Small Tasting & Dinner with Friends: Double blind. Deep color. Chocolate, black raspberry, licorice and cherry cordial aromas. The palate follows the bouquet. Full-bodied, with fine but somewhat firm tannins and flavors of black fruit, plum, licorice and mocha. Lengthy finish. (R&D)
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Very beautiful, lovely texture and feel. Nice tannins but not over bearing. Cocoa and red Berrys. Peppery bit lightly. Decanted 90 min, Could have decanted another hour at least. Light earthy nose. Very drinkable now probably go 10 or more years.
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After a two hour decant, this wine evolved nicely exhibiting a dark purple color in the glass full of dark fruits on palate. Moderate tannin eased out by the smaller addition of merlot, malbec, and cabernet franc. Special dinner at Capital Grille in Naples, FL with CJD & KAP.
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Opened three hours prior to serving. Put the cork back in and went to a local BYOB for our friend Dave's birthday. Dark fruit on the nose. The palate was berries, dark cherry, tobacco and hints of chocolate leading to a long finish.
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Rich and ripe nose with lots of dark fruit, cassis, black pepper, black plums, oak, and tart black cherries. It’s a big wine on the palate but has decent acidity, dark berries and fruit, more oak/vanilla, and a hint of smoke. Finish is quite long. It’s obviously a big, bold Napa cab, usually not my style, but it did grow on me with air. There’s actually quite a bit of nuance buried in the ripe fruit and oak. Maybe it needs another 10 years to fully come together. 93-94+
Opened three hours prior to serving. Put the cork back in and went to the club with friends for a bon voyage dinner as they are snowbirds and heading back to Florida today. Dark fruit on the nose. The palate was berries, dark cherry, tobacco and hints of chocolate. The finish was long. Matched against a 2015 Mondavi Reserve To Kalon which in the opinion of most of the people at dinner said was the better wine. Still this is a great bottle and I am happy to have more.
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How another 2-3 years grows this wine even stronger! A nice rich purple color with a full nose of berries. After decanting there was little to no sediment in the bottle. The taste begins with blackberry and raspberry and finishes well for this full-bodied wine. Every 20-30 minutes between sips brings a smoother more complex enjoyment. Sorry to say I only have one more in the cellar.
Blind wine tasting with 6 other bottles from Bordeaux and Napa, ranging from 2016 to 2000 vintages. My glass came from a massive Imperial Magnum (6L), decanted 3 hours earlier. Among the 45 guests, this was the favorite. Still young with strong red and black fruit, but the tannins have mellowed and integrated some, and the acidity almost matches the fruit, as you’d expect from a Napa can at this age. For my palate, I think it will improve with another 5-10 years or longer, at least in this size bottle, but certainly approachable now.
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The last time I tried a bottle of this wine was Labor Day 2021. At the time I said that longer aeration would improve the score. That along with having been cellared for a year and half extra did in fact rais the score. Opened three hours prior to serving. Put the cork back in and went to the club with friends as it was steak and seafood night. Dark fruit on the nose. The palate was berries, dark cherry, tobacco and hints of chocolate. The finish was long. Matched against a 2013 Backus and this in my opinion was the better wine. My good friend Michael will differ as he preferred the Backus.
Dark, beautiful crimson colour. Nose of cassis and dark brandy cherry. Rich lucious mouthfeel. Loads of potential, but it’s still too young - needs more time for the tannins to mellow. If you can’t wait, bring it up to room temperature and give it a good decant. Questionable QPR, but was still highly enjoyable to drink.
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This wine is in its perfect drinking period. Opened up to my expectations in 30 minutes. Nose had leather notes and lots of dark fruit. The sweet dark plum was clearly there. The taste followed with a nice almost sweet dark fruit rendition of plum and dark raspberry. The flavors evolved to some dark cherry with its beautiful layered tannins. The flavors of vanilla and chocolate was pervasive throughout. A beautiful wine and was enjoyed with a great short rib!
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PnP. Dark and deep to the eye. Big, rich, dark berries to taste. Silky smooth on the palate, long finish. Everything you'd want except special magic in a Napa Cab blend
Outstanding bottle of wine. Drank with a friend with a porterhouse steak in Stuart FL. Decanted for about and hour and poured back in the bottle to take to Oak & Ember Steakhouse. Drank over 2 hours. Big mouthful of ripe black fruit, integrated tannins, great balance,smooth endless finish. Can’t imagine this wine getting any better but I have a couple more bottles in the cellar. Looking forward to the next uncorking!
PnP'd, poured a large glass & sat for 30 minutes. Blackberries & cassis on the nose & palate. Enjoyed over four hours, last glass best glass. Lots of life in this wine, NOTE to SELF - HOLD revisit in 2028.
Blind tasting of flagship and second wines from California and Washington. Biggest takeaway is how well the second wines stood up to their bigger siblings. Ranked #5 but really seemed like this needed more time. Nose of toasted oak. Big flavors and mouthfeel but slightly bitter and the oak needs more time to resolve. Long tannic finish. On this day I preferred the Phelps regular cab from the same vintage but a few more years and this could be showing really well. Full list and rankings below.
1. 2011 Ridge Monte Bello 2. 2013 Joseph Phelps Cabernet 3. 2012 Quilceda Creek Cabernet 4. 2011 Pride Mountain Reserve Cabernet 5. 2013 Joseph Phelps Insignia 6. 2012 Quilceda Creek CVR 7. 2011 Ridge Estate Cabernet (Flawed) 2011 Pride Mountain Cabernet
A beautiful Napa blend!! Nose was full of ripe dark fruit with nuances of bakery and floral notes. Flavors followed with great ripe dark fruit - black cherry, ripe plum and blackberry. The dark red fruit came at the right time - a beautiful acidic balance with great layered tannins giving a nice long finish of beautiful ripe fruit and a little chocalate! Fantastic wine- will age with other flavors but now is the time to enjoy that Napa fruit!!
Drank along with 2013 Staglin and 2010 Gruaud-Larose with beef tenderloin, scalloped potatoes and roasted asparagus. All were great with different profiles. This was inky deep purple in color, muted on the nose and blackberries, plum earthy on the palate. Medium finish. As a result of the blend, a little smoother than the Staglin on the finish. Decanted for two hours and drank over two hours. This has progressed nicely since my last bottle a little over a year ago.
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For me this bottle was personally disappointing. One bottle shared with friends back in March of this year was a good 3-4 pts better. It was classy, refined and just all around very, very good. This bottle never quite did much f anything for me. It was ok. The nose was better than the palate. Don't get me wrong, this is still a nice 93-94 bottle but it's not 97. The fruit is nice, the balance is quite good, the backing acidity says there's more time. Just not sure why this bottle was so much different than one just 6-7 months ago? I believe they were both bought at the same time and from the same retailer, but this one just doesn't seem to have the layers or the pedigree of the last bottle of '13, nonetheless, it's quite enjoyable with friends and food and good music!
PnP; drank on night 1 and then again on night 3. Very dark. Lovely nose, blueberry pie, malted cocoa, espresso bean, baking spices, no traces of heat.
Quite impressive on the palate, does not feel heavy but packs a punch of concentration. Dark fruit here in a good place. Getting some more coffee/espresso notes. Enjoyable structure here, it's fresh. Drinking well right now.
Night 3 update: just really well put together. Terrific bottle of wine right now.
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Absolutely stellar! Dense, rich nose of cassis, blackberries, licorice and some herbal notes. Light as a feather on the palate, marrying the power and weightless elegance that I so cherish.
In 10 or so years, I genuinely ecpect this to be three digits…
Given how impressed I was, I opened a second bottle two weeks later with identical notes.
Almost a perfect wine! Opened nicely in 30 minutes. Nose was all leather and wood with a background of dark fruit Flavors were Black Cherry, dark plum and blackberry. Well integrated tannins with a smooth and long finish of black fruit, leather and a hint of vanilla. A beautiful wine enjoyed with an aged New York steak.
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Poured into an decanter/airator and drank an hour later. Fantastic. Intense, dark, full-bodied. Licorice, dark fruits, pepper, streaks of bright red fruit on occasions, minerals, dark chocolate, some sweet spots, long after-taste. Tannins still quite noticeable. This has many more years to go, but not a shame to drink now. It might still improve, though. I have two more: it will be interesting, how they will develop. Will I be able to wait?
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Quick decant at restaurant (from my cellar), then immediate drinking. Beautiful nose, great depth of dark fruit, beautiful progression from attack to finish. Very rounded and smooth, great mouthfeel, long finish, no heat. All four of us loved it. For my personal preference, I would drink this up in the next two years or so; I felt that, although plenty of fruit was still there to enjoy, I would fear it becoming too mellow for my preferences in another 3-4 years (although I would still happily drink it if offered a decade from now).
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What a fantastic wine brought to our blind tasting by Mark1NPT. WOTN for me. Dark red fruit, classic napa Cab smells, many guessed it was younger than a 13. Super round but still present tannins provide a good scaffold for the still very present fruit and some chocolatey barrel notes. A real pleasure thx Mark. 96 HMC
Decanted for two hours. Notes of black fruit, tobacco leaf, dark chocolate, uncategorized wood, and licorice. Long finish with tannins that are approachable with aeration.This a very good wine, but not exceptional IMHO.Retry in another year or two.
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One hour slow ox......a beautiful Bdx nose, deep, rich, almost succulent. The palate reveals much of the same and over 3-4 more hours of slow ox only improves further. WOTN for the majority of us at tonight's tasting. The layers of red/dark red/black fruit are so great and complex. The integration of the tannins/acidity are very balanced. This is drinking exceptionally well for those who love great Cali fruit. For the true Bdx crowd, more years in the cellar will reward, but it's sooo good right now!
This Insignia took a little longer than other Insignias to open up. Took a good 45 minutes. The nose was earthy with wood and leather notes and some background dark fruit. The flavor was all dark fruit with cassis. Well balanced tannins leaving a delightful long finish. This wine has several more years!
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Color: dark, inky purple Nose/palate: dark berries, graphite, and cocoa Structure: medium+ acidity, high tannins, full body. Alcohol: 14.5%
88% CS / 5% PV / 3% Merlot / 3% Malbec / 1% CF
Have always been a huge fan of Insignia and have never had a bad bottle. I love its consistency and can generally identify it in blinds. With all the attention that's been given to the 2013 vintage, I was curious to see how this would compete with the 1997 Insignia, which to this day, is the best Napa I've had. The tannins are still dominating at this point, and I expect much more development and many more notes to be revealed with further aging, as is the case with Insignia. Overall, enjoyed it very much for its typical cool-on-the-palate, robust mouthfeel and the graphite/cocoa notes.
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Decanted approximately 2 hours. Consumed out of a Grassl 1855 and paired with a Flannery 130 day dry aged ribeye.
The aromas were of black fruits, fresh cut flowers and baking spices. The flavors were of some red fruit, dark cherry, blue and black fruits, spice and a streak of minerality. It has good acidity. The finish was medium+ of approx 30-45 seconds. It had good concentration and decent complexity. Well balanced with minimal to no heat. However, it's not an overly intellectual wine.
The wine drank best paired with the fatty steak, which tamed and smoothed out the medium+ tannic grip. The tannins became more pronounced over the course of 4+ hours and was more enjoyable paired with the proper food.
This wine exceeded my expectations and was a nice complement to a highly marbled dry aged ribeye!
My score 94.5 paired with food but without food its closer to a 93. It could improve a point or 2 with a little more cellaring but is in a decent spot now with a good decant.
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I was actually a little reluctant to add my note because we are such INSIGNIA lovers and This was ‘just’ a very, very good wine. We decanted for 90 minutes and then drank over next 4 hours. Was good from start but didn’t materially improve over the night. Blueberry and dark fruit, still strong acidity. I guess I’m agreeing with some others Below that it’s not quite great. I have 2 more and can’t wait for the improvement in the coming years.
Opened and tasted then decanted and poured back into the bottle which was served about 7 hours later. Both the nose and palate seemed muted. After the initial 15 minutes, the fruit on the palate started to come forward but even after 7 hours never reached the luscious levels I have detected in other vintages. I suspect my score will improve with more time in the bottle. As a minority of other CT tasters have noted, I too have mixed feelings about this bottle even though I am an Insignia lover.
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Had not tried the 2013 and I do have a case so I decided to give it a try. Opened two hours prior to serving. Put the cork back in and went to the club with friends as it was steak and seafood night. Dark fruit on the nose. The palate was berries, dark cherry, tobacco and hints of chocolate. The finish was long. Decanting or a longer slow ox would probably improve the score.
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As some have stated, this was muted on the nose. The palate was blackberries, blue berries and other darker fruits. A medium finish. Was very good, not great. Over the years, I seem to have most success with Insignias prior to six years (great fruit) or between ten and twelve years (nicely integrated secondary characteristics). Probably should have waited a couple of more years on this one.
This wine gets better and better with age. I thought it couldn't get better than the latest 2015 and 2016 i have consumed lately. I was wrong - what a beautiful wine. Took about 40 minutes to fully open but it was worth it. The nose started with leather and cedar notes with a hint of dark fruit. Once open the black fruit took over on the nose. The flavor was tauntingly sweet but not jammy with beautiful layered flavors of black cherry, blackberry and a hint of blueberry. Finish was long and beautiful with the seasoned tannins layered perfectly with the dark fruit, leather, vanilla and chocolate. A joy to drink. A great 40th anniversary vintage.
A beautiful wine - nose of cedar, leather and dark fruit, the flavor perfectly layered with black cherry, blackberry and a touch of blueberry. the tannins were nicely integrated which offset the bold sweet fruit in the mouth. A nice long finish with leather blackberry and chocolate note. This wine is aging great and getting better every year in its cellar.
Very mixed feelings on this. Double decanted, rested an hour, then drank over three hours. The nose seemed fairly muted the whole time. More expressive on the palate, rich and dark. Still on the young side, especially given it’s a 2013, but was hoping for it to give us a little more than it did.
Huge letdown. Looked at the many reviews out there and decided to decant it 5 hours before luncheon and sip it along the way to see how it evolved. It never did. In the terms of mouth feel it did not disappoint, it was very smooth, silky even. But the aroma was almost non existent. On the palate, it was severely lacking in flavour. Not just for a 200 dollar wine, but even for a much less onerous bottle. I kept waiting for it to open up; it never did. Literally next to nothing to write about in re. to taste, flavour, evocations...Nothing. Nada. Rien de rien. Je ne regrette rien as Edith would say. (En fait si, je regrette d'avoir ouvert cette bouteille.) Reminded me of those lunches with people you realize have nothing to say. They just repeat banalities over and over. They sound nice, polished even, but ultimately they are bores (a dull or tiresome person). I'll say the label is very nice in a wallpaper kinda way, and the juice itself gets rants and rave from the professional crowd (95s! 98s!), but for this modest taster, the insignia is emblematic of everything that is wrong about Napa cabs, overpriced and over-hyped under-performers. There are plenty of other choices in that style that actually deliver. Save your money.
WOTN for sure. Side by side with 2013 Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer Dr. Crane and this was preferred by 3 of 4 tasters despite a slightly lower RP rating for the Insignia and a perfect score for Hobbs...
Insignia was drinking well after 4 hr decant with fruit forward nose. Opens in the mouth with velvet like coating of dark berries, chocolate, and cassis.
Some may find a tad too fruit forward or sweet I suspect but I thought this was nicely balanced with the more complex and interesting tannic structure and earthy notes in the mid and back pallet.
This definitely can stand another 10+ years of age as well but I’m glad we opened one up now.
A beautiful layered wine! Fresh red fruit on the nose with some vanilla and herbs. Beautiful black raspberry, blueberry and blackberry flavors with extremely well integrated tannins leaving a beautiful finish with dark fruit, leather and vanilla.
Blind with Dominus 2014, Dunn Diamond mountain 2013, more fruity nose comparing to the other two, rich mid-palate and texture very long finish. Dominus is a perfect balanced wine with variation in mid-palate, Dunn has a long finish but some sulfate smell.
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Poured through an aerator into a decanter, waited two hours, for a special evening. It is a good California cab-heavy Bordeaux blend, quite tannic still, so surely has many more years to go. Peppery notes, salty, earthy, notes of cassis. 93 for now. Not as impressive as I would expect at that price. Will try the next one in three years, in 2023: perhaps then?
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Deep ruby color with slow legs. French oak, blackberry and cassis on the nose. Black cherry, plum and espresso on the palate. Leathery finish with medium tannins. Recommend minimum 2 hour decant.
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PnP (not shaken, sorry couldn’t help myself) not decanted fully however drank over 2 hours. I enjoy 2013s, especially for those wines that were really crafted well... this wine was certainly well made but like many Insignia’s I have had it didn’t wow me. I am not against Insignia but at $200/bottle I honestly, for my palate, feel there are better wines out there for the price point.
Nose muted, palate blue, dark red fruit, some Blackberries, grassy and some herbal notes. Due to the lack of fruit concentration and already dwindling tannins (surprising for 2013) I am not sure how this will age. Don’t get me wrong it’s not a must drink now or else. rather it may not overly improve like others on this category for this vintage. Will be curious how the Backus compares.
At a private tasting at JP, tasted this and the 2016. This is a really uninteresting and flat wine. Tannins nearly gone, no fruit, no depth. Nothing engaging that would give any hope that it will be worth drinking in 15 years. Had been decanted and shaken by staff two hours before tasting. Deep deep crimson color, long slow legs.
This wine was raised in 100% new French oak barrels for two years. It is something of a rare breed these days in Napa Valley since it is neither a single varietal wine nor a site-specific wine. Rather, it is a traditional blend of Bordeaux varieties from various vineyards from all parts of the valley floor. Specifically, it comprises of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc.
Vintage 2013 is much heralded. Some even said it's the "vintage of the century"! The growing season is long, hot, and dry. The first of three consecutive drought years. The berries are flavorful and concentrated. Even the seeds and stems are ripe! The result is well represented in the wine.
Deep inky purple but freshly looking and brilliantly young with no sign of aging yet. The aromatics of crushed blackberry, plum, thyme and sage. The palate is firm but approachable. Tannin is present yet structured. Medium plus body and medium acidity. Blueberry, dark cherry, and still slightly grapey. Milk chocolate, black pepper, star anise, and mixed steak herb. Purity and sumptuousness.
20 years ago, this wine would be controversial as its style is in the camp of what a lot of people called "modernist", i.e. ripe, explosive fruit forward, low acid and easily accessible on the younger side. Today, I would call this mainstream style of Napa cab. It is a great steakhouse wine that would stand up to any grill dishes. But that's about it. I would drink this within its 15th anniversary to enjoy the fruity side of it. 91/100.
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We decanted the wine two hours prior due to its youth The nose was muted, which I attribute to it’s age. Primary flavor of dark berries, a little spice and menthol on the finish. There’s moderate tannin and a few secondary leathery flavors. Full bodied, could possibly improve though it didn’t much tonight during the two hours we drank it with dinner. The flavors are still too primary and one note. I love some of the older better Insignia’s ( ‘97 and ‘02.) Though the 2013 has moderately high ratings for an Insignia, I can’t see it getting there
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First at all, thank you Carlos for sharing this beautiful bottle. You're a truly friend. Decanted two hours in advance. An Ingres' masterpiece. A repainted odalisque, looking for an impossible perfection. On the nose there are hints of bakery, a mix of red and dark fruit, pencil, some humid leather, blue flowers, all very pure and well-defined. Definitively Cabernet driven. Dark, dense, opulent, concentrated elegance but never an over-extracted. Velvety texture that fills your palate completely, full of memories of plums and liquorice. Central tongue is beating a fine acidity. Very good length. Extraordinary grip. Outstanding persistence. Fine tannins. Masculine yet well suited. Youth but at the same time ready to be enjoyed at this moment. However this wine has a long life ahead. Worths every penny.
Antes de nada agradecer a Carlos que compartiese esta botella. Eres un amigo. Decantada dos horas antes. Una obra maestra de Ingres. Una odalisca repintada a la búsqueda de una perfección imposible. En nariz hay notas de panadería, una mezcla de frutillos rojos y negros, lápiz, algo de cuero húmedo, flores azules, todo muy puro y bien definido. Definitivamente la CS está al mando. Elegancia oscura, densa, opulenta y concentrada aunque nunca sobre-extractada. Textura de terciopelo que llena completamente tu paladar, lleno de recuerdos a ciruelas y regaliz. La parte central de la lengua es golpeada por una rica acidez. De muy buena longitud. De un agarre extraordinario. De una persistencia fuera de lo común. Taninos suaves. Un vino masculino aunque bien trajeado. Juventud que se puede disfrutar en este preciso momento. De todas formas tiene una larga vida por delante. Vale cada céntimo que cuesta.
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Opened a bottle for my mom’s birthday dinner, and it showed exactly as I hoped. Rich red and black fruit was supported by firm but not at all hard tannin, and a broad, vanilla and cedar tinged finish. The balance was impressive, no heat or anything extreme. Delicious now or any time after that.
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Decanted an hour, enjoyed over the next 2 hrs. Big, rich nose of dark fruit, tobacco, and rosemary that fills the palate with a warm sweetness. Very well-balanced, soft tannins, smooth finish. Drinking beautifully right now.
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The nose suggests that this is cool with a good minerality but in the mouth there's a wall of sweet blackcurrant and overt new oak. Retasted on day 3, all there is left is the oak pretty much. Not for me. 2013 Napa/Sonoma tasting chez Lillelund.
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A young beast that will improve with age, but still well balanced now. Just something I like about this fruit / tannin combo over other wines of similar prices.
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St. John's Meeting Place Dinner & Bottle Share: plush, rich fruit but not jammy, well integrated tannins/blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc from great Napa vintage/drinking beautifully now
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Had this over 2 nights. Even with a decant, it wasn't ready on Day 1. It tasted tart and had a funky smell. Back in the bottle it went and I decanted it for 8 hours on day 2. I think that it was flawed as I ended up adding a little bit of Myriad's NV '14 which made it better but ruined the Myriad. Thus, I just went with the Myriad. Disappointed.
UPDATE: Called the winery, they were very gracious and will replace the bottle at no charge. Thanks Phelps Winery!
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Just a classic vintage of this great wine. I have always been a fan of this and when it hits it really hits. Right up their with the top wines of the trip.
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Dark inky purple colored, full bodied, intense, concentrated, smooth, polished, a symphony of well integrated layers of black raspberry, blueberry and blackberry fruits, accent tones of graphite, espresso, dark mocha, hints of vanilla and pepper with nice acidity and smooth silky tannins on the lingering finish.
Not at all what I was expecting. Previous Insignia tastings showed far to jammy, but this was not over the top. Perhaps the stronger tannins balanced out the fruit. Perhaps RP nailed this one, CT ratings seem low. One of the best 2013's I've tasted, but still too young.
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Deep red cherry with ruby rim; nose of cocoa, ripe cherries, blackberries and graphite; high tannins and acidity, but weak on fruit; as a result comes across as thin and sour; Devon liked it slightly more (87); both of us agreed that it's not worth the price point; perhaps an off bottle?
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Served at my parents. Purple fruit - blackberry, dark raspberry, currants, and plum. Smooth mid-palate with solid depth and a nice purity. As usual, fairly rich and a little sweet. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep. Decanted for two hours and drank over another three. Improved a little with time but drinking pretty well after the decant. In all, a nice wine but I guess I expected more in light of Parker's 98 rating. In my opinion, more so in line with WS's rating of 93 points. In addition, I believe this vintage could lay down a little longer to let the fruit soften and open-up a little more which is no surprise in light of its youth and the vintage. According to WS, best from 2018 to 2032 which I believe makes sense. 88% cab, 5% petit verdot, 3% merlot, 3% malbec and 1% cab franc.
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Tasted at large walkaround tasting. this is big, but remarkably fresh and light on its feet. lots of black fruit, herbal. nice acid. lots of tannin and full bodies, but this carries the weight well.
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(WINE CLUB NOTE 1/2017): Deep ruby in color with chocolate aromas and a little ethyl alcohol on the nose. The tannins are present on the finish and last a long time. The flavors of smokiness and meat with a hint of plum
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Tasted next to the 2014 Napa Cabernet. Much more grip and depth, less forward and fruit driven, still generous and concentrated. A little retrained and tight on nose and palate, but overall very well balanced. Great acidity. Very long. Needs time. 94-95+
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Right out of the gate it was an oak bomb that I kind of liked. But soon lost its composer and went flat. Tightened right up. Nothing at all. Lets give it some time.
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Deep ruby colour. The nose shows pronounced intensity aromas of walnut, clove, dark plums, cassis and ripe black currants.
It is dry in the mouth with a medium acidity. It has high supple tannins and a high warm alcohol It has a full body and pronounced intensity flavours. The finish is long.
It is a very good quality wine. It has a lingering finish and very concentrated flavours that balance the warm alcohol. The tannins are very supple, making it easy to drink, however at this stage it lacks some complexity. It's likely to develop some more interesting tertiary aromas in some years.
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This is a beautiful wine that is drinking nicely right now - strange for well made 2013s. The wine is dark, has tons of fruit, and is very smooth. The tannins are very well integrated; thus why it is drinking well right now. The finish is there but not as long or interesting than in previous vintages. All in all, it's a great wine and I look forward to tasting it again 6 months or so.
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Tasted at ONIC tasting. Strawberries jump out of the glass on the nose. The pallet is deep layered red and dark fruit, along with some oak and it is extremely complex. Definitely the wine of the night, but the price tag is rich. RP is bang on 96-100 points. Unbelievable wine.
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Dense but rather well integrated palate with cedar, blackcurrant, graphite, blueberries and blackberries but also vanilla from oak and a hint of barnyard notes. There are also notes of menthol, mint and an ok acidity that adds freshness. At the moment the nose is very muted but it show similar notes as on the palate. Rather inky finish with a salty touch. This is a very dense and heavy wine but not completely without balance.
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MW Institute 2013 American Cabernet Tasting, nose of blackberry, black cherry, black currents, very ripe fruit, fairly floral fruit, touch of ash and licorice, same on the palate, big body, lovely fruit and delicious tasting, needs 5 years to peak, mouth filling fruit, intense concentration but currently showing small/medium amount of slightly harsh tannins, and super long finish, tasted three times over 3 hours, gradually opened and graduallu improved on the palate,
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clear, very deep garnet, with no rim browning . Red licorice, black plum, Anise low acids, medium to high tannins . leather . medium tannic finish winery event .
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Tasting at the winery. First time drinking Insignia. Was surprised how different this is from the regular cab which is not one one of my favorites. I was expecting big but got rich and velvety instead. Great mouthfeel and surprising how accessible it was for a 2013. While you could drink it now it is obvious that time will be good to this. I am now an Insignia fan. Really enjoyed this wine.
Very dark. Oak, blackberry, blackberry jam nose - very forward. Blackberry and red currant then vanilla. This has mouth coating, firm tannin and bright acidity. most impressively it has great depth and length. Check back in 10 years
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4/4/2024 - bheadley27 wrote:
Na
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3/11/2024 - DrBad Likes this wine: 95 Points
Silky smooth, full bodied, velvety, exactly what you'd expect from an Insignia. Blueberry, blackberry, cocoa.
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3/9/2024 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
Small Tasting & Dinner with Friends: Double blind. Deep color. Chocolate, black raspberry, licorice and cherry cordial aromas. The palate follows the bouquet. Full-bodied, with fine but somewhat firm tannins and flavors of black fruit, plum, licorice and mocha. Lengthy finish. (R&D)
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3/2/2024 - jcstip wrote: 95 Points
Very beautiful, lovely texture and feel. Nice tannins but not over bearing. Cocoa and red Berrys. Peppery bit lightly. Decanted 90 min, Could have decanted another hour at least. Light earthy nose. Very drinkable now probably go 10 or more years.
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1/27/2024 - Bacchus8378 wrote: 95 Points
After a two hour decant, this wine evolved nicely exhibiting a dark purple color in the glass full of dark fruits on palate. Moderate tannin eased out by the smaller addition of merlot, malbec, and cabernet franc. Special dinner at Capital Grille in Naples, FL with CJD & KAP.
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1/10/2024 - markcic Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened three hours prior to serving. Put the cork back in and went to a local BYOB for our friend Dave's birthday. Dark fruit on the nose. The palate was berries, dark cherry, tobacco and hints of chocolate leading to a long finish.
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1/5/2024 - Rhodyrex Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dinner with Pelkys.
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12/31/2023 - jmp1954 wrote: flawed
Badly corked
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12/25/2023 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rich and ripe nose with lots of dark fruit, cassis, black pepper, black plums, oak, and tart black cherries. It’s a big wine on the palate but has decent acidity, dark berries and fruit, more oak/vanilla, and a hint of smoke. Finish is quite long. It’s obviously a big, bold Napa cab, usually not my style, but it did grow on me with air. There’s actually quite a bit of nuance buried in the ripe fruit and oak. Maybe it needs another 10 years to fully come together. 93-94+
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12/5/2023 - EM_MB Likes this wine: 92 Points
2 hour decant. As a rule, I just don’t the 13s are in their prime drinking spot yet. Hold.
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10/29/2023 - WineRay05 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Excellent!
Deep purple color. Concentrated flavors of dark fruits and strong presence of oak. Long finish. Overall very balanced.
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10/14/2023 - markcic Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened three hours prior to serving. Put the cork back in and went to the club with friends for a bon voyage dinner as they are snowbirds and heading back to Florida today. Dark fruit on the nose. The palate was berries, dark cherry, tobacco and hints of chocolate. The finish was long. Matched against a 2015 Mondavi Reserve To Kalon which in the opinion of most of the people at dinner said was the better wine. Still this is a great bottle and I am happy to have more.
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10/11/2023 - dtabony@comcast.net wrote: 96 Points
How another 2-3 years grows this wine even stronger! A nice rich purple color with a full nose of berries. After decanting there was little to no sediment in the bottle. The taste begins with blackberry and raspberry and finishes well for this full-bodied wine. Every 20-30 minutes between sips brings a smoother more complex enjoyment. Sorry to say I only have one more in the cellar.
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7/10/2023 - SWHighlander Likes this wine: 94 Points
Blind wine tasting with 6 other bottles from Bordeaux and Napa, ranging from 2016 to 2000 vintages. My glass came from a massive Imperial Magnum (6L), decanted 3 hours earlier. Among the 45 guests, this was the favorite. Still young with strong red and black fruit, but the tannins have mellowed and integrated some, and the acidity almost matches the fruit, as you’d expect from a Napa can at this age. For my palate, I think it will improve with another 5-10 years or longer, at least in this size bottle, but certainly approachable now.
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5/27/2023 - markcic Likes this wine: 95 Points
The last time I tried a bottle of this wine was Labor Day 2021. At the time I said that longer aeration would improve the score. That along with having been cellared for a year and half extra did in fact rais the score. Opened three hours prior to serving. Put the cork back in and went to the club with friends as it was steak and seafood night. Dark fruit on the nose. The palate was berries, dark cherry, tobacco and hints of chocolate. The finish was long. Matched against a 2013 Backus and this in my opinion was the better wine. My good friend Michael will differ as he preferred the Backus.
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5/12/2023 - Vino Loco Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark, beautiful crimson colour. Nose of cassis and dark brandy cherry. Rich lucious mouthfeel. Loads of potential, but it’s still too young - needs more time for the tannins to mellow. If you can’t wait, bring it up to room temperature and give it a good decant. Questionable QPR, but was still highly enjoyable to drink.
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5/12/2023 - Kayentacellars wrote: 96 Points
Exceptional
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5/7/2023 - Darwine Likes this wine: 98 Points
This wine is in its perfect drinking period. Opened up to my expectations in 30 minutes. Nose had leather notes and lots of dark fruit. The sweet dark plum was clearly there. The taste followed with a nice almost sweet dark fruit rendition of plum and dark raspberry. The flavors evolved to some dark cherry with its beautiful layered tannins. The flavors of vanilla and chocolate was pervasive throughout. A beautiful wine and was enjoyed with a great short rib!
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4/9/2023 - bobvictor Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP. Dark and deep to the eye. Big, rich, dark berries to taste. Silky smooth on the palate, long finish. Everything you'd want except special magic in a Napa Cab blend
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4/3/2023 - Garkar wrote: 98 Points
Outstanding bottle of wine. Drank with a friend with a porterhouse steak in Stuart FL. Decanted for about and hour and poured back in the bottle to take to Oak & Ember Steakhouse. Drank over 2 hours. Big mouthful of ripe black fruit, integrated tannins, great balance,smooth endless finish. Can’t imagine this wine getting any better but I have a couple more bottles in the cellar. Looking forward to the next uncorking!
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3/5/2023 - AAJR Likes this wine: 95 Points
PnP'd, poured a large glass & sat for 30 minutes. Blackberries & cassis on the nose & palate. Enjoyed over four hours, last glass best glass. Lots of life in this wine, NOTE to SELF - HOLD revisit in 2028.
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12/4/2022 - Gnome Likes this wine:
Blind tasting of flagship and second wines from California and Washington. Biggest takeaway is how well the second wines stood up to their bigger siblings. Ranked #5 but really seemed like this needed more time. Nose of toasted oak. Big flavors and mouthfeel but slightly bitter and the oak needs more time to resolve. Long tannic finish. On this day I preferred the Phelps regular cab from the same vintage but a few more years and this could be showing really well. Full list and rankings below.
1. 2011 Ridge Monte Bello
2. 2013 Joseph Phelps Cabernet
3. 2012 Quilceda Creek Cabernet
4. 2011 Pride Mountain Reserve Cabernet
5. 2013 Joseph Phelps Insignia
6. 2012 Quilceda Creek CVR
7. 2011 Ridge Estate Cabernet
(Flawed) 2011 Pride Mountain Cabernet
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12/3/2022 - Darwine Likes this wine: 98 Points
A beautiful Napa blend!! Nose was full of ripe dark fruit with nuances of bakery and floral notes. Flavors followed with great ripe dark fruit - black cherry, ripe plum and blackberry. The dark red fruit came at the right time - a beautiful acidic balance with great layered tannins giving a nice long finish of beautiful ripe fruit and a little chocalate! Fantastic wine- will age with other flavors but now is the time to enjoy that Napa fruit!!
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11/7/2022 - gew71walsh wrote: 94 Points
Drank along with 2013 Staglin and 2010 Gruaud-Larose with beef tenderloin, scalloped potatoes and roasted asparagus. All were great with different profiles. This was inky deep purple in color, muted on the nose and blackberries, plum earthy on the palate. Medium finish. As a result of the blend, a little smoother than the Staglin on the finish. Decanted for two hours and drank over two hours. This has progressed nicely since my last bottle a little over a year ago.
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11/5/2022 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 94 Points
For me this bottle was personally disappointing. One bottle shared with friends back in March of this year was a good 3-4 pts better. It was classy, refined and just all around very, very good. This bottle never quite did much f anything for me. It was ok. The nose was better than the palate. Don't get me wrong, this is still a nice 93-94 bottle but it's not 97. The fruit is nice, the balance is quite good, the backing acidity says there's more time. Just not sure why this bottle was so much different than one just 6-7 months ago? I believe they were both bought at the same time and from the same retailer, but this one just doesn't seem to have the layers or the pedigree of the last bottle of '13, nonetheless, it's quite enjoyable with friends and food and good music!
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10/28/2022 - 87tellub Likes this wine: 94 Points
PnP; drank on night 1 and then again on night 3. Very dark. Lovely nose, blueberry pie, malted cocoa, espresso bean, baking spices, no traces of heat.
Quite impressive on the palate, does not feel heavy but packs a punch of concentration. Dark fruit here in a good place. Getting some more coffee/espresso notes. Enjoyable structure here, it's fresh. Drinking well right now.
Night 3 update: just really well put together. Terrific bottle of wine right now.
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9/25/2022 - G_H wrote: 98 Points
Absolutely stellar! Dense, rich nose of cassis, blackberries, licorice and some herbal notes. Light as a feather on the palate, marrying the power and weightless elegance that I so cherish.
In 10 or so years, I genuinely ecpect this to be three digits…
Given how impressed I was, I opened a second bottle two weeks later with identical notes.
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7/11/2022 - jvphoto Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ripe cherry, black & blueberry pie, tobacco.
Sweet enough for spicy fried chicken sandwiches
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6/29/2022 - Iceman611 wrote: 92 Points
Perfectly balanced, bordeaux like but with purity of fruit and less earth.
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5/6/2022 - Darwine Likes this wine: 98 Points
Almost a perfect wine! Opened nicely in 30 minutes. Nose was all leather and wood with a background of dark fruit Flavors were Black Cherry, dark plum and blackberry. Well integrated tannins with a smooth and long finish of black fruit, leather and a hint of vanilla. A beautiful wine enjoyed with an aged New York steak.
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4/28/2022 - KTelaak_Buffalo Likes this wine: 96 Points
Needs about 90 minutes and it's all there. Exactly what you'd expect. Pure joy!
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4/26/2022 - HU Likes this wine: 96 Points
Poured into an decanter/airator and drank an hour later. Fantastic. Intense, dark, full-bodied. Licorice, dark fruits, pepper, streaks of bright red fruit on occasions, minerals, dark chocolate, some sweet spots, long after-taste. Tannins still quite noticeable. This has many more years to go, but not a shame to drink now. It might still improve, though. I have two more: it will be interesting, how they will develop. Will I be able to wait?
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4/23/2022 - aquacongas wrote: 95 Points
blind
A young baby that makes fun to drink. Not too powerful, well balanced. 95, not decanted because no time.
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4/16/2022 - GJVines Likes this wine: 96 Points
See my last tasting note of 4/4/2022. No change from then -- just a beautiful bottle of wine.
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4/8/2022 - jsiegler10 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Needa more time
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4/4/2022 - GJVines Likes this wine: 96 Points
Quick decant at restaurant (from my cellar), then immediate drinking. Beautiful nose, great depth of dark fruit, beautiful progression from attack to finish. Very rounded and smooth, great mouthfeel, long finish, no heat. All four of us loved it. For my personal preference, I would drink this up in the next two years or so; I felt that, although plenty of fruit was still there to enjoy, I would fear it becoming too mellow for my preferences in another 3-4 years (although I would still happily drink it if offered a decade from now).
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4/1/2022 - HowellMountainCru Likes this wine: 96 Points
What a fantastic wine brought to our blind tasting by Mark1NPT. WOTN for me. Dark red fruit, classic napa Cab smells, many guessed it was younger than a 13. Super round but still present tannins provide a good scaffold for the still very present fruit and some chocolatey barrel notes. A real pleasure thx Mark. 96 HMC
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4/1/2022 - garrigue65 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for two hours. Notes of black fruit, tobacco leaf, dark chocolate, uncategorized wood, and licorice. Long finish with tannins that are approachable with aeration.This a very good wine, but not exceptional IMHO.Retry in another year or two.
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3/31/2022 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 97 Points
One hour slow ox......a beautiful Bdx nose, deep, rich, almost succulent. The palate reveals much of the same and over 3-4 more hours of slow ox only improves further. WOTN for the majority of us at tonight's tasting. The layers of red/dark red/black fruit are so great and complex. The integration of the tannins/acidity are very balanced. This is drinking exceptionally well for those who love great Cali fruit. For the true Bdx crowd, more years in the cellar will reward, but it's sooo good right now!
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2/15/2022 - Darwine Likes this wine: 96 Points
This Insignia took a little longer than other Insignias to open up. Took a good 45 minutes. The nose was earthy with wood and leather notes and some background dark fruit. The flavor was all dark fruit with cassis. Well balanced tannins leaving a delightful long finish. This wine has several more years!
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1/29/2022 - sttorres28 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Color: dark, inky purple
Nose/palate: dark berries, graphite, and cocoa
Structure: medium+ acidity, high tannins, full body.
Alcohol: 14.5%
88% CS / 5% PV / 3% Merlot / 3% Malbec / 1% CF
Have always been a huge fan of Insignia and have never had a bad bottle. I love its consistency and can generally identify it in blinds.
With all the attention that's been given to the 2013 vintage, I was curious to see how this would compete with the 1997 Insignia, which to this day, is the best Napa I've had. The tannins are still dominating at this point, and I expect much more development and many more notes to be revealed with further aging, as is the case with Insignia. Overall, enjoyed it very much for its typical cool-on-the-palate, robust mouthfeel and the graphite/cocoa notes.
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1/8/2022 - JustBreathe680 Likes this wine: 95 Points
40th Vintage bottle. 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Merlot, 3% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc.
Decanted approximately 2 hours. Consumed out of a Grassl 1855 and paired with a Flannery 130 day dry aged ribeye.
The aromas were of black fruits, fresh cut flowers and baking spices. The flavors were of some red fruit, dark cherry, blue and black fruits, spice and a streak of minerality. It has good acidity. The finish was medium+ of approx 30-45 seconds. It had good concentration and decent complexity. Well balanced with minimal to no heat. However, it's not an overly intellectual wine.
The wine drank best paired with the fatty steak, which tamed and smoothed out the medium+ tannic grip. The tannins became more pronounced over the course of 4+ hours and was more enjoyable paired with the proper food.
This wine exceeded my expectations and was a nice complement to a highly marbled dry aged ribeye!
My score 94.5 paired with food but without food its closer to a 93. It could improve a point or 2 with a little more cellaring but is in a decent spot now with a good decant.
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12/19/2021 - bonedoc wrote:
All 13’s: all good, RM’s juiciness and acidity was welcome.
Insignia: darkest, coffee, chocolate, viscous
LMV Salon: definitely towards the darker side, some beefy tones,
RM Panek: brightest, juicy, sweet, lightest fruit profile of the 3
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11/20/2021 - Winechat63 wrote: 91 Points
I was actually a little reluctant to add my note because we are such INSIGNIA lovers and This was ‘just’ a very, very good wine. We decanted for 90 minutes and then drank over next 4 hours. Was good from start but didn’t materially improve over the night. Blueberry and dark fruit, still strong acidity. I guess I’m agreeing with some others Below that it’s not quite great. I have 2 more and can’t wait for the improvement in the coming years.
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9/20/2021 - ralaspech wrote: 91 Points
Opened and tasted then decanted and poured back into the bottle which was served about 7 hours later. Both the nose and palate seemed muted. After the initial 15 minutes, the fruit on the palate started to come forward but even after 7 hours never reached the luscious levels I have detected in other vintages. I suspect my score will improve with more time in the bottle. As a minority of other CT tasters have noted, I too have mixed feelings about this bottle even though I am an Insignia lover.
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9/4/2021 - markcic Likes this wine: 94 Points
Had not tried the 2013 and I do have a case so I decided to give it a try. Opened two hours prior to serving. Put the cork back in and went to the club with friends as it was steak and seafood night. Dark fruit on the nose. The palate was berries, dark cherry, tobacco and hints of chocolate. The finish was long. Decanting or a longer slow ox would probably improve the score.
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8/24/2021 - gew71walsh Likes this wine: 92 Points
As some have stated, this was muted on the nose. The palate was blackberries, blue berries and other darker fruits. A medium finish. Was very good, not great. Over the years, I seem to have most success with Insignias prior to six years (great fruit) or between ten and twelve years (nicely integrated secondary characteristics). Probably should have waited a couple of more years on this one.
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7/7/2021 - Darwine Likes this wine: 96 Points
This wine gets better and better with age. I thought it couldn't get better than the latest 2015 and 2016 i have consumed lately. I was wrong - what a beautiful wine. Took about 40 minutes to fully open but it was worth it. The nose started with leather and cedar notes with a hint of dark fruit. Once open the black fruit took over on the nose. The flavor was tauntingly sweet but not jammy with beautiful layered flavors of black cherry, blackberry and a hint of blueberry. Finish was long and beautiful with the seasoned tannins layered perfectly with the dark fruit, leather, vanilla and chocolate. A joy to drink. A great 40th anniversary vintage.
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6/26/2021 - Lemons93 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Great aroma with smooth taste and pleasing finish. Excellent wine as always!
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3/29/2021 - JackCali wrote: 92 Points
Drank at winery but definately needs time, will try again in 5 years
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3/3/2021 - Darwine Likes this wine: 96 Points
A beautiful wine - nose of cedar, leather and dark fruit, the flavor perfectly layered with black cherry, blackberry and a touch of blueberry. the tannins were nicely integrated which offset the bold sweet fruit in the mouth. A nice long finish with leather blackberry and chocolate note. This wine is aging great and getting better every year in its cellar.
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2/26/2021 - Coachron13 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very mixed feelings on this. Double decanted, rested an hour, then drank over three hours. The nose seemed fairly muted the whole time. More expressive on the palate, rich and dark. Still on the young side, especially given it’s a 2013, but was hoping for it to give us a little more than it did.
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2/21/2021 - cab blends Likes this wine: 95 Points
Rich and dark. The petit verdot does show in the mid and finish and gives this backbone.
Full bodied powerhouse. Decanted for an hour
HL 2/6 FD 4/6 Fi is long 5/6
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12/27/2020 - Lahontan wrote: 89 Points
Huge letdown. Looked at the many reviews out there and decided to decant it 5 hours before luncheon and sip it along the way to see how it evolved. It never did. In the terms of mouth feel it did not disappoint, it was very smooth, silky even. But the aroma was almost non existent. On the palate, it was severely lacking in flavour. Not just for a 200 dollar wine, but even for a much less onerous bottle. I kept waiting for it to open up; it never did.
Literally next to nothing to write about in re. to taste, flavour, evocations...Nothing. Nada. Rien de rien. Je ne regrette rien as Edith would say. (En fait si, je regrette d'avoir ouvert cette bouteille.)
Reminded me of those lunches with people you realize have nothing to say. They just repeat banalities over and over. They sound nice, polished even, but ultimately they are bores (a dull or tiresome person). I'll say the label is very nice in a wallpaper kinda way, and the juice itself gets rants and rave from the professional crowd (95s! 98s!), but for this modest taster, the insignia is emblematic of everything that is wrong about Napa cabs, overpriced and over-hyped under-performers.
There are plenty of other choices in that style that actually deliver. Save your money.
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12/19/2020 - wlcoleman Likes this wine: 98 Points
WOTN for sure. Side by side with 2013 Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer Dr. Crane and this was preferred by 3 of 4 tasters despite a slightly lower RP rating for the Insignia and a perfect score for Hobbs...
Insignia was drinking well after 4 hr decant with fruit forward nose. Opens in the mouth with velvet like coating of dark berries, chocolate, and cassis.
Some may find a tad too fruit forward or sweet I suspect but I thought this was nicely balanced with the more complex and interesting tannic structure and earthy notes in the mid and back pallet.
This definitely can stand another 10+ years of age as well but I’m glad we opened one up now.
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10/24/2020 - Darwine Likes this wine: 95 Points
A beautiful layered wine! Fresh red fruit on the nose with some vanilla and herbs. Beautiful black raspberry, blueberry and blackberry flavors with extremely well integrated tannins leaving a beautiful finish with dark fruit, leather and vanilla.
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7/20/2020 - Rollerball wrote: 89 Points
The heaviest silk; rich, dark, and polished but reaching for balance with every turn. A glass of this felt like a lot.
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6/23/2020 - Katscheker Likes this wine:
older than the 2016, with age I saw more fruit and softness and balance
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5/25/2020 - Yzhang1908 wrote:
Blind with Dominus 2014, Dunn Diamond mountain 2013, more fruity nose comparing to the other two, rich mid-palate and texture very long finish. Dominus is a perfect balanced wine with variation in mid-palate, Dunn has a long finish but some sulfate smell.
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4/6/2020 - HU Likes this wine: 93 Points
Poured through an aerator into a decanter, waited two hours, for a special evening. It is a good California cab-heavy Bordeaux blend, quite tannic still, so surely has many more years to go. Peppery notes, salty, earthy, notes of cassis. 93 for now. Not as impressive as I would expect at that price. Will try the next one in three years, in 2023: perhaps then?
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4/2/2020 - Lemons93 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Love Insignia!
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3/15/2020 - junetoaugust wrote: flawed
This one was off never opened up into anything note worthy....hoping it was a faulty bottle......decanted almost 5 hours
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1/19/2020 - Hercules Likes this wine:
Magnificent!
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10/11/2019 - Twopawsup Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep ruby color with slow legs. French oak, blackberry and cassis on the nose. Black cherry, plum and espresso on the palate. Leathery finish with medium tannins. Recommend minimum 2 hour decant.
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10/6/2019 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP (not shaken, sorry couldn’t help myself) not decanted fully however drank over 2 hours. I enjoy 2013s, especially for those wines that were really crafted well... this wine was certainly well made but like many Insignia’s I have had it didn’t wow me. I am not against Insignia but at $200/bottle I honestly, for my palate, feel there are better wines out there for the price point.
Nose muted, palate blue, dark red fruit, some
Blackberries, grassy and some herbal notes. Due to the lack of fruit concentration and already dwindling tannins (surprising for 2013) I am not sure how this will age. Don’t get me wrong it’s not a must drink now or else. rather it may not overly improve like others on this category for this vintage. Will be curious how the Backus compares.
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9/4/2019 - e-r.portzline Does not like this wine: 88 Points
At a private tasting at JP, tasted this and the 2016. This is a really uninteresting and flat wine. Tannins nearly gone, no fruit, no depth. Nothing engaging that would give any hope that it will be worth drinking in 15 years. Had been decanted and shaken by staff two hours before tasting. Deep deep crimson color, long slow legs.
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12/26/2018 - GiWineDoc Likes this wine: 95 Points
Big inky purple but nose still a touch muted. Bold blue fruits and smooth tannins. Great bottle.
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12/2/2018 - NarunP wrote: 91 Points
This wine was raised in 100% new French oak barrels for two years. It is something of a rare breed these days in Napa Valley since it is neither a single varietal wine nor a site-specific wine. Rather, it is a traditional blend of Bordeaux varieties from various vineyards from all parts of the valley floor. Specifically, it comprises of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc.
Vintage 2013 is much heralded. Some even said it's the "vintage of the century"! The growing season is long, hot, and dry. The first of three consecutive drought years. The berries are flavorful and concentrated. Even the seeds and stems are ripe! The result is well represented in the wine.
Deep inky purple but freshly looking and brilliantly young with no sign of aging yet. The aromatics of crushed blackberry, plum, thyme and sage. The palate is firm but approachable. Tannin is present yet structured. Medium plus body and medium acidity. Blueberry, dark cherry, and still slightly grapey. Milk chocolate, black pepper, star anise, and mixed steak herb. Purity and sumptuousness.
20 years ago, this wine would be controversial as its style is in the camp of what a lot of people called "modernist", i.e. ripe, explosive fruit forward, low acid and easily accessible on the younger side. Today, I would call this mainstream style of Napa cab. It is a great steakhouse wine that would stand up to any grill dishes. But that's about it. I would drink this within its 15th anniversary to enjoy the fruity side of it. 91/100.
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11/23/2018 - Kevnzworld wrote: 92 Points
We decanted the wine two hours prior due to its youth
The nose was muted, which I attribute to it’s age.
Primary flavor of dark berries, a little spice and menthol on the finish. There’s moderate tannin and a few secondary leathery flavors.
Full bodied, could possibly improve though it didn’t much tonight during the two hours we drank it with dinner. The flavors are still too primary and one note.
I love some of the older better Insignia’s ( ‘97 and ‘02.) Though the 2013 has moderately high ratings for an Insignia, I can’t see it getting there
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10/2/2018 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 95 Points
From a magnum. A really impressive showing. Deep blue fruit, plum, lavender and graphite. Modest oak. Some soft spice. Silky texture.
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9/21/2018 - esw423 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Massive nose of blackberries and graphite. Same on the palate. Refined tannins and super long mouth-coating finish. Drank at Circa 1886 in Charleston.
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5/8/2018 - Harley1199 Likes this wine: 95 Points
First at all, thank you Carlos for sharing this beautiful bottle. You're a truly friend. Decanted two hours in advance. An Ingres' masterpiece. A repainted odalisque, looking for an impossible perfection. On the nose there are hints of bakery, a mix of red and dark fruit, pencil, some humid leather, blue flowers, all very pure and well-defined. Definitively Cabernet driven. Dark, dense, opulent, concentrated elegance but never an over-extracted. Velvety texture that fills your palate completely, full of memories of plums and liquorice. Central tongue is beating a fine acidity. Very good length. Extraordinary grip. Outstanding persistence. Fine tannins. Masculine yet well suited. Youth but at the same time ready to be enjoyed at this moment. However this wine has a long life ahead. Worths every penny.
Antes de nada agradecer a Carlos que compartiese esta botella. Eres un amigo. Decantada dos horas antes. Una obra maestra de Ingres. Una odalisca repintada a la búsqueda de una perfección imposible. En nariz hay notas de panadería, una mezcla de frutillos rojos y negros, lápiz, algo de cuero húmedo, flores azules, todo muy puro y bien definido. Definitivamente la CS está al mando. Elegancia oscura, densa, opulenta y concentrada aunque nunca sobre-extractada. Textura de terciopelo que llena completamente tu paladar, lleno de recuerdos a ciruelas y regaliz. La parte central de la lengua es golpeada por una rica acidez. De muy buena longitud. De un agarre extraordinario. De una persistencia fuera de lo común. Taninos suaves. Un vino masculino aunque bien trajeado. Juventud que se puede disfrutar en este preciso momento. De todas formas tiene una larga vida por delante. Vale cada céntimo que cuesta.
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4/27/2018 - mwneil Likes this wine: 94 Points
Good stuff, balanced, loads of flavor, never too heavy but a big wine, smooth tannins, drank with cheese and fruit, would drink again.Caymans.
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4/22/2018 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Opened a bottle for my mom’s birthday dinner, and it showed exactly as I hoped. Rich red and black fruit was supported by firm but not at all hard tannin, and a broad, vanilla and cedar tinged finish. The balance was impressive, no heat or anything extreme. Delicious now or any time after that.
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1/17/2018 - Doc Shannon wrote:
Had a 2013 at the restaurant in Wailea hotel with Dave January 16, 2018. Fantastic finish just bold enough. Very nice blend.
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1/17/2018 - KeithSurg wrote: 95 Points
Decanted an hour, enjoyed over the next 2 hrs. Big, rich nose of dark fruit, tobacco, and rosemary that fills the palate with a warm sweetness. Very well-balanced, soft tannins, smooth finish. Drinking beautifully right now.
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11/15/2017 - pbaek wrote:
The nose suggests that this is cool with a good minerality but in the mouth there's a wall of sweet blackcurrant and overt new oak. Retasted on day 3, all there is left is the oak pretty much. Not for me. 2013 Napa/Sonoma tasting chez Lillelund.
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11/4/2017 - Travilton Likes this wine: 95 Points
A young beast that will improve with age, but still well balanced now. Just something I like about this fruit / tannin combo over other wines of similar prices.
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10/27/2017 - ashikoh Likes this wine: 95 Points
St. John's Meeting Place Dinner & Bottle Share: plush, rich fruit but not jammy, well integrated tannins/blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc from great Napa vintage/drinking beautifully now
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10/23/2017 - #1Winelover wrote: flawed
Had this over 2 nights. Even with a decant, it wasn't ready on Day 1. It tasted tart and had a funky smell. Back in the bottle it went and I decanted it for 8 hours on day 2. I think that it was flawed as I ended up adding a little bit of Myriad's NV '14 which made it better but ruined the Myriad. Thus, I just went with the Myriad. Disappointed.
UPDATE:
Called the winery, they were very gracious and will replace the bottle at no charge. Thanks Phelps Winery!
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9/27/2017 - Yassine23 Likes this wine:
Way too young, bit of a beast at the moment. Wrapped up in new oak. Will be interesting to taste again in 10 or 20 years
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8/20/2017 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Just a classic vintage of this great wine. I have always been a fan of this and when it hits it really hits. Right up their with the top wines of the trip.
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8/11/2017 - grafighter Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted at the winery. Too young of course, but I can see the potential. Tasted right after the 2011 Insignia.
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7/31/2017 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 96 Points
Dark inky purple colored, full bodied, intense, concentrated, smooth, polished, a symphony of well integrated layers of black raspberry, blueberry and blackberry fruits, accent tones of graphite, espresso, dark mocha, hints of vanilla and pepper with nice acidity and smooth silky tannins on the lingering finish.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/08/joseph-phelps-napa-valley-winery-tasting.html
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7/1/2017 - webbaker Likes this wine: 96 Points
Not at all what I was expecting. Previous Insignia tastings showed far to jammy, but this was not over the top. Perhaps the stronger tannins balanced out the fruit. Perhaps RP nailed this one, CT ratings seem low. One of the best 2013's I've tasted, but still too young.
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5/25/2017 - Brent25 wrote: 85 Points
Deep red cherry with ruby rim; nose of cocoa, ripe cherries, blackberries and graphite; high tannins and acidity, but weak on fruit; as a result comes across as thin and sour; Devon liked it slightly more (87); both of us agreed that it's not worth the price point; perhaps an off bottle?
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5/15/2017 - Alexander Smith Likes this wine: 93 Points
Too young, still very closed but shows great potential. Wait min 5 years for this to properly open up
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5/7/2017 - Badmonkey wrote: 93 Points
Served at my parents. Purple fruit - blackberry, dark raspberry, currants, and plum. Smooth mid-palate with solid depth and a nice purity. As usual, fairly rich and a little sweet. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep. Decanted for two hours and drank over another three. Improved a little with time but drinking pretty well after the decant. In all, a nice wine but I guess I expected more in light of Parker's 98 rating. In my opinion, more so in line with WS's rating of 93 points. In addition, I believe this vintage could lay down a little longer to let the fruit soften and open-up a little more which is no surprise in light of its youth and the vintage. According to WS, best from 2018 to 2032 which I believe makes sense. 88% cab, 5% petit verdot, 3% merlot, 3% malbec and 1% cab franc.
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5/7/2017 - Lee Fining Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very young as expected. Has all the elements to age into a notable wine.
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5/5/2017 - ews3 wrote: 95 Points
Tasted at large walkaround tasting. this is big, but remarkably fresh and light on its feet. lots of black fruit, herbal. nice acid. lots of tannin and full bodies, but this carries the weight well.
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4/29/2017 - jwkagel Likes this wine: 91 Points
(WINE CLUB NOTE 1/2017): Deep ruby in color with chocolate aromas and a little ethyl alcohol on the nose. The tannins are present on the finish and last a long time. The flavors of smokiness and meat with a hint of plum
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4/29/2017 - wmccone54 wrote: 93 Points
2017 Austin Food & Wine Festival; 4/29/2017-4/30/2017 (Auditorium Shores, Austin, TX): Always great stuff!. One of the top Meritages from Napa. Power and finesse and an incredibly long finish.
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4/17/2017 - aquaman Likes this wine: 93 Points
Sample pour room coravin.
Still small alcohol from the first smell but turn to chocolate and dark fruit.
This will have to wait. But it sure is good.
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4/8/2017 - rossi.wine wrote: 95 Points
Tasted next to the 2014 Napa Cabernet. Much more grip and depth, less forward and fruit driven, still generous and concentrated. A little retrained and tight on nose and palate, but overall very well balanced. Great acidity. Very long. Needs time. 94-95+
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3/23/2017 - KVM wrote:
Dark red Black currant and vanilla nose. Sage, blackcurrant palate on medium body. Long.
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2/15/2017 - Ktelkins Likes this wine: 95 Points
Needed some time to breath. Seemed to soften and then firm back up during the decanting process.
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1/30/2017 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Right out of the gate it was an oak bomb that I kind of liked. But soon lost its composer and went flat. Tightened right up. Nothing at all. Lets give it some time.
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1/20/2017 - unrelenting Does not like this wine: 89 Points
Green tannins with a flat finish
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12/6/2016 - Man in Black wrote:
Deep ruby colour. The nose shows pronounced intensity aromas of walnut, clove, dark plums, cassis and ripe black currants.
It is dry in the mouth with a medium acidity. It has high supple tannins and a high warm alcohol It has a full body and pronounced intensity flavours. The finish is long.
It is a very good quality wine. It has a lingering finish and very concentrated flavours that balance the warm alcohol. The tannins are very supple, making it easy to drink, however at this stage it lacks some complexity. It's likely to develop some more interesting tertiary aromas in some years.
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12/3/2016 - #1Winelover wrote: 95 Points
This is a beautiful wine that is drinking nicely right now - strange for well made 2013s. The wine is dark, has tons of fruit, and is very smooth. The tannins are very well integrated; thus why it is drinking well right now. The finish is there but not as long or interesting than in previous vintages. All in all, it's a great wine and I look forward to tasting it again 6 months or so.
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11/20/2016 - wineotim Likes this wine: 93 Points
Young, but rather open, smooth but grippy finish. Light on its feet but delivers flavor to please. Tasted at B-21.
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11/11/2016 - mcease wrote: 97 Points
Tasted at ONIC tasting. Strawberries jump out of the glass on the nose. The pallet is deep layered red and dark fruit, along with some oak and it is extremely complex. Definitely the wine of the night, but the price tag is rich. RP is bang on 96-100 points. Unbelievable wine.
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11/5/2016 - Ultimatewinekick_Andreas wrote: 92 Points
Dense but rather well integrated palate with cedar, blackcurrant, graphite, blueberries and blackberries but also vanilla from oak and a hint of barnyard notes. There are also notes of menthol, mint and an ok acidity that adds freshness. At the moment the nose is very muted but it show similar notes as on the palate. Rather inky finish with a salty touch. This is a very dense and heavy wine but not completely without balance.
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11/2/2016 - Niagara wrote: 85 Points
a disappointment both for this wine and this vintage. overextracted and cartoonish.
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10/24/2016 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 96 Points
MW Institute 2013 American Cabernet Tasting, nose of blackberry, black cherry, black currents, very ripe fruit, fairly floral fruit, touch of ash and licorice, same on the palate, big body, lovely fruit and delicious tasting, needs 5 years to peak, mouth filling fruit, intense concentration but currently showing small/medium amount of slightly harsh tannins, and super long finish, tasted three times over 3 hours, gradually opened and graduallu improved on the palate,
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10/24/2016 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 84 Points
Institute of Masters of Wine - 2013 Cabernet Walk-Around Tasting (Hyatt, San Francisco): Smells underripe (pyrazinic) and tastes overripe. Structurally a bit soft (lower acid and tannins, higher alcohol).
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10/23/2016 - CJM wrote: 92 Points
clear, very deep garnet, with no rim browning . Red licorice, black plum, Anise low acids, medium to high tannins . leather . medium tannic finish winery event .
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10/15/2016 - RayT Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tasting at the winery. First time drinking Insignia. Was surprised how different this is from the regular cab which is not one one of my favorites. I was expecting big but got rich and velvety instead. Great mouthfeel and surprising how accessible it was for a 2013. While you could drink it now it is obvious that time will be good to this. I am now an Insignia fan. Really enjoyed this wine.
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10/10/2016 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting (City Walk @ Metreon, San Francisco, CA): Nice balanced elegant and complex nose with black fruit, spice; palate is full bodied, tannins are youthful and a bit rough, medium alcohol; medium-plus finish. This is a nicely made cab. 93
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9/20/2016 - KVM wrote:
Very dark. Oak, blackberry, blackberry jam nose - very forward. Blackberry and red currant then vanilla. This has mouth coating, firm tannin and bright acidity. most impressively it has great depth and length. Check back in 10 years
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