Breathtaking. Still vivid, fruit-driven, long ending, kind of oaky. Needed like almost an hour to open up, but then... Wow. I think, it has still time left to go. Worth a try!
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Still a fine wine. Enjoyed it with friends and a couple of steaks. Open it at 8 o'clock and we let it breathe for an hour. It only lasted an hour after that.
New Year's Eve Cosy Wine Night!: My 1st ever Insignia! Red fruits, hawthorns, ripe plums, dried herbs. Nice warm finish. Still fresh with its fruits still showing well. This was very enjoyable. This was too sweet to be an aged Bordeaux so I guessed this to be an Italian. 92/93
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13x 1980 Birthday Bash: Three 1980s from Napa Valley. All tasted blind. Unfortunately, only the Opus One (94+ points) delivered. Like so many old Opus, it comes across much younger, very Bordeaux but always with a touch of Californian sexiness. These old Opus from the 80s and 90s are worth any search. The Phelps Insignia (88) and Heitz Martha’s (86) didn’t show that well with low complexity and not an overly fine structure as well as subpar balance. Overall no homerun for Napa, the 1980 Bordeauxs we had in the flights before clearly won this battle.
TN: Cola, dried fruit and lots of herbal aromas as well as some unwanted soy sauce aromas on the medium- intensive nose. Fresh palate with slightly angular tannins. Not perfectly round and harmonious. Sweet blue fruits and herbs on the palate. Not perfectly clean and not that layered with medium- length. Overall solid with the freshness and blue fruit as the highlight, but not as good as I would have this wine expected to show.
Decanting: Double decanted 3+ hours before service. Seemed fine.
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"You only turn 40 once tasting" (At home): Double-decanted. Bottle and cork were in good shape. Unfortunately nose tending towards beef juice already. A bit of fruit left on the palate, but pretty much end of life here.
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Nose has aged fruit, dried tea leaves and menthol. Medium body. Still has good acid presence. Fruit is aged and soft with earth and tobacco leaf. Tannins completely resolved.
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Out of a 3L. 85% Cab and 15% merlot! great color! Old Cali Classic, mature, plum, currant, big nose, long finish with a sweetness on the back of the palate, leather and spice.
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[From a 1.5L] Medium-deep reddish garnet in color with slight clearing at the edges. Full, forward, attractive and complex nose of mature & well-developed ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blueberries & cassis with overtones of mint/eucalyptus & cedar, some floral notes of violets, dusty, tobacco, dried herbs, some cocoa, leather, earthy, spices, minerals and a touch of vanilla in the background. Medium-full bodied with good concentration, smooth textured, elegant & polished, complex & mature ripe fruit flavors of cherries, blackberries & plums with herbs, spices, minerals, cocoa, earthy and some toasty oak. Lingering smooth finish. Drinks quite well at present and appears to be at its peak of development and doubt any further development would occur from additional aging. [A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon & 15% Merlot]
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Beserkerfest Napa Halloween Party (Napa Valley Wine & Cigar): I got one of the last pours, so this may have had more air. It was very nice but past prime. A slight aquarium scent slightly marred the otherwise earthy and interesting note. Some nice cassis still on the palate. Complex. A fun way to start the evening.
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Some spicy cherry fruit and cedar on the nose, which carries through on the palate. Some old wine funk and mustiness, but otherwise lovely wine with richness, balance and depth with the spicy fruit hanging on nicely. Delicious 30 year old wine!
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Thirty Years of Phelps Insignia (1974 through 2004): The nose is a bit sweeter smelling than the 1979 with red currant, earth, and mineral. On the palate this has sweet (almost candied) red fruit. The flavors are great but more compact than I would have liked. A dose of acidity keeps this lively in the mouth. Tannins are fully resolved. The finish is long and "clingy." An excellent wine. My WOTF.
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Insignia Vertical Tasting 1974-2004 (WA Frost, St. Paul): Great nose. A little lighter in color than the 1979. Lighter body, but intense, riper red fruit than the others in this flight. Plump, and almost pruny. Intense; still youthful. Co-WOTF for me.
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Tasting 4 Joseph Phelps Insignia. Touch of heat on the nose, lovely, deep, rich fruit on the nose, more of the same on the palate, very big, intense fruit on the palate with a touch of age, big blackberry taste on the mid palate, and long, sweet finish. My #3.
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2/12/2021 - Nick oakwood Likes this wine: 93 Points
Breathtaking. Still vivid, fruit-driven, long ending, kind of oaky. Needed like almost an hour to open up, but then... Wow. I think, it has still time left to go. Worth a try!
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1/23/2021 - ador72 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still a fine wine. Enjoyed it with friends and a couple of steaks. Open it at 8 o'clock and we let it breathe for an hour. It only lasted an hour after that.
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12/31/2020 - dnnk88 Likes this wine: 92 Points
New Year's Eve Cosy Wine Night!: My 1st ever Insignia! Red fruits, hawthorns, ripe plums, dried herbs. Nice warm finish. Still fresh with its fruits still showing well. This was very enjoyable. This was too sweet to be an aged Bordeaux so I guessed this to be an Italian. 92/93
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10/12/2020 - Cailles wrote: 88 Points
13x 1980 Birthday Bash: Three 1980s from Napa Valley. All tasted blind. Unfortunately, only the Opus One (94+ points) delivered. Like so many old Opus, it comes across much younger, very Bordeaux but always with a touch of Californian sexiness. These old Opus from the 80s and 90s are worth any search. The Phelps Insignia (88) and Heitz Martha’s (86) didn’t show that well with low complexity and not an overly fine structure as well as subpar balance. Overall no homerun for Napa, the 1980 Bordeauxs we had in the flights before clearly won this battle.
TN: Cola, dried fruit and lots of herbal aromas as well as some unwanted soy sauce aromas on the medium- intensive nose. Fresh palate with slightly angular tannins. Not perfectly round and harmonious. Sweet blue fruits and herbs on the palate. Not perfectly clean and not that layered with medium- length. Overall solid with the freshness and blue fruit as the highlight, but not as good as I would have this wine expected to show.
Decanting: Double decanted 3+ hours before service. Seemed fine.
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9/19/2020 - sirpat00 wrote: 84 Points
"You only turn 40 once tasting" (At home): Double-decanted. Bottle and cork were in good shape. Unfortunately nose tending towards beef juice already. A bit of fruit left on the palate, but pretty much end of life here.
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10/24/2015 - Nanda wrote: 88 Points
Nose has aged fruit, dried tea leaves and menthol. Medium body. Still has good acid presence. Fruit is aged and soft with earth and tobacco leaf. Tannins completely resolved.
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5/12/2015 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points
Out of a 3L. 85% Cab and 15% merlot! great color! Old Cali Classic, mature, plum, currant, big nose, long finish with a sweetness on the back of the palate, leather and spice.
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3/7/2015 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 92 Points
[From a 1.5L] Medium-deep reddish garnet in color with slight clearing at the edges. Full, forward, attractive and complex nose of mature & well-developed ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blueberries & cassis with overtones of mint/eucalyptus & cedar, some floral notes of violets, dusty, tobacco, dried herbs, some cocoa, leather, earthy, spices, minerals and a touch of vanilla in the background. Medium-full bodied with good concentration, smooth textured, elegant & polished, complex & mature ripe fruit flavors of cherries, blackberries & plums with herbs, spices, minerals, cocoa, earthy and some toasty oak. Lingering smooth finish. Drinks quite well at present and appears to be at its peak of development and doubt any further development would occur from additional aging. [A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon & 15% Merlot]
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5/25/2014 - Capybara562 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This held up really well - worth the wait.
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10/26/2013 - VDLT Wine Does not like this wine:
Prune juice.
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10/31/2011 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 88 Points
Beserkerfest Napa Halloween Party (Napa Valley Wine & Cigar): I got one of the last pours, so this may have had more air. It was very nice but past prime. A slight aquarium scent slightly marred the otherwise earthy and interesting note. Some nice cassis still on the palate. Complex. A fun way to start the evening.
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10/17/2011 - davergny wrote: 93 Points
Some spicy cherry fruit and cedar on the nose, which carries through on the palate. Some old wine funk and mustiness, but otherwise lovely wine with richness, balance and depth with the spicy fruit hanging on nicely. Delicious 30 year old wine!
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9/8/2010 - silverhalide wrote: 94 Points
Opened up after about 30 minutes. Still a huge wine for being nearly 30 years old.
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6/16/2010 - jlgnml wrote: 94 Points
Les Degustateurs Ladies Night (Casino Club in Chicago): En magnum, great nose, color was slightly browning on the edge, a great showing.
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10/26/2008 - Diane (LI) wrote:
A 28 year old California cab that was soft and supple with some lingering fruit. The fruit began to fade after a couple of hours, but just lovely.
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6/7/2008 - Capybara562 wrote: 90 Points
Decanted, and improved after about 30 minutes - tannins faded and the wine was much smoother. Aging, but not quite over the hill.
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10/13/2007 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 92 Points
Thirty Years of Phelps Insignia (1974 through 2004): The nose is a bit sweeter smelling than the 1979 with red currant, earth, and mineral. On the palate this has sweet (almost candied) red fruit. The flavors are great but more compact than I would have liked. A dose of acidity keeps this lively in the mouth. Tannins are fully resolved. The finish is long and "clingy." An excellent wine. My WOTF.
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10/13/2007 - Siggy wrote: 93 Points
Insignia Vertical Tasting 1974-2004 (WA Frost, St. Paul): Great nose. A little lighter in color than the 1979. Lighter body, but intense, riper red fruit than the others in this flight. Plump, and almost pruny. Intense; still youthful. Co-WOTF for me.
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9/2/2006 - SteveC wrote: 90 Points
A little thin when opened. Decanted for an hour and really opened up. Very nice big wine for being 26 years old.
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12/6/2001 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasting 4 Joseph Phelps Insignia. Touch of heat on the nose, lovely, deep, rich fruit on the nose, more of the same on the palate, very big, intense fruit on the palate with a touch of age, big blackberry taste on the mid palate, and long, sweet finish. My #3.
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