Good fruit, nice, smooth tannins. Concur with other opinions that this will not improve with additional age; Drink 'em if you got 'em.
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1/15/2012 - random wrote: 90 Points
Still drinking good - smooth, balanced. Maybe a little past peak.
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1/8/2012 - chiefilliniboy wrote: 93 Points
was really concerned about this bottle as it fell off my radar and I was concerned it would be well past its prime, but I was more than pleasantly surprised. Showed extraordinarily well right out of the bottle, and got better with decanting. Don't believe I've ever had this much sediment in a bottle before--almost gel like at the end of the pour. Some fruit has dropped out but leaves a very complex wine that drank much older than it actually is. wish I had several more of these in the cellar.
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11/13/2011 - SteveH wrote: 91 Points
Very nice balance. Ready right now, and not going to benefit from any more age.
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10/24/2011 - BobMilton Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good fruit, though it is beginning to fade. Smooth tannins, nicely complex. Probably not much longer for this world though, so drink now.
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10/1/2011 - grossie wrote: 92 Points
Really drank well. Sweet berry profile and not at all hollow like some other 2003's. Showing some age in a good way, it's mellow, no harsh edges. Length could be a little better, but really this is a pretty good wine in a nice place right now.
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8/14/2011 - random wrote: 89 Points
Still very tasty. Dark, chocolatey.
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6/7/2011 - BobMilton Likes this wine: 92 Points
Good fruit (cherries), smooth, decent complexity. Takes a while to open up, and was better the second night. Somewhat degraded from a bottle consumed 4 years ago, so on its downhill.
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4/23/2011 - bajayngo wrote:
Nice Napa Cab that would have stongly benefitted with a long decant. The nose and palate at 1st was very unbalanced with lots of extracted fruit and oak. I came back to it a couple of hours later and it had rounded out to some nice minty oak, dense dark fruits and some chocolate notes all integrated together. Not necessarily by favorite cab stylistically but it was enjoyable.
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4/19/2011 - grossie wrote: 89 Points
Big, but definitely has a hard side. Nice overall, can last a while yet.
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2/25/2011 - Ken332 wrote: 85 Points
Had trouble with my grill this evening, so the lamb chops and asparagus did not turn out quite as expected. Not sure if this affected the rating of the wine, but this is a fairly non-descript California Cabernet, with little to distinguish it. It has an initial nose of cabernet fruit, including casis, the colors are relatively dark with dark ruby edges, and the initial flavors are restrained but pleasant. There are many cheaper and more pleasant wines, but it is simply OK.
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2/23/2011 - Bobo N wrote: 88 Points
Solid Napa cab for this tough vintage. WS only gave this wine 84 pts, which seems low. Upon opening I was disappointed that the wine seemed disjointed, a little hot, and lacking fruit, but after decanting for an hour all of this subsided. Cherry, current, oak dominate.
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1/30/2011 - ml wrote: 87 Points
Extraordinarily boring.
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11/2/2010 - JPH104 wrote: 88 Points
Nose of raisiny rum cake, menthol, woody. Secondary flavors of smoke and tobacco are there. Shows some complexity of age. However body is thin. Fruit seems to be falling off. Finish is short. Tannins all but dropped out. Seems over the hill.
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9/16/2010 - wineshaman wrote: 90 Points
VACATION TO MARTHA'S VINEYARD; 9/13/2010-9/18/2010 (BALTIMORE, MD/MARTHA'S VINEYARD/ATLANTIC CITY): Popped and poured, Finished a unlucky night of casino hunting in Atlantic City(this place was not built by winners) with this rich, concentrated cab full of silky smooth fruit, balanced with a good dose of oak. Don't believe this will improve much more, but should last for several more years.
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8/9/2010 - Noto Bene wrote: 89 Points
Very good Napa Cab, I would drink up now, don't see this getting much better, very soft, round. Tannins are very fine on the finish. Nice black current, cassis and hint of mint, which went very well with the grilled lamb chops with a mint pesto, great match.
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7/31/2010 - Marc S wrote: 83 Points
Typical Cab. Hints of cherry. Ready to drink at this time.
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6/24/2010 - kosinski Likes this wine: 92 Points
Agree with previous two reviews. Not chaotic at all. I think the extra year of aging has helped.
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5/23/2010 - vintage61 wrote: 91 Points
Drank with Susan and Sunny at Sunny home. Birthday dinner party for Susan. Popped and poured. Beautiful wine. Deep dark eggplant color to the rim.A little reserved on the nose and palate when first opened. Tannic holding back. This opened up in about 45 minutes and was dekicious. Classic cab fruit and spice to the last sip without faultering. Perfect balance and structure. Shoulp be good for at least another 5 years. Great QPR at $34.50. Will buy more if it comes around.
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3/28/2010 - rocknroller wrote: 91 Points
A very nice wine. Good depth of color. Cassis, cedar, and vanilla on the nose. The palate is extremely well balanced with medium body and soft tannins that drink quite well right now, medium finish. A very nice Napa Cab. consistent with the other two bottles I have had. The scores of 79 on this wine are ridiculous: they were either bad bottles, or just plain biased against Cali cabs. Take your pick. You can argue the value of a 91pt wine for $40, but you can't say this is weak or undrinkable swill. get serious.
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3/5/2010 - wineward Likes this wine: 90 Points
Mints, kirsch and tobacco on the nose. Palate has anise, blackberry, and cedar. Finish is short, but a pleasant roasted coffee flavor is left. Definitely has a lot of life left and will improve yet with several more years I think.
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2/22/2010 - jdholder wrote: 90 Points
I thought this showed consistently better than the ratings. Very nice drinking, if a little fruity. Settled down nicely as it was consumed. I'd buy this again!
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2/18/2010 - cliffkol wrote: 92 Points
Decanted an hour. Big nose of earth and berries. Dark ruby wine, velvet on the palate with medium tannins. Well balanced. Earthy, dark fruit and spice aromas. Elegant, and long on the finish.
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4/25/2009 - Arch57 wrote: 90 Points
Solid Cali-cab from a dependable producer J. Phelps.
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11/15/2008 - Scoobdygy wrote: 90 Points
I wasn't expecting to much from this bottle based on some of the reviews, but I once opened and enjoyed, I thought it was a pleasant surprise. Would like to have had another.
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11/1/2008 - Marc S wrote:
Great bottle of wine that is ready to drink.
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10/22/2008 - DTWOB wrote: 89 Points
Nice color, nose and taste. A great gurarantee of quality at an affordable price.
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9/7/2008 - Marc S wrote: 88 Points
Everyday great drinking wine. This is now ready to drink.
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6/20/2008 - vancouvermatt wrote: 85 Points
Medium bodied, with a muted nose. Devoid of complexity, structure or any interest.Very simplistic.
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5/8/2008 - joshwoodward wrote: 85 Points
Jammy blueberry nose. Dark chocolate. Light acid, but nice tingle? Soft tannins. Blueberry. Cabby. Medium body. Pepper. Chaotic.
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3/1/2008 - scottmlew wrote: 90 Points
Definitely decant for at least an hour. Initially the aroma was overwhelmingly black olive. Smooth but not overpowering dark cherry and oak, silky round finish.
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1/30/2008 - Marc S wrote: 87 Points
Wonderful wine. rteady now. Not tannic at all. Dark purple to an ink color. A great value for not a lot of money.
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12/12/2007 - dspies14 wrote: 87 Points
A nice nose but a bit tannic. Fruit is a bit muted.
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12/3/2007 - JDRFoster wrote: 88 Points
Bright fruit, tobacco, mocha, plum and cherry nose. Fruit foward after allowed to open up for a while, but turned a little overly tannic and lost its finish.
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11/4/2007 - pakabear wrote: 88 Points
Nice classic Cab flavors, but much more simplistic then last time. Very enjoyable, but far from a great wine.
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10/17/2007 - vintage61 wrote: 90 Points
I thought this wine would be weak, but quite the opposite. Dark inky purple color,nose and palate consistent with previous vintages that got better scores. Nice finish. Good QPR at the $35 price point. Wish I had bought more when it available for $35. Just as good on the second night.
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10/6/2007 - VCvino wrote: 90 Points
This wine has improved dramatically but still needs a couple of more years to mellow. Tannins you can see that the fruit is there through the nose. I would not open again until 2009.
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8/22/2007 - ErichZ wrote: 79 Points
Very muted nose of cherry, but you can tell it is going to be hot. Really lacking fruit, lots of oak. Probably best used as a cooking wine. I am really sorry I bought 3 bottles of this even though it was on sale.
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8/11/2007 - mmyette wrote: 90 Points
See previous notes.
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8/7/2007 - pakabear wrote: 91 Points
This has gotten MUCH better then it was on release.
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7/28/2007 - dharri1 wrote: 88 Points
Good ruby color. Aroma what one would expect.
Bit acidic. Bit hot. Did better after a little time in the bottle.
Would have to say that there are much better cabs world wide for the price.
but enjoyable, probably could have used a couple of years.
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7/3/2007 - JimHow wrote: 79 Points
Had a 2003 Joseph Phelps Napa cab last night. Yuck! Everything I hate about bad wine: Acidic, alcoholic, hot. Thin. Gross. Decent nose, but on the palate almost undrinkable. It got worse as the night progressed. The price: Forty-three bucks! Twice as much as 2001 Haut-Bergey! 50% more than '03 d'Issan! Same price as '04 Leoville Poyferre and Smith Haut Lafitte!
With competition like this fetching these prices, why shouldn't the Bordeaux owners charge more! If Joseph Phelps can get away with selling this crap for $43 a bottle, the Duhart Milons, Pontet Canets, and Smith Haut Lafittes of the world have nothing to apologize for if they decide to raise prices.
Actually, when you factor in the exchange rate, the Bordelais are selling their wines for less than this piss water.
We consumers have only ourselves (and Wine Spectator) to blame for elevating swill like this Phelps bottling to heights justifying forty bucks a bottle.
Rating: 79 points.
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5/15/2007 - MBrown wrote: 90 Points
This is the style I enjoy from CA cabs. Lots of fruit and oak to put it simply. Did not get the typical vegetal character I often taste/smell in other CA cabs. Oak was more vanilla than cedar which is another quality I find in some cabs that aren't to my flavor profile liking. Very pleasing wine.
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5/13/2007 - mmyette wrote: 90 Points
See previous notes.
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4/28/2007 - lewisrise wrote: 90 Points
Nose of carmel and vanilla. Plum and dark cherry with hints of oak and vanilla. Decanted for a good 2 hours before the oak and heat mellowed. Tannins also became sweeter with time.
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4/12/2007 - redpine42 wrote: 92 Points
Nice nose and taste. A little light on the finish.
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4/8/2007 - LeechDogg wrote: 88 Points
Characteristic strong oak showing I'm used to in JP wines; dark fruits nearly covered by it.
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3/29/2007 - snipes wrote:
Tart and disjointed. I tried decanting it to settle it down a bit. Like another person stated, it fell apart in the decanter very quickly. I then tasted what was left the next day and it was completely shot. Very disappointing.
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3/25/2007 - brewking wrote: 88 Points
very fruity but did not last long in decanter, after 45 minutes, wine was noticeably off
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3/19/2007 - hiltondg wrote: 87 Points
Oodles of fruit in this one up front. Another disjointed '03 Cab though. Pronounced heat on the mid pallet with sort of a mish-mosh finish. Drink up. 1-1/2 hours of air time and this wine fell apart.
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1/13/2007 - J-Sho wrote: 91 Points
Dark fruit and some sweetness on the nose. Medium body with some softness and fruit but no fruit bomb. Moderate complexity and finish. A drink now sort of cab.
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1/9/2007 - mmyette wrote: 91 Points
see previous notes.
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12/28/2006 - Dusty Bear wrote: 85 Points
Mocha, dark berries. Would be better if not for the overly strong vanilla oak. Maybe with time the oak will integrate better, but for now it's too much.
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12/24/2006 - Rob MacKay wrote: 90 Points
A little off from the previous bottle we had back in November but still very good and a great value.
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12/23/2006 - wineward wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Deep garnet color. Nose of cinnamon and mocha and maybe cookie dough? On the palate, there is a nice progression of flavors. Starts with butter and moves to rose petals and blackberry and finishes with vanilla and well integrated fine wood.
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12/18/2006 - Halcyn wrote: 89 Points
Not bad...typical for this quality napa cab
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11/26/2006 - jpiscioneri wrote: 84 Points
Enjoyable but not a great value.
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11/15/2006 - BacoGeek wrote: 91 Points
Great wine just tannic enough to make it intersesting. Finnished strong.
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11/10/2006 - philblum wrote: 90 Points
Solid Napa cab. Full-bodied, plum and some spice. Medium tannins, balanced finish. Be sure to decant for at least an hour.
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11/8/2006 - Siggy wrote: 80 Points
Corporate dinner event. Ultra-soft plummy fruit. Moderate length and concentration. Very little structure. Slightly green. Decent finish with fine-grained tannins. This wine should be drunk up soon.
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11/4/2006 - Rob MacKay wrote: 94 Points
What a great surprise! We expected an average Napa wine and got a wonderful example of what a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon can be when everything is in place and just right. I would have thought they reserved the best batch of cab for the Insignia but it looks like they held a little back for this one. Deep crimson color with lots of dark fruits on the nose. Wonderful smooth mouthfeel with silky tannins and just the right amount of oak on the finish.
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10/27/2006 - spacewrangler wrote: 90 Points
Great bottle, classic Napa cab. Currant, mocha and cassis - would buy again.
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10/18/2006 - GolferChris wrote: 91 Points
Napa Valley Vintner's Big Nightlife Napa Valley Magnum Tasting Party (San Francisco, CA): Very good $40 '03 Napa Cab. Developed nicely over the last 10 month, gaining more complexity, depth and balance. Aromas/flavors of plum, currant, blackberry, mocha, flowers and oak. Nice mouthfeel with intergrated tannins. Long, pleasant finish.
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10/1/2006 - whynblog wrote: 85 Points
Tried at the winery and purchased this bottle. Fine grained tannis but laking in the fruit that I perfer. There are better Cabs in the price range.
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9/23/2006 - Marc S wrote: 91 Points
Wine was wonderful. It could use a few more years but is very tasty. Well balanced and a great value for an everyday drinnking wine.
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9/1/2006 - Paul Lin wrote: 90 Points
Tasted at the winery. Aromas of black fruits and dark chocolate. On the palate, the wine exhibits cassis, ripe cherries, and blueberries. Medium body. Medium tannins. A solid wine.
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8/11/2006 - davidandrose wrote: 86 Points
Pop and pour. Tried this several weeks earlier at the winery and recalled that this was a relatively weak offeringand. So I selected this to go along with some fresh-caught halibut with an orange-lemon glaze and minced black olives. . Nice Cab coloring, deep purple though light around the edges of the stems. Began much more like a syrah than a cab, with typical syrah profile of graphite with some metallic notes. Nose retained red licorice and cherries aromas, and the oak on the nose only faded a bit over time. Consistency and depth seemed more like a merlot as the evening wore on, with some heat as well. Didn't disappoint as a pairing, but not one of phelps' better cabs. If rated against recent vintages the score would drop a few more notches IMO.
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7/5/2006 - mmyette wrote: 92 Points
see previous notes
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5/17/2006 - Tejano wrote: 88 Points
Dark purple color and long legs with a cabby nose of cassis and black fruit. This got much better after opening(two hours) and was a lot easier going down than I thought on first opening...in other words, it lightened up a tad, and was almost flabby in its fruit presance, but there was enough tannic structure to keep if from falling off. Overall, this went well with steaks at The Palm in Chicago...and in the end, was a lot better than I expected. Not a strong presence, but enjoyable enough with the meal and friends.
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5/12/2006 - tmac77 wrote: 95 Points
We both had long days at work on Friday so we opened a bottle and drank it immediatly. I was blown away by the flavor, smooth finish (no tannins) and a wine that was so good that we opened another bottle!! While the Insignia gets all of the attention, this is a wine that is a staple and can be ready to go quickly.
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4/27/2006 - Fatty Cat wrote: 92 Points
Lat Apr 2006 at Prime Rib steakhouse, Philadelphia: deep purple red ink; cherries and blackberries; smooth on the palate; full body.
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4/12/2006 - mmyette wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful bouquet. Decanted for 90 minutes before drinking. Opulent, with vanilla, dark cherry and earth taste. A hint of tobacco, and a long finish. Tannins moderately firm, appropriate given its age, and a well balanced profile. Should age well for a decade, stored properly.
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4/8/2006 - redpine42 wrote: 91 Points
Joseph Phelps is making the perfect red wines for me. This bottle has the typical hint of caramel on the nose I find in all Phelps red wines. Good bit of tannins with a nice clean finish. Decant for 1 hour.
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4/2/2006 - Wine Drinker wrote: 85 Points
young, a little raw, lacking in complexity, short finish, not too interesting, don't try again for several years
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2/23/2006 - wineismylife wrote: 90 Points
WIML90,PURPLE92,WA88,~WS85-88
Tasted February 23, 2006 at home with a dinner of grilled hamburgers (what else?). Opened and splash decanted 1-1/2 hours before serving in a Spiegelau Authentis Magnum glass. Color is dark garnet, clear hue throughout. "Rich" nose of red cherries, cassis, a dash of vanilla and some spice box up front with a little cigar box later. Tertiary aromas of dried herbs. Flavors of black cherries, red cherries, mocha and a touch of earth on the finish. Good balance overall, surprisingly approachable for such a youthful wine. 30+~ hang time. Nice wine that can be drank now with at least 1 hour in the decanter but should drink well for at least 5 years. Good value from a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, especially at COSTCO prices.
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1/29/2006 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
Mid-winter tasting (Gibby's Wine Den): Deep color. Notes of cocoa powder, chocolate, cassis and plum. Silky tannins, with chocolate, plum and dark fruit flavors. $45.95.
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1/28/2006 - GolferChris wrote: 90 Points
Very good 2003 cab. Lots of red fruit, the right amount of oak and tannin in a very balanced mid-priced cab.
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12/19/2005 - grossie wrote: 90 Points
About $32. Not decanted, but this bottle's been open about 3 hours. Dark red/purple color, opaque. The nose is remniscent of something Pride would put out- blackberry jam, not shy on the oak. There's great fruit on the palate, although the oak's a little strong right now. This one has some fine sweet tannin and is relatively low in acidity, giving it a "fat" mouthfeel. It finishes well. It may be a little simple, but I get the feeling it'll settle down with a couple of years of bottle age. I quite like this, and I'll grab a few more.
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12/6/2005 - Slipknot wrote: 88 Points
I thought it was great right out of the bottle. won't be confused with a sophisticated or complex wine but very good juice.
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