Decanted for one hour. Nose of blackberry, currant, cedar, graphite, dried herbs and anise. Ripe blackberry, cedar, graphite and dried herbs on the palate. Very long finish. Medium to full bodied. Served with grilled strip steaks and black truffle butter.
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Aromatics were nice, very classic Cali cab notes of cedar, black fruit, some sweet spice, touches of pine. Palate was a bit flat for me. Showing how aged CA wines from this generation can go flaccid with time. Some tar and stewed fruit notes. Very one sided at this stage. Definitely at drinking window.
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Very disappointed. This wine should be drinking very nicely right now. Opened it at dinner with friends for New Year's eve. We didn't have a decanter (they only had one and it was in use) so we left the bottle open for an hour. It was brownish in color and had an odor as if it were going bad but tasted okay - not great. Possibly a little corked but the cork looked fantastic. I have 11 more, I will give them a few years, maybe it's just at an awkward stage.
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Yondan has this right - wine is in a great place and drinking well. Served right after 2015 Clerc Milion (admittedly, too early), and the Insignia delivered what our table was looking for: well balanced, fruit forward, aromatic Napa Cab. Delicious.
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Very well rounded wine. Very opaque, deep ruby red. The bottle had a lot of sediment and needed to be decanted. It would otherwise drink well directly from the bottle. It did not need air time. The wine gave off great aromas of cherry, and raspberry. Friendly tannins, medium acidity, full body and inviting. Red fruit ; cassis and plumb notes on the palate. Very well balanced and rounded wine, smooth texture with a great lasting finished. Enjoyed with London Broil and baked potatoe.
This vintage is in a great place. Very appealing and a easy to drink. Allthough the wine can go a few more years in the bottle, the additional time in the bottle will not improve the wine. Hold or save, you will totally enjoy this voluptuous wine.
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Wonderful! Notes of oak, dark fruit, spice, with bing cherry, blackberry, and chocolate on the palate, this has full-body, with a long, lasting finish. Rich, voluptuous, hedonistic, with well integrated tannins, this wine has good balance of power and finesse. In its prime at 15 years of age.
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Elegant, voluptuous, romantic, all can be used to describe this terrific Insignia. Opened to celebrate my 75th birthday. Wanted something special and was not disappointed. Blackberry dominates on the palate, but dark cherry is a close second. Tannins impeccably Intergrated. Doubt that time will improve this much, but there are many years of peak enjoyment remaining.
My 60th (Abbot Street, Ngaio, Wellington, New Zealand): Drunk next to the black-hued and almost totally closed Pontet Canet from 2008, this felt riper and sweeter, and almost as rich, but also more- developed, with bricking noted on the meniscus of the wine while being poured. This wine expresses a very ripe Napa style, and certainly has great structure and proportion, but also emphasises a sweet countenance and supple fruit textures. The silky sweet-berry note on the finish was very appealing. My preference was for the closed and almost dour PC, but other enjoyed the voluptuous nature of this wine. No rush on this - it will be a fun wine to follow, but maybe not for the 30+ years I think the PC has!
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4th Saturday Brown Bagger (R&D’s): Aromas of plum, chocolate, currants, mocha and lavender. Just the slightest bit of bricking at the meniscus to show this has some age on it. Full-bodied and plush, with medium tannins and flavors of black fruit, plum and mocha. Finishes with good length. This had been double decanted off its sediment 75 minutes before the flight was poured, and drank well throughout the entire evening.
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With T-Bone….. Pre food-Cassis, Forest floor, graphite, licorice, pencil lead dominate. Liquore texture. Great depth. Some dark cocoa. Tannins still there. Iodine.scorched raspberries. Darker berries come out with food.
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Have tried this wine several times over the years and this was clearly the best showing. Incredible balance of power and finesse. Can’t wait to get into the 07’ someday !
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So I bought a cellar; 11/12/2022-12/31/2030: Wow - immediately upon opening, a super hedonistic, red fruit, in your face nose. This wine is really fresh, and if in its drinking window, then early. It tasted as amazing as it smelled and was a hit with the ladies tonight (the non-wine-nerds). Nose of blackberries and dark, soaked cherries, like the best maraschino, with a similar palate. When comparing to a 2008 Pontet Canet and a 2008 Branon, it was typical napa vs bdx. But tasted amazing. A great wine.
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Christmas dinner: Decanted for an hour and this is ready to drink. Drank alongside 2008 Pontet Canet and they were very much on par with each other. Dinner consisted of rib roast with roasted veggies and creamy scalloped potatoes.
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An outstanding wine in its own right but side by side with the 07 was an unfair comparison. Give this wine another 3 years and it will be exceptional. Tannins need to fade a bit.
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This bottle tasted like the Phelps Insignia of my memory which is to say, a really great bottle of wine. The cork broke into two chunks using a corkscrew. I was able to remove the chunks in due time when I used a nut pick. Very fresh and exciting still. Just a bit subdued by Insignia standards.
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First time tasting Insignia. Was shocked at the color as it showed very little browning and was still a dark purple after 15 years. Very little sediment as well. Very complex wine with leather, tobacco, chocolate, spice, dark plum, and dark cherry. Definitely a powerful dry wine with fairly high alcohol. While many comments are stating that this is at peak or maybe starting to go past peak, I tend to disagree. Tannins still present. I only owned one bottle, but if I had another I’d wait another 3 years. Take that feedback lightly though given my limited experience.
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Backtracked a bit from prior bottle. Still a good Insignia, but seems to be losing a little of its luster. Drank over three hours. Dark berries on nose and palate. Drank alone without food. Maybe needs to be paired—will try that again with my last bottle.
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A nice wine. Feels more red fruited maybe plateauing. I would drink up as this doesn’t feel like a wine that has any upside from here. Nice body and complexity but slightly disjointed. A good not great Insignia.
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From magnum. Some sediment. Blackberry and black cherry fruit. Prominent tobacco, and earth notes. Medium acidity. Med- tannins. Mid- palate not as deep as other Insignias I've had. 92-93.
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Brought to The Chef’s kitchen/Midlothian Va, where it was skillfully decanted. Paired with pecan crusted ribs, fried potato salad, house made tagliatelle pasta. This 2008 Insignia was quite good, excellent balance, complex flavors of currants, cassis, plum, cedar, graphite and a very long spicy finish. There were still some tannins that will most likely integrate with a few more years of bottle age. Drink now with a extended decant or hold for several more years!
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PnP followed over a few hours. It’s so integrated as to be a bit beguiling. Clearly a blend, with a bit of Petit Verdot showing. Still dense, primary, with oak splinter tannins after several hours of air. An even bigger wine that the 12 which I think was the last one I tasted.
One taster (double blinded) guessed 09 insignia. Consider me impressed.
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Popped and poured from split while filtering pours through a screen. This is a solid red wine. There is some visible sediment caking throughout the bottle and sediment at the end, so decant or filter. The nose opens into red fruit, aged leather, mint, and light herb notes. In the mouth, the wine feels restrained, but nevertheless brings the smoothness, red fruit mix, and chocolate one would expect. The finish is notably long, allowing one to appreciate the concentration of flavor with a minty echo. Overall, this was enjoyable and in a nice spot today; it performed slightly above expectations. 92 points.
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Friday Group Brown Bag Tasting (R&D's): Double blind. Dark color opening with black fruit and bouillon notes. Plummy and ripe on the palate, finishing with good length. There’s a hint of bouillon on the palate as well. Very good but I find the bouillon notes a little distracting. (R&D)
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Big California over extracted red. Dark fruit with plum and prune. Dark chocolate covered coffee bean. Long finish with some mineral and eucalyptus. Very big and certainly can Cellar for another five years.
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Typical Insignia which is awesome. Decanted for about 20 minutes and really started to gain its flavor after first sip and opened up. Berry aroma was very light and nice blend mix with smooth after taste and lasting finish.
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Dark fruit, tobacco, plums, smoke, black currants, and pepper notes on the nose. Ripe fruit, dark cherries, prunes, and tart berries. There’s good acidity and nice structure to balance it out a bit. Very ripe and big. Not exactly my style, but cleary high quality.
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A very powerful wine! Packs a punch with floral smokey earthy nose and a mouthful of dark fruit of black cherry and cassis with a lingering finish of candied fruit and chocolate. Has time to go but this wine is drinking beautifully now.
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I brought this to a gala wine dinner with friends. several others had brought Insignia so we were able to cobble together an interesting vertical of 1989, 2000, 2007 and this 2008. The 2008 was certainly approachable but the least ready of the 4. One could certainly identify the Insignia "heritage" but this was lighter in body than other bottles I have tasted. Still very good with Black raspberry, boysenberry, plum, coffee and a smokiness on the palate. Given the strength of the tannic backbone, I would probably hold this for another 5 years but it did not disappoint.
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Not nearly as "big" a wine as I expected based on other vintages we've had. Opened three hours before decanting and then serving. We found minimal solids. Beautiful, but not strong nose. The fruit is solid and holding up well. Nice mouthfeel and persistent aftertaste that seemed to taste too much like alcohol.
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Decanted for 2 hours and it took another 30 min in glass to begin to open up even more. Very good wine. Well integrated with minor terciary development, but in a good place. It will get better with another 3 years or so in bottle.
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Decanted two hours. This is a nice big Insignia that's great as a steak wine but not as sublime as some vintages of this, at least at the moment. Standard Napa Cab profile of black and red currants, licorice, supple tannins. Many years ahead.
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Dark purple. Fig, blackberry, and mulberry aromas are supported by similar flavors plus some mocha and a bit of dried earth. Tannins are surprisingly tamed now at 13 years of age. Drinking quite well.
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Complex wine with eucalyptus, pencil lead, cigar box, cedar, layers of dark fruit, black currants, blackberries, firm, integrated tannins, long finish, developing very nicely
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Very good but not superb. A bit of old Rhone to me. Plum, lots of sweet raspberry and cherry, some hints of fig and a bit of chocolate. Nose is muted and not up to expectations. Tannins are still a bit gritty, acidity is there to frame the finish. This is past its prime. Mellowed out version of what I expected.
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Bought and stored since release. Cork saturated 1/8"...almost new. Early sip revealed need for decant. 3 hour Slow Ox in glass and bottle. Full bodied, old world leather, beef blood, iron, spice, black currants, light tannins. Saved remainder in 375ml overnight and was even more impressed on day 2. 94, 95 on 2nd day.
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Underwhelming for a wine of this price. Very little tannins and not a ton of fruit. Have enjoyed many other wines at half or a third of the price and liked them much more than this!
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Yep still a good not great food wine but much better options for half the price exist. Without food it’s below average wine. Will never buy again but still have a number of these in different vintages to get through.
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Second disappointing bottle from this vintage. I fear my entire allocation from this vintage was ruined in the delivery process (six bottles plus a magnum).
Started a little tight, with not a ton of fruit. Needs a decant as their was a lot of sediment. Opened up after an hour and blossomed with more creaminess and nice cassis, tobacco, and some earthiness.
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There are great bottles of wine and this one was one of them. I had this wine before and it was pretty good, yesterday while having dinner at the beach it was magnificent.
Opened for about one hour, then double decanted it for just 5 minutes and placed in the bottle to start the night one hour after.
The smell is so pure that you get transported to heaven, if it exist I was there yesterday night for a brief moment. The mouthfeel is sensational, a complex mixture of berries, tabaco, earthiness, in a very dried package with a hint of oak!
I can still feel it so I have to say the finish is endless.......
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Good wine but for the price this wine does not cut it. It was solid but the tannin were harsh and the fruit did not have the staying power you would expect for this price of wine.
Real deal Napa cab. Drank from coravin on day 1. Exactly what you expect. So amazing they can get this quality given such huge production. Popped it 3 days later fully and perfect after 30 minutes.
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Clear, very deep garnet with very slight rim browning. White pepper, tar, leather, chocolate. Medium to high acids, medium to high tannins. Anise. Long slightly tannic finish.
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Decanted for one hour. Nose of blackberry, currant, tobacco and herbs. Black fruit, tobacco, spice, crushed rocks and fine tannins on the palate. Very long finish. Full bodied. Served with grilled picanha.
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Drank with Andy for his 50th. floral nose, Andy described it as "plumy". I found it to be a very balanced almost delicate wine compared to most Napa Cabs. Not a bruiser in any way, this had very nuanced flavors. I could definitely pick up the cab franc influence here. good stuff.
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A great Insignia. I know the complaint is they are all too similar, but it is a style we have always loved. Incredibly varietal nose...classic Cabernet aromas; dark fruit, lush, but not too much. In the mouth, really well balanced now and drinking perfectly. Not over extracted, but a classic CA CS. No hurry to drink, but they are ready. We are still enjoying vintages from early 1990s. Just wish they were not so expensive now...we have basically ceased purchasing, to our regret.
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Drank for dinner party with beef tenderloin. This was hit of the night. Upgrade from my bottle of three years ago. This is really singing now and will probably do so for another few years (I tend to like Insignias from 10 to 15 years). Everything in balance, long finish, subdued tannins--all let the dark berries and cherries come through, as well as a tinge of spiciness. Did decant for two hours and drank over another one hour.
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Wonderful Charity Event (Arizona): Blind flight with 2008 Insignia & 2006 Opus One. While these are not my typical wines of choice, they were great names to have at a charity function and a fun faceoff. The crowd was split on which they preferred better but were enjoyed by all. 2006 is in a perfect drinking window with a two hour decant (was a Mag) as well as the Insignia with a similar decant. The Opus showed more of a Bordeaux profile while the Insignia displayed a nice fruit vs spice compliment. The Opus is in a great spot for my palate with fruit, acid, tannins and secondary all well integrated and showing beautifully. black fruit with earth and minerals. If Opus is your wine, this should be well received.
Insignia has a different profile than the Opus moving to more secondary components even though it is two years younger (although Mag vs 750s). Insignia had more peppery, cherry, cedar, rocks.
Decanted 6 hours and it needed it. I always open Insignia around noon for a dinner party. This was the wine of the night according to our host. Lots of nice wines including a '09 Forman and '99 Chappellet PH. Plenty of time left. Nice job Ashley and team.
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Decanted for 2 hours and paired with a Filet. Dark cherry red color, the nose is what really stood out to me, very floral and fragrant. Dark red and purple fruit profile on the palate, with an excellent finish.
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Slow ox for 1 hour. I wish it could have been decanted for at least two hours. Not entirely open. Supple on the palate. Very good and can be a 95 once fully open.
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Christmas Wines; 12/22/2019-12/25/2019 (Minneapolis, MN): Day 1: Christmas Eve Wine. Solid and classic Insignia. Dark currants, earth, menthol, spices, floral and cigar. Medium to long finish. Showing well on the pop and pour but I suspect this will improve on day 2. 94 points
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Great wine in its prime. Clear medium garnet with sublime aromas of earth, leather, vanilla, dried blackberries. Fully developed wine. On the palate it is dry with medium acidity, very fine tannins, high alcohol, medium body and very distinct flavors of dried black fruit, minerals, earth and cured meat. Finish is where this wine lacks: too short!!! Very good wine drink now!!! Should not be aged any further
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Dark fruit, currants, leather, tobacco, and plum notes on the nose. Dark berries, plums, vanilla, and red currant ok the palate. Medium+ tannins, which are surprisingly soft add good structure. A slight note of heat is present as well. Good finish. This wine still tastes quite young and could use a lot more time to blossom. It’s very big, although not overdone.
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Rich blue tinged purple in the glass. The aromatics were sublime like a freshly painted tapestry. Blueberry pie with a little grilled ribeye in the background. There is also just a hint of grape hard rock candy. In the mouth, it is balanced with a powder coat of minerality. The finish lingers with an almost unnoticed tannic astringency that leaves my mouth tight, like it just had a baby sized face lift.
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PnP but deserved a good decant. No notes. I am simply not falling head over heels for Insignia. Maybe I need to try one on the younger side or maybe I have this wine stuck in my head as a must have when I was wow'd by these wines I could never afford but wanted so badly to try. Regardless, there is nothing wrong with the wine but at the same time, there is nothing that stands out and makes me want to open the next one either. This puts it in the $50-$75 category vs the $150-$200 category for me... and my preference for Backus remains.
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First taste of this vintage. Maybe I'm getting old and jaded (or losing my taste buds), but nothing stood out to me. Certainly well made and serious, but not sure I could differentiate from a Beringer Knight's Valley cuvee. Guess that's on me.
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Dark purple garnet color. Beautiful aromatics in the glass. Dark fruit, graphite, clove, funky herbal notes, and black pepper that is displayed on a brightly acidic and grippingly tannic frame. Drink or Hold. No rush here.
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PnP tasting pour, and then a 3-4 hour decant, with the notes not changing much post the decant. Softer is about the only real difference I noted.
Dark purple and nealy opaque and the rim and core. Lovely delicate nose that is floral and cigar box along with blackberry and black cherry; spiced crumb-cake; some summer sausage. Palate has good power and some grippy tannins. Dark fruit and cocoa. Great complexity on the nose and good typicity on the palate here.
Nothing revelatory but met decent expectations.
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Decanted 90 minutes. Beautiful floral aroma with sweet fruit. Cigar, bit of vanilla, blackberry, and a whole lot more. Paired with NY strips. Delicious with a great finish that went on and on. Served at my daughter's birthday dinner.
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Unmistakably California Ca. Like others who recommended, decanted for 60+ minutes. Perfect choice for a shared grilled Porterhouse. Thick, chewy, jammy, quite a dark purple, with nose of cigar, sweet fruits, and of course (for good or ill), oak. Nice long finish. Drinking so well right now.
Powerful wine, no rough edges, rich mouthfeel, cassis, chocolate, espresso and no hint of that caramelly, Caymus flavor that makes a wine lover want to use a spit bucket. The finish is very long and the wine evolves in the glass. Will it age... yes, it's still very powerful and it did take 90 minutes in the decanter and another hour of drinking to open beautifully, but it did keep evolving in the glass until the last sip. But it's drinking beautifully here and highly recommend it accompanied by a porterhouse, or new york strip, no vegetarian or seafood dishes with this one.
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Decanted 1hr As always Insignia does not disappoint. Drinking beautifully, dark purple, very classy. Pepper, herbs, some fig jam on nose. All about the herbs rather than fruit. Salt, violet petals on nose. Really drinking well. Great silky mouth feel with a bit of acid. I love this wine at this time. Very round. Acid could give it another 10 years. But very good now as well.
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An hour for champagne and oysters in a decanter is all she needs. Just a poised and lip-smacking bdx blend that is year in and year out: The benchmark of Napa.
Shared with chef and server and mgr in a place that actually has a few wines. “Jesus” “wow” “yum” Yeah.
Shreds that corkage fee EVERY time. Thanks, Joe!
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Decanted 2 hours and paired it with a grilled, bone-in ribeye and macadamia nut crusted ahi tuna. Lovely color and nose, brimming with red fruits. Tannins still not fully integrated and took about 4 hours to soften. Long, long finish. Still needs more time - 5 years I bet. Really good wine - glad I have a lot more!
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drank at Jordan's. this was the WOTN for most. On initial opening the tannins were still imposing but after a few hours became more integrated but still quite dominant. This 08 will have a very long life on it for sure. by memory this had very rich blue and black fruit, smoke and cigar box...with a lengthy tannic finish. a real standout. drank aside a 13 Halo and a 12 Dominus and this still came out ahead for me.
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Deep purple with only slight fading at the rim. Rich and ripe with warmed blackberry sauce, smoked mushroom, toast, spice and earth flavors on a round, sexy, but still tannic palate. No hurry here.
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Rich and full bodied, ripe fruit, dark chocolate, but remains balanced and doesn’t go over the top on sweetness. Though my palate has drifted a bit, Insignia is still one my favorite wines from Napa.
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Just a baby, but real potential here. Decanted and drank over 3 hours. Initial funk and overly sweet pervasiveness blew off in 20 minuties, and real goodness shone through. Probably best in 2028, but jammy goodness to be found here and now.
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Decanted for 90 minutes prior to a delicious steak dinner followed by flourless chocolate cake. It was a powerful wine, no rough edges, rich mouthfeel, cassis, chocolate, espresso and no hint of that caramelly, Caymus flavor that makes a wine lover want to use a spit bucket. The finish is very long and the wine evolves in the glass. Will it age... yes, it's still very powerful and it did take 90 minutes in the decanter and another hour of drinking to open beautifully, but it did keep evolving in the glass until the last sip. But it's drinking beautifully here and highly recommend it accompanied by a porterhouse, or new york strip, no vegetarian or seafood dishes with this one.
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Dark ruby red. Rich and earthy with notes of dark berries, and some damp forest. Medium plus tannins (6.5/10) and full bodied. Dark palate as well with dark cocoa, cigar box and black berries. Long finish and drinking well with some air. Drink till 2027.
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This may not be the pinnacle of Inisgnia and we may have opened it up 12-18 months early, but it still was an incredibly delicious wine after 90-120 of air in a small decanter. Paired with short ribs, starch and caesar salad. It had tar and leather, with some deep red berries, but no earth and no additional complexity. It was still fairly wound up after 2 hours, but definitely at it's best.
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Its always nice to go back to a classic. I have been drinking a bunch of 2014's with jammy fruit and teeth staining tannins and needed a change up. This was perfect. Tobacco and leather with deep dark fruits right out of the gate. Fruit was definitely present but not over done in any way. Chocolate and subtle earth flavors lead into the still energetic back end. This has plenty left but is in a great spot right now. Didnt need much air for this to show its stuff.
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Very similar to previous bottle. Gave this 3 hours of aeration. Had this with a sirloin. Wonderful wine aeromatics and palate, telltale Phelps flavor profile. I recommend a 3 or 4 hour decant and finish on the first day.
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Mixed Wines on a Smoldering Night (Irene's House, St. Paul): Very dark red/purple color. Decanted for 2 hrs, drank 1 glass over 1 hr plus. Drank next to an '09 Georges de Latour and I favored the Insignia just a bit tonight. I liked the smoky, savory nose, almost comes off more syrah like tonight, higher toned on the nose, red and black berries that are really nice. The palate adds in some dill, savory, again more syrah like, dark fruits, and bramble, balanced and roasted oak barrel. Pretty sleek tannins already and and a nice finish. Really good already and should truly shine in 5 years. My #2 and group #! WOTN. 93(+)pts.
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Minneapolis Wine Club Comeback Tour: Drinking well after a two hour decant. Perfume, floral, spices and red currants. Very smooth wine and balanced. Long finish. Should drink over the next 15 years. For sure needs a solid decant prior to consuming.
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Not as smooth and integrated as the 05 (which we are drinking at the same time). That might be the age and the fact that this was a pnp and has only had 15 minutes in the glass.
Very similar and consistent as Insignia tends to be. Dry mouth finish and higher alcohol feel.
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Decanted for about 4 hours. Still big tannins. Dark fruit forward with some elements of tobacco, leather, cassis, tannic finish that added almost a cleansing finish to the complexity of this wine. Can cellar for many more years, but very enjoyable now. During the 4 hour decant the wine seemed to close between 90 minutes and 3 1/2 hours. So I would advise pop and pour or at least a 4 hour decant. IMO the wine was approachable initially.
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Sample pour coravin. Smell delicious.. Almost like the 04 dominus. This is my first time trying this label. And I have 3 of the 13. So gotta see what is the fuss. I think it's better then caymus ss. N opus one.
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Currant, plum and blackberry. This is still tight, although approachable. Drank for Ross birthday. Decanted for an hour, drank over two more. I would suggest leaving cellared for another 4 to 6 years.
Short note - somewhat tight, nose of pine forest, leather and bell, some hints of stewed fruit. Palate was also a bit lean, more forest and wet stone, some tobacco. Well made, a big cab but with some old world nuance.
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Deep ruby, cab sauv typical bell pepper and black fruits with elegant notes of leather, dried herbs and balsamico. High acidity, medium plus tannins, screams old world big time, very structured, complex. Needs couple of years to develop but great experience for New Year dinner!
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Drank at our office party. This blew away the 2014 Caymus and was better than the 2004 Heitz Martha's Vineyard. Excellent wine. Was smooth, complex and layered. Will last for many years but can be drunk now with a nice 2 hour+ decant, like we did.
Was expecting a little better showing. On initial opening was good, decanted for 3 hours and seemed to become really disjointed. Hoping that time is the remedy but just not sure, seemed to be missing components ... but time will tell. Going to hold for at least a year or two before next bottle!
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Three Flights, With Pairings (Red Barn, Santa Ynez): This should have been held for a few more years, or at least given a generous decant. As it was, the wine was restrained and backwards, displaying little of the dominant Cabernet. Tart black fruit and a touch of menthol. Should merit a meaningfully higher score over time.
I will have to first apologize to this wine for I don't think I gave it a fair chance. It was just beginning to show its true nature by the time we reached the last glass. Nose was big, rich and full of chocolate. Palate reflected the nose well and as it was nearing its peak, the mouth feel and taste was nearing what I could only describe as a lush chocolate milk with a finish that didn't seem to end. As for my apology, this wine was overshadowed by the other wine of that night, a 1996 Calon-Segur.
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4th Saturday group "uptown" tasting (R&D's): Opens with a weird cheesy/funky note that blows off to reveal cassis, currants, chocolate and herbs. Structured; fine tannins with flavors of black fruit, lavender, cassis, chocolate and vanilla. Guessed Napa Cab Sauv blend.
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Popped and poured from split. This is a solid purple wine. The nose starts off somewhat green and herbal at first, but eventually develops more black fruit traits. In the mouth, this is smooth and lush, although the finish has some tannic bite. Overall, this seems young, yet it is unclear which direction it is going. 90 points.
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08 Insignia, 07 Saxum (Jane's BD) (our home): Phelps Insignia is always a great wine. One of the classics from Napa and if perhaps, not a First Growth, then a super second to be sure. Purple in color. The nose is big with cassis, spice, chocolate and cedar. Deep. Big, lush texture. Firm but not over powering tannins. Lush black raspberry fruit and milk chocolate on the palate. Still young, this could use a few more years of cellaring and it has some upside potential to improve. That said, it is delicious right now. A bit too much oak showing but more than enough fruit for it to integrate. Great right now with a bit of air.
This has that Phelps/Insignia flavor profile. I know it when I taste it. Black cherry, dark cocoa, ripe, great balance, dense, feels full bodied but its not. Nice grip on the finish. This will score higher in 2018, and I plan on revisiting it then. Not as good as the '05 at this point.
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Popped corks, drank over 3 hours. Both very good, '08 insignia a little darker fruit profile w better cut, sharper & shorter (but better) finish, whereas '08 Seavey a little more sweet, w baking spices and a more mellow long finish. Both 94 pts. Slight edge to insignia to my palate for fruit profile. Drink or hold 5+ yrs (Night two- phelps a little flat, Seaver tasted better)
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Dinner at friend's house. My WOTN. This Bordeaux blend was fantastic. Dark, dark color. Great nose, an earthy graphite smell. Sweet and deep taste on palate, and an amazing and long finish. I cannot wait to visit Joseph Phelps on my next Napa trip.
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Wow this is a big wine. Black cherry and blackberry fruit with dark chocolate. Great balance, firm tannins, and long finish. Tasted non-blind alongside the '09 & '10 vintages and this was by far my favorite, no surprise.
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The dark fruit is forward and juicy in this half bottle, tannins were medium at best, delightful spice and soft leather. Opened up nicely in a large Vinum XL glass. If this vintage gets much softer it will still be enjoyable but you'll be able to drink it through a straw, which does not appeal to me. Still a consistently beautiful wine.
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At Javier's with Todd and Jen in California. It is a nice wine though perhaps nothing particularly special. I don't think I'm a fan of this vintage in general. There are some green pepper notes.
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Tremendous wine, with much upside. Decanted, paired with a juicy steak and consumed over two hours. Blackberry flavors - great juice. Note to self - leave last bottle in cellar for 5+ years.
Young, big, and bold. Blueberry and blackberry nose. Vanilla, cherry, blackberry palate. Good depth, but it does not seem like it has spent enough time in the bottle to develop the complexity that I like. Hopefully it is not overly oaked and secondary flavors will start to shine. I think it will, give it some time.
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Pnp 375ml at a local steakhouse. This wine tasted like no other. Highly extracted but with finesse. Rich and generous from the beginning and it evolved beautifully in the glass over the next hour. Expensive but worth it. I looked forward to every sip.
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From a half-bottle (that's all the restaurant had left). Wonderful strong bouquet upon opening and swirl in the tasting glass. Plush dark fruits. smooth tannins. One of the best big reds we've ever tasted.
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Popped and drank slowly from a 375ml. Wine opened up in the glass quickly to show that classic dominating beam of bright cassis. Fruit forward, but not attacking, and moderate in weight. Delicious but not great. Have 750mls as well and will wait a couple more years before opening those.
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We drank this without a decant, and with air it did evolve. There is red fruit in the core, with good polish and some oak fading through but just a seasoning of it IMO. Picked up grip as it sat with air and I would have liked to have tried this say with a day of slow ox to see what's here. We drained the bottle, had a great meal with friends and so in that way, the bottle was fantastic.
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Deep, dark, inky, reddish-purple in color; almost cannot see through bottom of glass. Forward, fragrant & attractive nose of rich, lush, ripe dark fruit aromas of dark cherries, blackberries & cassis with lovely mint & cedar overtones, spices, leather, some tobacco, a hint of anise, earthy, cocoa, toasty oak and a touch of vanilla in the background. Full bodied with a very good concentration of still youthful & developing, well balanced, smooth textured, rich, ripe dark fruit flavors of cherries, blackberries and cassis with kirsch, spices, mocha, minerals, toasty oak & a hint of vanilla. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well with decanting and extended airing but needs additional time to fully develop completely. (89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 4% Merlot)
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Epitome of balance in a red wine. Exceptional! Dark chocolate and black pepper aromas complimented by black cherry, vanilla, blackberries and plum on the palate. Finish goes on and on. So very good!
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This is going to get a higher score in the future for sure, but still really great now. Has that classic Insignia finesse and balance, just a beautiful wine.
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Decanted for 2 hours and drank across a 3 hour window. Very closed down and disjointed. There's a lot going on in the background so this will probably open up nicely at some point. Hold!
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Decanted for 30 minutes but needed longer. The nose and taste never sung as strongly as I sense this wine can but it was still refined and delicious. Could taste the blend in action and on the nose. Redder fruits dominated a medium bodied wine that had good acidity. I think it will continue to improve with age. The baby fat I tasted from the barrel and upon release is getting shed nicely.
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Drank at Au Cheval from 375ml, popped and poured. Rich, concentrated black cherry aromas with hints of vanilla. Sweet dense ripe flavors of dark red fruits that is lush, but not overripe. Nice purity and drinking well if not still a bit young. Likely improves further with time.
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Drank in Hong Kong Nose of blackberries leather and vanilla. Rich complex palate with a long length. Insignia is on a storm and these wines are wonderful as long as you do not mind too much extraction.
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Beautiful wine. Drank with several Bordeaux's and a supposedly great Rioja and this wine was outstanding. Balanced; great mouthfeel, nice color, good fruit and tannins with structure. If price is irrelevant, this is a very consistent and excellent wine.
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Wow is that a mouthful. We decanted in the morning for for ~3 hours before rebottling and bringing down to NJ to share with family. Wine was thick and just coated the glass and the tongue. Deep blackberry flavor combined with leather and cedar and a touch of grassiness. Over time the blackberry notes shifted and black cherry became evident. We hadn't had any before and wanted to check it out and were not disappointed - delicious wine!
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Bright fruit and great Insignia flavor profile. Heavy tannins right now left my tongue fuzzy and dry. I think a couple years more for this wine to hit its stride.
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Enjoyed at tasting visit at the winery. Great core of fruit but with massive tannins. More present fruit than the 2005 but with greater tannins. Bodes well for the future. Needs much more time to ditch some of the grip. Very promising. Retasting could yield a much higher score.
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PNP'd at a business dinner (several bottles, no variation). Drank surprisingly well this young. I cannot concede that the tannins are "silky." It will be interesting to see if the dominant oak integrates further. Not elegant, but worked well last night.
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A special occasion wine, had to celebrate the birth of my daughter and wife's healthy return from the hospital with her parents. Decanted for an hour, but it wasn't close to enough. Really surprised it wasn't ready yet considering I've had several times at my parents house.
It was still very nice, but I've come to expect more from the '08 Insignia. Have 3 more, will open next year on my daughter's bday.
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Good, brilliant deep color. The nose displays berries, cedar, oak, graphite, and a hint of flowers. On the palate, this is medium full bodied, with good concentration and medium plus acidity. The finish is long, with slightly earthy tannins and a mineral element.
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Great mouthfeel, drinking well young. HUge in your face fruit - black and blue fruit. I still feel this is made as a restaurant wine, approachable early. Picked up some cocoa, mocha and dark chocolate in the mid palate. Lack the "it" factor. Dusty finish.
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Popped and poured. Let breathe in glass for a while and opened reasonably well. Might be waiting on these for a while. Real nice, but think there to be much more.
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Dark chocolate and blueberries, firm structure, subtle oak, highly polished, better than the old-school snob in me was expecting...nothing soft here, well-structured and serious, good acid, excellent wine altogether.
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This one was a baby at the Insignia dinner. Decanted 7 hours and was still very tight. Tannic but robust with candied fruit and a generous midpallet. Long finish with so much more to offer.
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Had this wine alongside '02, '05, '06 and '07 Insignias. After 6 hours in the decanter. Splitting hairs really, but this Insignia the 2nd worst of the bunch behind the '06. The profiles on all the wines were very consistent. Notes of blackberry, cassis and some spice. Very primary right now, although this evolved the most over the course of 4 hours. This needs more time in the bottle.
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Nose: perfume, chocolate, black and blue berries, a hint of liquorice. Mouth: smooth, excellent length. Quite a bit of oak. V young with a v long life ahead of it.
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It may be a little early, but this wine still opens up and drinks so well. I look forward to shelving the rest of these at the hopes of it achieving a 100.
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dark red in color. blackberry, dark berries, licorice, chocolate, cedar, toast, vanilla, oak, on the nose. finish includes a balance of acid and tannin.
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89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, and 4% Merlot (all estate fruit). 2 years in new French oak. Dark ruby color. Blackberry and black cherry fruit on the nose. Flavors of black cherry, currant, mocha, and coffee with a hint of mint. Very well balanced. Full bodied. Good freshness. Fine grained tannins. Deeply complex finish with power to spare.
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A classic. Drank on the way down to Hawke's Cay and enjoyed over the weekend. So big and young. Was best on days 2/3 - it needed that much time to settle down. Same notes as before.
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Amazing. I used to be an anti-new-world drinker but this wine, however, made me less subjective when drinking new world wines. Complex,deep, concentrated. The 2008 is already accessible but it will enter dormant period in the following 5 years. I have had a 1996 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon before, which impressed me a lot, who can tell me how long will it take to reach fully-developed stage? Monster!
The stunning perfume demanded your attention with its showy coffee, licorice, blueberry, caramel, blackberry and earthy scents. Powerful, round, rich and packed with ripe fruit, the chocolate covered blackberry is as opulent as it is pure. I could drink this now, or age for 15-20 years.
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Black currants, blueberry and soft vanilla notes. More currants, aniseed, and cedar on the palate. These intense robust tannins are still slightly hard edged and could use a little more time IMHO. Plenty of unctuous black fruit and complexity waiting to emerge from underneath all this structure. Reasonably enjoyable now but I would definitely wait for this to resolve a bit.
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I completely disagree with the comments that this is too young to drink now. Of course it will improve even more, but I thoroughly enjoyed this wine as-is. After a short decanting, the nose was ripe and extremely potent with cassis and licorice. Midpalate was really weighty and finish was absolutely intense with cassis, red/blue fruits, charcoal and especially black licorice and as you'd expect, the finish just goes on and on. Love the moderate grip on the end.
I might consider purchasing again. In my opinion, not quite worth the $160 price tag.
-- Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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2008 seems tricky while I was tasting in Napa. Seems like some producers might've picked a bit too early. So far, the better producers I've tasted from all have very powerful and intense 2008s. The 2008 Insignia serves as proof. Invigorating! Already a monster right now and will outlive even the 2009s.
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While this is a higher quality wine it is young, but I just couldn’t help myself. I had to see how it tasted now. With its slight youthful acidity, this Insignia held its own against spicy food well. Of paramount importance for me is the length of the finish. This one did not disappoint. I’m truly looking forward to opening up another bottle after a few years with a nicely aged steak.
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Incredible nose on first open. Chocolate and dark fruit. Opened up for about an hour in decanter. Tasted wonderful initially then changed again in another hour or so. After taste of wood/leather and then next day true again, after taste gone and made way for nice tannins and ripe fruit. Just drank too early but wow, great layers and can't wait to try again in a few years and on.
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This made Christmas a wee bit more special. Monster cab, but with finesse. In the glass, the wine displays very high extract with intense purple color and long flowing red legs with every swirl. At this age the nose is still reticent but looks very promising with notes of cedar, tobacco, creme de cassis, and licorice. The wine is very focused as well - delivery good grip on the mid palate with every taste. The excess petit verdot (abt 7-8%) in the blend also provides complex layers of depth to the wine - Accessing the fruit at the core of every taste is a treat. The finish is very exciting and heightens into a crescendo which overloads the palate with intense cassis and licorice fruit which lingers for minutes. Still a baby, but would be interesting to taste this wine 20 years from now. Would recommend 2-3 hrs of decanting as other fellow community tasters have stated before drinking. This is indeed, a knockout!
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Monster Cab as its style is consistent. this one needs several years but if you cant wait it needs several hours and decant to expose its depths. with that the wine was fruit forward, a oak and cedar notes hints of vanilla, and coffee on the finish. This was actually better than the 07 opened at the same time last year.
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Wow! This nose is a knockout with its licorice, espresso bean, blackberry jam, blueberry and floral scents. Rich, round, ripe and powerful, the opulent finish is packed and stacked with lush blackberry, spice and cassis.
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K&L Napa 'Big Boy' Tasting (K&L San Francisco): Complex medoc-esque nose, herbs, graphite. Nice red currant fruit. Great lift on the expressive mid-palate, medium+ acidity. Some tannin on the long mocha chocolate finish, a touch of heat. Most complete wine in the line up at this stage and my WOTD.
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Clear Dark purple in colour. Clean nose of black currant, menthol, herbs, and vanilla. Dry, med acidity, big smooth tannins, black fruit, leather, chocolate, and herbs on palate. Nice long finish. Needed time to decant, definitely young, but a great wine.
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Ink and glass coating. Blueberry, earth, coffee and bacon on the nose. Secondary graphite and black licorice. Full body with elegant and present mouthfeel. Balanced layers of dark fruit, cocoa powder, ripe red fruit and earth. Secondary herbs and spiciness. Some noticeable heat. Firm, but svelte grip. Medium/long finish. Very good, but have had better at half the cost.
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Tasted back-to-back with the '06 Insignia at The Wine Club in San Francisco. From decanter. Showed better than the '06 but not by much. Very extracted, opulent fruit. Mouth-puckering tannins. Again a bit lacking in the mid-palate.
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Smoke and bark on the nose. Medium big mouth with a hint of caramel, nice dark fruit, good structure. Long finish. Pre-release but bottled. Tasted at Insignia day 2011.
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2/2/2024 - f95masv wrote: 96 Points
Delicious. Blackberry, plum, leather, vanilla and oak. Long finish with soft tannins. Still young with emerging notes of maturity.
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1/13/2024 - hoservin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for one hour. Nose of blackberry, currant, cedar, graphite, dried herbs and anise. Ripe blackberry, cedar, graphite and dried herbs on the palate. Very long finish. Medium to full bodied. Served with grilled strip steaks and black truffle butter.
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1/6/2024 - T.E.D. wrote: 90 Points
Aromatics were nice, very classic Cali cab notes of cedar, black fruit, some sweet spice, touches of pine. Palate was a bit flat for me. Showing how aged CA wines from this generation can go flaccid with time. Some tar and stewed fruit notes. Very one sided at this stage. Definitely at drinking window.
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1/1/2024 - bpittenger Does not like this wine:
Very disappointed. This wine should be drinking very nicely right now. Opened it at dinner with friends for New Year's eve. We didn't have a decanter (they only had one and it was in use) so we left the bottle open for an hour. It was brownish in color and had an odor as if it were going bad but tasted okay - not great. Possibly a little corked but the cork looked fantastic. I have 11 more, I will give them a few years, maybe it's just at an awkward stage.
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12/24/2023 - vino_per_tutti Likes this wine: 93 Points
Yondan has this right - wine is in a great place and drinking well. Served right after 2015 Clerc Milion (admittedly, too early), and the Insignia delivered what our table was looking for: well balanced, fruit forward, aromatic Napa Cab. Delicious.
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9/25/2023 - ShadowIII Likes this wine: 93 Points
classic Cali cab, dark fruit, blackberry, cassis, hints of cedar, tobacco, integrated tannins, long finish, still very youthful, power with elegance
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7/19/2023 - Yondan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very well rounded wine. Very opaque, deep ruby red. The bottle had a lot of sediment and needed to be decanted. It would otherwise drink well directly from the bottle. It did not need air time. The wine gave off great aromas of cherry, and raspberry. Friendly tannins, medium acidity, full body and inviting. Red fruit ; cassis and plumb notes on the palate.
Very well balanced and rounded wine, smooth texture with a great lasting finished. Enjoyed with London Broil and baked potatoe.
This vintage is in a great place. Very appealing and a easy to drink. Allthough the wine can go a few more years in the bottle, the additional
time in the bottle will not improve the wine. Hold or save, you will totally enjoy this voluptuous wine.
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7/19/2023 - cjoetucker@aol.com Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wonderful! Notes of oak, dark fruit, spice, with bing cherry, blackberry, and chocolate on the palate, this has full-body, with a long, lasting finish. Rich, voluptuous, hedonistic, with well integrated tannins, this wine has good balance of power and finesse. In its prime at 15 years of age.
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7/7/2023 - kend707 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Elegant, voluptuous, romantic, all can be used to describe this terrific Insignia. Opened to celebrate my 75th birthday. Wanted something special and was not disappointed. Blackberry dominates on the palate, but dark cherry is a close second. Tannins impeccably Intergrated. Doubt that time will improve this much, but there are many years of peak enjoyment remaining.
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3/27/2023 - Marc wrote: 92 Points
My 60th (Abbot Street, Ngaio, Wellington, New Zealand): Drunk next to the black-hued and almost totally closed Pontet Canet from 2008, this felt riper and sweeter, and almost as rich, but also more- developed, with bricking noted on the meniscus of the wine while being poured. This wine expresses a very ripe Napa style, and certainly has great structure and proportion, but also emphasises a sweet countenance and supple fruit textures. The silky sweet-berry note on the finish was very appealing. My preference was for the closed and almost dour PC, but other enjoyed the voluptuous nature of this wine. No rush on this - it will be a fun wine to follow, but maybe not for the 30+ years I think the PC has!
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3/25/2023 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
4th Saturday Brown Bagger (R&D’s): Aromas of plum, chocolate, currants, mocha and lavender. Just the slightest bit of bricking at the meniscus to show this has some age on it. Full-bodied and plush, with medium tannins and flavors of black fruit, plum and mocha. Finishes with good length. This had been double decanted off its sediment 75 minutes before the flight was poured, and drank well throughout the entire evening.
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1/28/2023 - JoeDwine Likes this wine: 95 Points
With T-Bone…..
Pre food-Cassis, Forest floor, graphite, licorice, pencil lead dominate. Liquore texture. Great depth.
Some dark cocoa. Tannins still there. Iodine.scorched raspberries. Darker berries come out with food.
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12/31/2022 - SonnyChiba wrote: 96 Points
Have tried this wine several times over the years and this was clearly the best showing. Incredible balance of power and finesse. Can’t wait to get into the 07’ someday !
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12/31/2022 - Gregmonroe wrote:
So I bought a cellar; 11/12/2022-12/31/2030: Wow - immediately upon opening, a super hedonistic, red fruit, in your face nose. This wine is really fresh, and if in its drinking window, then early. It tasted as amazing as it smelled and was a hit with the ladies tonight (the non-wine-nerds). Nose of blackberries and dark, soaked cherries, like the best maraschino, with a similar palate. When comparing to a 2008 Pontet Canet and a 2008 Branon, it was typical napa vs bdx. But tasted amazing. A great wine.
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12/30/2022 - stuartwh wrote:
NYE 2022 with Sutton and Wise
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12/25/2022 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Christmas dinner: Decanted for an hour and this is ready to drink. Drank alongside 2008 Pontet Canet and they were very much on par with each other. Dinner consisted of rib roast with roasted veggies and creamy scalloped potatoes.
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12/9/2022 - ddemas wrote: 94 Points
An outstanding wine in its own right but side by side with the 07 was an unfair comparison. Give this wine another 3 years and it will be exceptional. Tannins need to fade a bit.
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11/10/2022 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 94 Points
This bottle tasted like the Phelps Insignia of my memory which is to say, a really great bottle of wine. The cork broke into two chunks using a corkscrew. I was able to remove the chunks in due time when I used a nut pick. Very fresh and exciting still. Just a bit subdued by Insignia standards.
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11/8/2022 - Roentgen Ray wrote: 92 Points
Obvious oyster shell-limestone aromas which aren’t my favorite. The backbone was blackberry and balanced. Tannins were supporting and not pronounced.
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10/22/2022 - docdavid Likes this wine: 93 Points
great fruit on nose. Dark red. Currants vanilla chocolate Decant fir 30” brought out jammy fruit
Ready to drink now. Tannins really balanced
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9/29/2022 - CubFan4Life Likes this wine: 91 Points
First time tasting Insignia. Was shocked at the color as it showed very little browning and was still a dark purple after 15 years. Very little sediment as well. Very complex wine with leather, tobacco, chocolate, spice, dark plum, and dark cherry. Definitely a powerful dry wine with fairly high alcohol. While many comments are stating that this is at peak or maybe starting to go past peak, I tend to disagree. Tannins still present. I only owned one bottle, but if I had another I’d wait another 3 years. Take that feedback lightly though given my limited experience.
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9/26/2022 - gew71walsh wrote: 92 Points
Backtracked a bit from prior bottle. Still a good Insignia, but seems to be losing a little of its luster. Drank over three hours. Dark berries on nose and palate. Drank alone without food. Maybe needs to be paired—will try that again with my last bottle.
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9/25/2022 - VINNICK Likes this wine: 93 Points
A nice wine. Feels more red fruited maybe plateauing. I would drink up as this doesn’t feel like a wine that has any upside from here. Nice body and complexity but slightly disjointed. A good not great Insignia.
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9/24/2022 - Rickfor wrote: 94 Points
- Garnet color.
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9/4/2022 - Red Sox Fan wrote: 93 Points
A high quality wine to be sure, but to me the 2008 Insignia underperforms in the middle and finish.
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9/2/2022 - ralaspech wrote: 93 Points
From magnum. Some sediment. Blackberry and black cherry fruit. Prominent tobacco, and earth notes. Medium acidity. Med- tannins. Mid- palate not as deep as other Insignias I've had. 92-93.
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8/14/2022 - wineshaman wrote: 94 Points
Brought to The Chef’s kitchen/Midlothian Va, where it was skillfully decanted. Paired with pecan crusted ribs, fried potato salad, house made tagliatelle pasta. This 2008 Insignia was quite good, excellent balance, complex flavors of currants, cassis, plum, cedar, graphite and a very long spicy finish. There were still some tannins that will most likely integrate with a few more years of bottle age. Drink now with a extended decant or hold for several more years!
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7/1/2022 - jviz wrote: 93 Points
PnP followed over a few hours. It’s so integrated as to be a bit beguiling. Clearly a blend, with a bit of Petit Verdot showing. Still dense, primary, with oak splinter tannins after several hours of air. An even bigger wine that the 12 which I think was the last one I tasted.
One taster (double blinded) guessed 09 insignia. Consider me impressed.
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6/9/2022 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted briefly. Delicious red and black fruit, perhaps a tad out of balance but very enjoyable.
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5/29/2022 - whitmanlholt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured from split while filtering pours through a screen. This is a solid red wine. There is some visible sediment caking throughout the bottle and sediment at the end, so decant or filter. The nose opens into red fruit, aged leather, mint, and light herb notes. In the mouth, the wine feels restrained, but nevertheless brings the smoothness, red fruit mix, and chocolate one would expect. The finish is notably long, allowing one to appreciate the concentration of flavor with a minty echo. Overall, this was enjoyable and in a nice spot today; it performed slightly above expectations. 92 points.
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4/24/2022 - mcneil7 Likes this wine:
92
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4/15/2022 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
Friday Group Brown Bag Tasting (R&D's): Double blind. Dark color opening with black fruit and bouillon notes. Plummy and ripe on the palate, finishing with good length. There’s a hint of bouillon on the palate as well. Very good but I find the bouillon notes a little distracting. (R&D)
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4/14/2022 - garrigue65 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Big California over extracted red. Dark fruit with plum and prune. Dark chocolate covered coffee bean. Long finish with some mineral and eucalyptus. Very big and certainly can Cellar for another five years.
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3/12/2022 - DMET Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cork in the bottle was about 1/4” down I think air hit it. Still good, not great as my other bottles
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12/23/2021 - Lemons93 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Typical Insignia which is awesome. Decanted for about 20 minutes and really started to gain its flavor after first sip and opened up. Berry aroma was very light and nice blend mix with smooth after taste and lasting finish.
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12/18/2021 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark fruit, tobacco, plums, smoke, black currants, and pepper notes on the nose. Ripe fruit, dark cherries, prunes, and tart berries. There’s good acidity and nice structure to balance it out a bit. Very ripe and big. Not exactly my style, but cleary high quality.
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10/21/2021 - Darwine Likes this wine: 96 Points
A very powerful wine! Packs a punch with floral smokey earthy nose and a mouthful of dark fruit of black cherry and cassis with a lingering finish of candied fruit and chocolate. Has time to go but this wine is drinking beautifully now.
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9/25/2021 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 92 Points
I brought this to a gala wine dinner with friends. several others had brought Insignia so we were able to cobble together an interesting vertical of 1989, 2000, 2007 and this 2008. The 2008 was certainly approachable but the least ready of the 4. One could certainly identify the Insignia "heritage" but this was lighter in body than other bottles I have tasted. Still very good with Black raspberry, boysenberry, plum, coffee and a smokiness on the palate. Given the strength of the tannic backbone, I would probably hold this for another 5 years but it did not disappoint.
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8/7/2021 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 93 Points
Not nearly as "big" a wine as I expected based on other vintages we've had. Opened three hours before decanting and then serving. We found minimal solids. Beautiful, but not strong nose. The fruit is solid and holding up well. Nice mouthfeel and persistent aftertaste that seemed to taste too much like alcohol.
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7/19/2021 - KenPlace wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 2 hours and it took another 30 min in glass to begin to open up even more. Very good wine. Well integrated with minor terciary development, but in a good place. It will get better with another 3 years or so in bottle.
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7/9/2021 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted two hours. This is a nice big Insignia that's great as a steak wine but not as sublime as some vintages of this, at least at the moment. Standard Napa Cab profile of black and red currants, licorice, supple tannins. Many years ahead.
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5/30/2021 - Red Sox Fan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very good and well into secondary development with 2 hours of air time. I expect this wine will continue to improve for 5 years or more.
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5/16/2021 - Thief Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark purple. Fig, blackberry, and mulberry aromas are supported by similar flavors plus some mocha and a bit of dried earth. Tannins are surprisingly tamed now at 13 years of age. Drinking quite well.
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2/28/2021 - Bottledrainer Likes this wine: 94 Points
Aromas of ripe berries with a hint of forest floor. The berries continue on the palate with some cocoa. Long elegant finish.
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2/22/2021 - ShadowIII Likes this wine: 93 Points
Complex wine with eucalyptus, pencil lead, cigar box, cedar, layers of dark fruit, black currants, blackberries, firm, integrated tannins, long finish, developing very nicely
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2/14/2021 - shellylowen Likes this wine: 93 Points
Soft tannins, leather, tobacco, black currants, medium long finish, with lots of acidity
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2/5/2021 - winelover1808 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very good but not superb. A bit of old Rhone to me. Plum, lots of sweet raspberry and cherry, some hints of fig and a bit of chocolate. Nose is muted and not up to expectations. Tannins are still a bit gritty, acidity is there to frame the finish. This is past its prime. Mellowed out version of what I expected.
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1/29/2021 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 95 Points
Bought and stored since release. Cork saturated 1/8"...almost new. Early sip revealed need for decant. 3 hour Slow Ox in glass and bottle. Full bodied, old world leather, beef blood, iron, spice, black currants, light tannins. Saved remainder in 375ml overnight and was even more impressed on day 2. 94, 95 on 2nd day.
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12/31/2020 - lewisrise wrote: 95 Points
Inky purple With a nose of raspberry, red cedar, and forest floor. Blueberry with cinnamon, chocolate, and tobacco notes
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12/25/2020 - gth865a Likes this wine: 92 Points
Underwhelming for a wine of this price. Very little tannins and not a ton of fruit. Have enjoyed many other wines at half or a third of the price and liked them much more than this!
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12/24/2020 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 92 Points
Yep still a good not great food wine but much better options for half the price exist. Without food it’s below average wine. Will never buy again but still have a number of these in different vintages to get through.
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11/28/2020 - CLutesdfw wrote: flawed
Second disappointing bottle from this vintage. I fear my entire allocation from this vintage was ruined in the delivery process (six bottles plus a magnum).
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11/21/2020 - Vinolsen wrote:
Deles med Ulf og Steen
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11/7/2020 - Dangelmaier Likes this wine: 98 Points
Extremely well balanced with fruit and structure holding a long finish.
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10/13/2020 - robertek wrote: 94 Points
Best bottle so far.
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10/1/2020 - beau11 wrote: 95 Points
Started a little tight, with not a ton of fruit. Needs a decant as their was a lot of sediment. Opened up after an hour and blossomed with more creaminess and nice cassis, tobacco, and some earthiness.
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9/19/2020 - gteran76 Likes this wine: 96 Points
There are great bottles of wine and this one was one of them. I had this wine before and it was pretty good, yesterday while having dinner at the beach it was magnificent.
Opened for about one hour, then double decanted it for just 5 minutes and placed in the bottle to start the night one hour after.
The smell is so pure that you get transported to heaven, if it exist I was there yesterday night for a brief moment. The mouthfeel is sensational, a complex mixture of berries, tabaco, earthiness, in a very dried package with a hint of oak!
I can still feel it so I have to say the finish is endless.......
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9/5/2020 - Wino from Michigan wrote: 90 Points
Good wine but for the price this wine does not cut it. It was solid but the tannin were harsh and the fruit did not have the staying power you would expect for this price of wine.
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8/7/2020 - sdrucker1000 wrote: 95 Points
Real deal Napa cab. Drank from coravin on day 1. Exactly what you expect. So amazing they can get this quality given such huge production. Popped it 3 days later fully and perfect after 30 minutes.
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6/21/2020 - CJM wrote: 95 Points
Clear, very deep garnet with very slight rim browning. White pepper, tar, leather, chocolate. Medium to high acids, medium to high tannins. Anise. Long slightly tannic finish.
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6/19/2020 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
My wife liked this a lot more than I did. I thought it was a little too hot, a little too oaked, and a little too ripe. YMMV.
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6/13/2020 - hoservin wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for one hour. Nose of blackberry, currant, tobacco and herbs. Black fruit, tobacco, spice, crushed rocks and fine tannins on the palate. Very long finish. Full bodied. Served with grilled picanha.
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6/1/2020 - wineguy1968 Likes this wine:
Drank with Andy for his 50th. floral nose, Andy described it as "plumy". I found it to be a very balanced almost delicate wine compared to most Napa Cabs. Not a bruiser in any way, this had very nuanced flavors. I could definitely pick up the cab franc influence here. good stuff.
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5/17/2020 - Kenny_Powers Likes this wine: 93 Points
Good but a bit disappointing for the price
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4/30/2020 - robertek wrote: 93 Points
Smooth and approachable. Not the best Insignia I have had but certainly a very good wine.
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4/18/2020 - webbaker wrote: flawed
Corked. The polyethylene wrap worked pretty well, but this should be a massive wine, not a thin and cedary thing. Ugh.
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3/20/2020 - amred wrote: 94 Points
A great Insignia. I know the complaint is they are all too similar, but it is a style we have always loved. Incredibly varietal nose...classic Cabernet aromas; dark fruit, lush, but not too much. In the mouth, really well balanced now and drinking perfectly. Not over extracted, but a classic CA CS. No hurry to drink, but they are ready. We are still enjoying vintages from early 1990s. Just wish they were not so expensive now...we have basically ceased purchasing, to our regret.
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3/13/2020 - RedWineLover66 wrote: 94 Points
Opened for about an hour. Was amazing and got better as dinner went on.
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3/7/2020 - sfbikeguy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great as always. Opened 6 hours before dinner.
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1/23/2020 - gew71walsh wrote: 94 Points
Drank for dinner party with beef tenderloin. This was hit of the night. Upgrade from my bottle of three years ago. This is really singing now and will probably do so for another few years (I tend to like Insignias from 10 to 15 years). Everything in balance, long finish, subdued tannins--all let the dark berries and cherries come through, as well as a tinge of spiciness. Did decant for two hours and drank over another one hour.
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12/28/2019 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderful Charity Event (Arizona): Blind flight with 2008 Insignia & 2006 Opus One. While these are not my typical wines of choice, they were great names to have at a charity function and a fun faceoff. The crowd was split on which they preferred better but were enjoyed by all. 2006 is in a perfect drinking window with a two hour decant (was a Mag) as well as the Insignia with a similar decant. The Opus showed more of a Bordeaux profile while the Insignia displayed a nice fruit vs spice compliment. The Opus is in a great spot for my palate with fruit, acid, tannins and secondary all well integrated and showing beautifully. black fruit with earth and minerals. If Opus is your wine, this should be well received.
Insignia has a different profile than the Opus moving to more secondary components even though it is two years younger (although Mag vs 750s). Insignia had more peppery, cherry, cedar, rocks.
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12/28/2019 - sfbikeguy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 6 hours and it needed it. I always open Insignia around noon for a dinner party. This was the wine of the night according to our host. Lots of nice wines including a '09 Forman and '99 Chappellet PH. Plenty of time left. Nice job Ashley and team.
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12/26/2019 - Fire Bill wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for 2 hours and paired with a Filet. Dark cherry red color, the nose is what really stood out to me, very floral and fragrant. Dark red and purple fruit profile on the palate, with an excellent finish.
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12/25/2019 - EricLi wrote: 93 Points
Slow ox for 1 hour. I wish it could have been decanted for at least two hours. Not entirely open. Supple on the palate. Very good and can be a 95 once fully open.
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12/24/2019 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 94 Points
Christmas Wines; 12/22/2019-12/25/2019 (Minneapolis, MN): Day 1: Christmas Eve Wine. Solid and classic Insignia. Dark currants, earth, menthol, spices, floral and cigar. Medium to long finish. Showing well on the pop and pour but I suspect this will improve on day 2. 94 points
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12/22/2019 - GranadaPedroAlarcon Likes this wine: 94 Points
Insignia does have great wines year over year and 2008 is no exception. Very smooth and drinkable now.
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12/21/2019 - vpoms wrote: 94 Points
Great wine in its prime. Clear medium garnet with sublime aromas of earth, leather, vanilla, dried blackberries. Fully developed wine. On the palate it is dry with medium acidity, very fine tannins, high alcohol, medium body and very distinct flavors of dried black fruit, minerals, earth and cured meat. Finish is where this wine lacks: too short!!! Very good wine drink now!!! Should not be aged any further
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12/14/2019 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark fruit, currants, leather, tobacco, and plum notes on the nose. Dark berries, plums, vanilla, and red currant ok the palate. Medium+ tannins, which are surprisingly soft add good structure. A slight note of heat is present as well. Good finish. This wine still tastes quite young and could use a lot more time to blossom. It’s very big, although not overdone.
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12/3/2019 - Roentgen Ray Likes this wine: 97 Points
Rich blue tinged purple in the glass.
The aromatics were sublime like a freshly painted tapestry.
Blueberry pie with a little grilled ribeye in the background.
There is also just a hint of grape hard rock candy.
In the mouth, it is balanced with a powder coat of minerality.
The finish lingers with an almost unnoticed tannic astringency that leaves my mouth tight, like it just had a baby sized face lift.
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11/25/2019 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP but deserved a good decant. No notes. I am simply not falling head over heels for Insignia. Maybe I need to try one on the younger side or maybe I have this wine stuck in my head as a must have when I was wow'd by these wines I could never afford but wanted so badly to try. Regardless, there is nothing wrong with the wine but at the same time, there is nothing that stands out and makes me want to open the next one either. This puts it in the $50-$75 category vs the $150-$200 category for me... and my preference for Backus remains.
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10/20/2019 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 6 hours. Excellent wine, but rather young. Next bottle 2021+
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9/29/2019 - EM_MB wrote: 91 Points
Textbook Napa cab. Drink now.
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9/14/2019 - levinml wrote: 92 Points
First taste of this vintage. Maybe I'm getting old and jaded (or losing my taste buds), but nothing stood out to me. Certainly well made and serious, but not sure I could differentiate from a Beringer Knight's Valley cuvee. Guess that's on me.
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9/11/2019 - Roentgen Ray Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark purple garnet color.
Beautiful aromatics in the glass.
Dark fruit, graphite, clove, funky herbal notes, and black pepper that is displayed on a brightly acidic and grippingly tannic frame.
Drink or Hold. No rush here.
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9/1/2019 - 87tellub Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP tasting pour, and then a 3-4 hour decant, with the notes not changing much post the decant. Softer is about the only real difference I noted.
Dark purple and nealy opaque and the rim and core. Lovely delicate nose that is floral and cigar box along with blackberry and black cherry; spiced crumb-cake; some summer sausage. Palate has good power and some grippy tannins. Dark fruit and cocoa. Great complexity on the nose and good typicity on the palate here.
Nothing revelatory but met decent expectations.
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7/26/2019 - kcsteve Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 90 minutes. Beautiful floral aroma with sweet fruit. Cigar, bit of vanilla, blackberry, and a whole lot more. Paired with NY strips. Delicious with a great finish that went on and on. Served at my daughter's birthday dinner.
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6/19/2019 - ChopperWine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Unmistakably California Ca. Like others who recommended, decanted for 60+ minutes. Perfect choice for a shared grilled Porterhouse. Thick, chewy, jammy, quite a dark purple, with nose of cigar, sweet fruits, and of course (for good or ill), oak. Nice long finish. Drinking so well right now.
Powerful wine, no rough edges, rich mouthfeel, cassis, chocolate, espresso and no hint of that caramelly, Caymus flavor that makes a wine lover want to use a spit bucket. The finish is very long and the wine evolves in the glass. Will it age... yes, it's still very powerful and it did take 90 minutes in the decanter and another hour of drinking to open beautifully, but it did keep evolving in the glass until the last sip. But it's drinking beautifully here and highly recommend it accompanied by a porterhouse, or new york strip, no vegetarian or seafood dishes with this one.
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2/28/2019 - RickyT12 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 1hr
As always Insignia does not disappoint.
Drinking beautifully, dark purple, very classy.
Pepper, herbs, some fig jam on nose. All about the herbs rather than fruit. Salt, violet petals on nose. Really drinking well. Great silky mouth feel with a bit of acid. I love this wine at this time. Very round. Acid could give it another 10 years. But very good now as well.
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1/24/2019 - jdtonic Likes this wine: 95 Points
Delicious.
An hour for champagne and oysters in a decanter is all she needs. Just a poised and lip-smacking bdx blend that is year in and year out: The benchmark of Napa.
Shared with chef and server and mgr in a place that actually has a few wines. “Jesus” “wow” “yum” Yeah.
Shreds that corkage fee EVERY time.
Thanks, Joe!
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1/13/2019 - WI WineLover Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking well right now!
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1/1/2019 - joefel Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 2 hours and paired it with a grilled, bone-in ribeye and macadamia nut crusted ahi tuna. Lovely color and nose, brimming with red fruits. Tannins still not fully integrated and took about 4 hours to soften. Long, long finish. Still needs more time - 5 years I bet. Really good wine - glad I have a lot more!
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12/25/2018 - theodore3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great depth with tannin - but not over the top.
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11/19/2018 - wineguy1968 Likes this wine:
drank at Jordan's. this was the WOTN for most. On initial opening the tannins were still imposing but after a few hours became more integrated but still quite dominant. This 08 will have a very long life on it for sure. by memory this had very rich blue and black fruit, smoke and cigar box...with a lengthy tannic finish. a real standout. drank aside a 13 Halo and a 12 Dominus and this still came out ahead for me.
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10/27/2018 - Banooch Likes this wine: 97 Points
Comparable to 2007 half bottle gifted from Winters. Slightly less powerful and more nuanced fruit.
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10/19/2018 - D3S Likes this wine: 96 Points
Amazingly good wine. Paired extremely well with a ribeye. Decanted and continued to improve over 60 minutes. Great fruit, nose and balance.
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6/8/2018 - johnmpete wrote:
Megan's first anniversary
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5/24/2018 - wino_tim wrote: 91 Points
Deep purple with only slight fading at the rim. Rich and ripe with warmed blackberry sauce, smoked mushroom, toast, spice and earth flavors on a round, sexy, but still tannic palate. No hurry here.
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5/21/2018 - D3S Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great wine, drinking amazingly well and no need to decant, but did continue to open up throughout dinner.
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5/12/2018 - starkravingmad wrote: 98 Points
Group wine tasting - among the top scoring
Smooth, Oaky, slight smoke, hints of black cherry; Complicated, Earthy; Smooth; Spices
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2/4/2018 - Raizes Likes this wine: 91 Points
黑醋栗、香草、摩卡咖啡和烟熏的香气，依旧很年轻的一款酒。虽然是偏浓郁的风格，但因为酸度不错，所以并未显得沉重，反而让人很期待陈年后的状态。91+/100
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1/7/2018 - SonnyChiba wrote: 93 Points
Rich and full bodied, ripe fruit, dark chocolate, but remains balanced and doesn’t go over the top on sweetness. Though my palate has drifted a bit, Insignia is still one my favorite wines from Napa.
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1/7/2018 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Just a baby, but real potential here. Decanted and drank over 3 hours. Initial funk and overly sweet pervasiveness blew off in 20 minuties, and real goodness shone through. Probably best in 2028, but jammy goodness to be found here and now.
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12/13/2017 - George C ATLANTA Likes this wine: 98 Points
Decanted for 90 minutes prior to a delicious steak dinner followed by flourless chocolate cake. It was a powerful wine, no rough edges, rich mouthfeel, cassis, chocolate, espresso and no hint of that caramelly, Caymus flavor that makes a wine lover want to use a spit bucket. The finish is very long and the wine evolves in the glass. Will it age... yes, it's still very powerful and it did take 90 minutes in the decanter and another hour of drinking to open beautifully, but it did keep evolving in the glass until the last sip. But it's drinking beautifully here and highly recommend it accompanied by a porterhouse, or new york strip, no vegetarian or seafood dishes with this one.
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12/7/2017 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 92 Points
Dark ruby red. Rich and earthy with notes of dark berries, and some damp forest. Medium plus tannins (6.5/10) and full bodied. Dark palate as well with dark cocoa, cigar box and black berries. Long finish and drinking well with some air. Drink till 2027.
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11/30/2017 - HueBreCellars Likes this wine: 90 Points
This may not be the pinnacle of Inisgnia and we may have opened it up 12-18 months early, but it still was an incredibly delicious wine after 90-120 of air in a small decanter. Paired with short ribs, starch and caesar salad. It had tar and leather, with some deep red berries, but no earth and no additional complexity. It was still fairly wound up after 2 hours, but definitely at it's best.
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10/30/2017 - GrapeApe-GrapeApe wrote: 89 Points
Expecting much more from this for the $$$.
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10/20/2017 - wagonwine wrote:
5 Wow. Chocolate covered cherry, pencil lead, cigar box, mint, and eucalyptus. Exuberant and compelling with great life ahead of it. Stunning.
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9/12/2017 - WineForRob wrote: 95 Points
Its always nice to go back to a classic. I have been drinking a bunch of 2014's with jammy fruit and teeth staining tannins and needed a change up. This was perfect. Tobacco and leather with deep dark fruits right out of the gate. Fruit was definitely present but not over done in any way. Chocolate and subtle earth flavors lead into the still energetic back end. This has plenty left but is in a great spot right now. Didnt need much air for this to show its stuff.
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8/24/2017 - Mjcallison wrote:
Acrid immediately after uncorking. After half an hour it improved nut not to the level I've come to expect from J. Phelps. Overall, a disappointment.
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7/24/2017 - wineotim Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very similar to previous bottle. Gave this 3 hours of aeration. Had this with a sirloin. Wonderful wine aeromatics and palate, telltale Phelps flavor profile. I recommend a 3 or 4 hour decant and finish on the first day.
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7/22/2017 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Mixed Wines on a Smoldering Night (Irene's House, St. Paul): Very dark red/purple color. Decanted for 2 hrs, drank 1 glass over 1 hr plus. Drank next to an '09 Georges de Latour and I favored the Insignia just a bit tonight. I liked the smoky, savory nose, almost comes off more syrah like tonight, higher toned on the nose, red and black berries that are really nice. The palate adds in some dill, savory, again more syrah like, dark fruits, and bramble, balanced and roasted oak barrel. Pretty sleek tannins already and and a nice finish. Really good already and should truly shine in 5 years. My #2 and group #! WOTN. 93(+)pts.
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7/22/2017 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 94 Points
Minneapolis Wine Club Comeback Tour: Drinking well after a two hour decant. Perfume, floral, spices and red currants. Very smooth wine and balanced. Long finish. Should drink over the next 15 years. For sure needs a solid decant prior to consuming.
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7/1/2017 - Brett wrote: 94 Points
Great wine!!
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5/27/2017 - cab blends wrote: 94 Points
Not as smooth and integrated as the 05 (which we are drinking at the same time). That might be the age and the fact that this was a pnp and has only had 15 minutes in the glass.
Very similar and consistent as Insignia tends to be. Dry mouth finish and higher alcohol feel.
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5/16/2017 - Wine aficionado wrote:
Drank 5/16/17 and don't think it can go to 2030 for my palette
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5/3/2017 - ungerlei Likes this wine: 93 Points
Solid and vey typical Insignia. Nice balance. Tannins have subdued. Good finish. Drinking well now.
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4/22/2017 - garrigue65 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for about 4 hours. Still big tannins. Dark fruit forward with some elements of tobacco, leather, cassis, tannic finish that added almost a cleansing finish to the complexity of this wine. Can cellar for many more years, but very enjoyable now. During the 4 hour decant the wine seemed to close between 90 minutes and 3 1/2 hours. So I would advise pop and pour or at least a 4 hour decant. IMO the wine was approachable initially.
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4/17/2017 - aquaman Likes this wine: 94 Points
Sample pour coravin.
Smell delicious.. Almost like the 04 dominus.
This is my first time trying this label. And I have 3 of the 13. So gotta see what is the fuss.
I think it's better then caymus ss. N opus one.
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2/24/2017 - gew71walsh wrote: 92 Points
Currant, plum and blackberry. This is still tight, although approachable. Drank for Ross birthday. Decanted for an hour, drank over two more. I would suggest leaving cellared for another 4 to 6 years.
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1/1/2017 - T.E.D. wrote: 92 Points
Short note - somewhat tight, nose of pine forest, leather and bell, some hints of stewed fruit. Palate was also a bit lean, more forest and wet stone, some tobacco. Well made, a big cab but with some old world nuance.
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1/1/2017 - Cipivts Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep ruby, cab sauv typical bell pepper and black fruits with elegant notes of leather, dried herbs and balsamico. High acidity, medium plus tannins, screams old world big time, very structured, complex. Needs couple of years to develop but great experience for New Year dinner!
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12/18/2016 - CLutesdfw wrote: 89 Points
Kind of flat. Decanted for two plus hours. Am a JP member and have had many Insignias and this was one of the most disappointing.
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12/16/2016 - Squilber Likes this wine: 96 Points
Drank at our office party. This blew away the 2014 Caymus and was better than the 2004 Heitz Martha's Vineyard. Excellent wine. Was smooth, complex and layered. Will last for many years but can be drunk now with a nice 2 hour+ decant, like we did.
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11/23/2016 - Cabernet4me2 wrote: 91 Points
Was expecting a little better showing. On initial opening was good, decanted for 3 hours and seemed to become really disjointed. Hoping that time is the remedy but just not sure, seemed to be missing components ... but time will tell. Going to hold for at least a year or two before next bottle!
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11/6/2016 - KenPlace wrote: 92 Points
More tannins than the 2009, so this was way too young to drink and less approachable. Great concentration and length. Wait 5 years.
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10/23/2016 - mikerando Likes this wine: 94 Points
Classic cab
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10/17/2016 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 93 Points
decanted for two hours, needed more time, 3 hours later in the glass it was finally hitting it's stride. nice
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9/20/2016 - civilmatt wrote: 93 Points
As adlazerow says "awesome"
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8/18/2016 - Stacey57 wrote: 90 Points
Decant 1-2 hours before drinking. Wait couple more years if I can
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8/2/2016 - Brett wrote: 92 Points
Keep an eye on this vintage, this bottle was mature.
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6/29/2016 - winelover1808 wrote: 94 Points
this was delicious. 2 hour decant. big, so smooth, very long pretty finish. loads of pretty fruit.
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5/11/2016 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 91 Points
Three Flights, With Pairings (Red Barn, Santa Ynez): This should have been held for a few more years, or at least given a generous decant. As it was, the wine was restrained and backwards, displaying little of the dominant Cabernet. Tart black fruit and a touch of menthol. Should merit a meaningfully higher score over time.
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4/28/2016 - J3r0me H@n Likes this wine: 93 Points
I will have to first apologize to this wine for I don't think I gave it a fair chance. It was just beginning to show its true nature by the time we reached the last glass. Nose was big, rich and full of chocolate. Palate reflected the nose well and as it was nearing its peak, the mouth feel and taste was nearing what I could only describe as a lush chocolate milk with a finish that didn't seem to end. As for my apology, this wine was overshadowed by the other wine of that night, a 1996 Calon-Segur.
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4/23/2016 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
4th Saturday group "uptown" tasting (R&D's): Opens with a weird cheesy/funky note that blows off to reveal cassis, currants, chocolate and herbs. Structured; fine tannins with flavors of black fruit, lavender, cassis, chocolate and vanilla. Guessed Napa Cab Sauv blend.
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4/3/2016 - whitmanlholt wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured from split. This is a solid purple wine. The nose starts off somewhat green and herbal at first, but eventually develops more black fruit traits. In the mouth, this is smooth and lush, although the finish has some tannic bite. Overall, this seems young, yet it is unclear which direction it is going. 90 points.
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3/24/2016 - bundydavis Likes this wine: 96 Points
Incredible finish!
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3/18/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 95 Points
08 Insignia, 07 Saxum (Jane's BD) (our home): Phelps Insignia is always a great wine. One of the classics from Napa and if perhaps, not a First Growth, then a super second to be sure. Purple in color. The nose is big with cassis, spice, chocolate and cedar. Deep. Big, lush texture. Firm but not over powering tannins. Lush black raspberry fruit and milk chocolate on the palate. Still young, this could use a few more years of cellaring and it has some upside potential to improve. That said, it is delicious right now. A bit too much oak showing but more than enough fruit for it to integrate. Great right now with a bit of air.
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2/16/2016 - wineotim Likes this wine: 94 Points
This has that Phelps/Insignia flavor profile. I know it when I taste it.
Black cherry, dark cocoa, ripe, great balance, dense, feels full bodied but its not. Nice grip on the finish. This will score higher in 2018, and I plan on revisiting it then. Not as good as the '05 at this point.
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1/31/2016 - Chippy06 wrote:
This bottle is 1.5 liters
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1/16/2016 - bonedoc wrote: 94 Points
Popped corks, drank over 3 hours. Both very good, '08 insignia a little darker fruit profile w better cut, sharper & shorter (but better) finish, whereas '08 Seavey a little more sweet, w baking spices and a more mellow long finish. Both 94 pts. Slight edge to insignia to my palate for fruit profile. Drink or hold 5+ yrs
(Night two- phelps a little flat, Seaver tasted better)
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1/2/2016 - MelroseCellars Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dinner at friend's house. My WOTN. This Bordeaux blend was fantastic. Dark, dark color. Great nose, an earthy graphite smell. Sweet and deep taste on palate, and an amazing and long finish. I cannot wait to visit Joseph Phelps on my next Napa trip.
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12/31/2015 - brianofthevine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow this is a big wine. Black cherry and blackberry fruit with dark chocolate. Great balance, firm tannins, and long finish. Tasted non-blind alongside the '09 & '10 vintages and this was by far my favorite, no surprise.
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12/23/2015 - facchair wrote: 90 Points
- Medium forming legs with a light/medium body with a short finish.
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12/11/2015 - diane.forgy@dianeforgy.com Likes this wine: 91 Points
The dark fruit is forward and juicy in this half bottle, tannins were medium at best, delightful spice and soft leather. Opened up nicely in a large Vinum XL glass. If this vintage gets much softer it will still be enjoyable but you'll be able to drink it through a straw, which does not appeal to me. Still a consistently beautiful wine.
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11/25/2015 - jkvedar wrote: 92 Points
Baking spice, vanilla and dark fruit on the nose. Cassis and blackberry palate. Well balanced. Complex finish
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10/16/2015 - dlcass Likes this wine: 93 Points
At Javier's with Todd and Jen in California. It is a nice wine though perhaps nothing particularly special. I don't think I'm a fan of this vintage in general. There are some green pepper notes.
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9/3/2015 - Markus IWC wrote: 91 Points
Lite blek, bra vin men under förväntan
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6/25/2015 - CJM wrote: 92 Points
Clear, very deep garnet. Toasted vanilla, cigar box, cassis. Low acids, low tannins. Leather, tar. Long tannic finish. By the glass. Tasting room.
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4/22/2015 - AAJR Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tremendous wine, with much upside. Decanted, paired with a juicy steak and consumed over two hours. Blackberry flavors - great juice. Note to self - leave last bottle in cellar for 5+ years.
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3/29/2015 - Sethbo11 wrote: 91 Points
Very well made but disjointed. Some sips were outstanding and others fell flat.
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2/3/2015 - Grenik Likes this wine: 91 Points
Young, big, and bold. Blueberry and blackberry nose. Vanilla, cherry, blackberry palate. Good depth, but it does not seem like it has spent enough time in the bottle to develop the complexity that I like. Hopefully it is not overly oaked and secondary flavors will start to shine. I think it will, give it some time.
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1/27/2015 - Vailman Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pnp 375ml at a local steakhouse. This wine tasted like no other. Highly extracted but with finesse. Rich and generous from the beginning and it evolved beautifully in the glass over the next hour. Expensive but worth it. I looked forward to every sip.
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1/18/2015 - helispud Likes this wine: 96 Points
From a half-bottle (that's all the restaurant had left). Wonderful strong bouquet upon opening and swirl in the tasting glass. Plush dark fruits. smooth tannins. One of the best big reds we've ever tasted.
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1/18/2015 - BordeauxBoy wrote: 92 Points
Popped and drank slowly from a 375ml. Wine opened up in the glass quickly to show that classic dominating beam of bright cassis. Fruit forward, but not attacking, and moderate in weight. Delicious but not great. Have 750mls as well and will wait a couple more years before opening those.
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12/24/2014 - Frank Murray III wrote:
We drank this without a decant, and with air it did evolve. There is red fruit in the core, with good polish and some oak fading through but just a seasoning of it IMO. Picked up grip as it sat with air and I would have liked to have tried this say with a day of slow ox to see what's here. We drained the bottle, had a great meal with friends and so in that way, the bottle was fantastic.
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12/10/2014 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep, dark, inky, reddish-purple in color; almost cannot see through bottom of glass. Forward, fragrant & attractive nose of rich, lush, ripe dark fruit aromas of dark cherries, blackberries & cassis with lovely mint & cedar overtones, spices, leather, some tobacco, a hint of anise, earthy, cocoa, toasty oak and a touch of vanilla in the background. Full bodied with a very good concentration of still youthful & developing, well balanced, smooth textured, rich, ripe dark fruit flavors of cherries, blackberries and cassis with kirsch, spices, mocha, minerals, toasty oak & a hint of vanilla. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well with decanting and extended airing but needs additional time to fully develop completely. (89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 4% Merlot)
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11/4/2014 - Jayarr wrote:
A very nice wine but it didn't blow me away. Balanced, smooth, silky but it was missing that certain something. Good but not great.
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9/6/2014 - Yondan wrote: 92 Points
Rockets Landing
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8/24/2014 - Jgallup wrote: 95 Points
Epitome of balance in a red wine. Exceptional! Dark chocolate and black pepper aromas complimented by black cherry, vanilla, blackberries and plum on the palate. Finish goes on and on. So very good!
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8/24/2014 - wineotim wrote: 93 Points
Deep, dark, aromatic, broad and silky...wonderful. Tasted at B-21.
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6/28/2014 - SonnyChiba wrote: 94 Points
This is going to get a higher score in the future for sure, but still really great now. Has that classic Insignia finesse and balance, just a beautiful wine.
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6/8/2014 - Warreng217 wrote: 93 Points
Should have waited longer. Did decant but still needed more time.
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5/20/2014 - rexmerlot wrote: 91 Points
Another great bottle
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5/18/2014 - Smiths22 wrote: 90 Points
Great flavors but needed more time in the bottle!!
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4/3/2014 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still a baby, but bursting with flavor and depth, as per last bottle enjoyed. Why can't I be more patient?
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3/29/2014 - TEKinsider wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 2 hours and drank across a 3 hour window. Very closed down and disjointed. There's a lot going on in the background so this will probably open up nicely at some point. Hold!
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3/27/2014 - jeffm_fla wrote: 94 Points
Still very tight and closed - wish we had decanted. Great Insignia flavor profile and nose. Needs air and/or time, but definitely a winner.
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3/9/2014 - Sharmajd wrote:
Gave as a gift to the NJFO gala. Part of the Board of Trustees, favorite wines basket.
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1/11/2014 - jperez68 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Huff! All I can say is Love It! Love It! Love It!!!
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1/1/2014 - TEDL Likes this wine:
Happy New Years!
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12/30/2013 - rexmerlot wrote: 91 Points
Great did not give it the attention it deserves
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11/24/2013 - wineotim wrote: 92 Points
Tight dark fruit, full bodied, ripe firm tannins, a touch earthy and leather. Great potential. Tasted at B21 Holiday Tasting.
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11/11/2013 - BMAM wrote:
for Max
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10/27/2013 - iamandyc wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes but needed longer. The nose and taste never sung as strongly as I sense this wine can but it was still refined and delicious. Could taste the blend in action and on the nose. Redder fruits dominated a medium bodied wine that had good acidity. I think it will continue to improve with age. The baby fat I tasted from the barrel and upon release is getting shed nicely.
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10/21/2013 - KenK Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank at Au Cheval from 375ml, popped and poured. Rich, concentrated black cherry aromas with hints of vanilla. Sweet dense ripe flavors of dark red fruits that is lush, but not overripe. Nice purity and drinking well if not still a bit young. Likely improves further with time.
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9/15/2013 - IGN WINESNOB Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good not great from JPInsignia. Finished day 2 and about the same. Not sure if the brain was shut off or what. Waiting on others for a while.
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9/12/2013 - RayOB wrote: 94 Points
Drank in Hong Kong
Nose of blackberries leather and vanilla. Rich complex palate with a long length. Insignia is on a storm and these wines are wonderful as long as you do not mind too much extraction.
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9/11/2013 - mwneil Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful wine. Drank with several Bordeaux's and a supposedly great Rioja and this wine was outstanding. Balanced; great mouthfeel, nice color, good fruit and tannins with structure. If price is irrelevant, this is a very consistent and excellent wine.
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8/25/2013 - ggj wrote: flawed
Corked
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8/17/2013 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow is that a mouthful. We decanted in the morning for for ~3 hours before rebottling and bringing down to NJ to share with family. Wine was thick and just coated the glass and the tongue. Deep blackberry flavor combined with leather and cedar and a touch of grassiness. Over time the blackberry notes shifted and black cherry became evident. We hadn't had any before and wanted to check it out and were not disappointed - delicious wine!
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4/24/2013 - jeffm_fla Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bright fruit and great Insignia flavor profile. Heavy tannins right now left my tongue fuzzy and dry. I think a couple years more for this wine to hit its stride.
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3/25/2013 - pauljr1121 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Enjoyed at tasting visit at the winery. Great core of fruit but with massive tannins. More present fruit than the 2005 but with greater tannins. Bodes well for the future. Needs much more time to ditch some of the grip. Very promising. Retasting could yield a much higher score.
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3/17/2013 - difran wrote: 91 Points
Do not drink next bottle until late 2014
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2/5/2013 - Alexho04 wrote:
Smooth and easy to drink, nostril will be filled by the strong scent of wine, but only the sweet scent, none of the astringent
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1/18/2013 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 92 Points
PNP'd at a business dinner (several bottles, no variation). Drank surprisingly well this young. I cannot concede that the tannins are "silky." It will be interesting to see if the dominant oak integrates further. Not elegant, but worked well last night.
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1/16/2013 - NJ Giants 2011 Likes this wine:
A special occasion wine, had to celebrate the birth of my daughter and wife's healthy return from the hospital with her parents. Decanted for an hour, but it wasn't close to enough. Really surprised it wasn't ready yet considering I've had several times at my parents house.
It was still very nice, but I've come to expect more from the '08 Insignia. Have 3 more, will open next year on my daughter's bday.
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1/5/2013 - jeffm_fla Likes this wine: 93 Points
great flavor, bright fruit. Very tannic still. Hold a while longer or at least decant before drinking.
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12/21/2012 - aajder wrote: 91 Points
Good, brilliant deep color. The nose displays berries, cedar, oak, graphite, and a hint of flowers. On the palate, this is medium full bodied, with good concentration and medium plus acidity. The finish is long, with slightly earthy tannins and a mineral element.
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12/19/2012 - rdsboca wrote: 93 Points
Great mouthfeel, drinking well young. HUge in your face fruit - black and blue fruit. I still feel this is made as a restaurant wine, approachable early. Picked up some cocoa, mocha and dark chocolate in the mid palate. Lack the "it" factor. Dusty finish.
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12/3/2012 - IGN WINESNOB wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Let breathe in glass for a while and opened reasonably well. Might be waiting on these for a while. Real nice, but think there to be much more.
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11/17/2012 - CMCLR wrote: 90 Points
Never opened up
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11/16/2012 - Mardy wrote: 95 Points
What a wonderful bottle. Subtle tastes of raspberry & currant. Not too tannic with a very smooth swallow and lingering fruitful finish.
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11/15/2012 - yofog wrote: 94 Points
Dark chocolate and blueberries, firm structure, subtle oak, highly polished, better than the old-school snob in me was expecting...nothing soft here, well-structured and serious, good acid, excellent wine altogether.
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11/10/2012 - Thirsty1 Likes this wine:
This one was a baby at the Insignia dinner. Decanted 7 hours and was still very tight. Tannic but robust with candied fruit and a generous midpallet. Long finish with so much more to offer.
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11/10/2012 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Had this wine alongside '02, '05, '06 and '07 Insignias. After 6 hours in the decanter. Splitting hairs really, but this Insignia the 2nd worst of the bunch behind the '06. The profiles on all the wines were very consistent. Notes of blackberry, cassis and some spice. Very primary right now, although this evolved the most over the course of 4 hours. This needs more time in the bottle.
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10/29/2012 - JSOL wrote: 94 Points
Nose: perfume, chocolate, black and blue berries, a hint of liquorice. Mouth: smooth, excellent length. Quite a bit of oak. V young with a v long life ahead of it.
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10/29/2012 - Istrico wrote: 98 Points
It may be a little early, but this wine still opens up and drinks so well. I look forward to shelving the rest of these at the hopes of it achieving a 100.
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9/29/2012 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nice structure and fruit but going to take some time for this to settle in.
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8/18/2012 - affordableCollector wrote: 92 Points
dark red in color. blackberry, dark berries, licorice, chocolate, cedar, toast, vanilla, oak, on the nose. finish includes a balance of acid and tannin.
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7/18/2012 - grapemaven wrote: 91 Points
Has a bit of an edge because of the tannins. Needs cellar time to let fruit emerge.
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7/13/2012 - kstoddard wrote: 93 Points
89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, and 4% Merlot (all estate fruit). 2 years in new French oak. Dark ruby color. Blackberry and black cherry fruit on the nose. Flavors of black cherry, currant, mocha, and coffee with a hint of mint. Very well balanced. Full bodied. Good freshness. Fine grained tannins. Deeply complex finish with power to spare.
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7/2/2012 - GoBlue2002 wrote: 91 Points
Honeymoon Wine Tasting; 6/25/2012-7/3/2012 (California - Napa & Sonoma Counties): Tasted at Winery. Dark red in color, with nice fruit and oak on the nose. This wine already has silky tannins and structured fruit on the tongue. The finish is smooth and long. Drinkable now, but this should improve with age.
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6/22/2012 - rexmerlot wrote: 91 Points
Same as prior notes. Great wine
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6/8/2012 - Thirsty1 Likes this wine:
A classic. Drank on the way down to Hawke's Cay and enjoyed over the weekend. So big and young. Was best on days 2/3 - it needed that much time to settle down. Same notes as before.
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5/23/2012 - Button Yang Likes this wine: 95 Points
Amazing. I used to be an anti-new-world drinker but this wine, however, made me less subjective when drinking new world wines. Complex,deep, concentrated. The 2008 is already accessible but it will enter dormant period in the following 5 years. I have had a 1996 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon before, which impressed me a lot, who can tell me how long will it take to reach fully-developed stage? Monster!
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5/22/2012 - MrD wrote:
Don't remember. :-(
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5/18/2012 - AlexHop wrote: 95 Points
Interesting intense cherry nose. Cedar sage. Leather and a bit of earth. Tasted at Insignia Day 2012
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5/5/2012 - wtianseter wrote: 93 Points
Wine Spectator's Grand Tour, Las Vegas NV 2012 (Grand Ballroom Mirage Casino, Las Vegas NV): Big and Bold. Too early to drink; hasn't had time to mellow. Lots of tannins, nice finish
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4/30/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
The stunning perfume demanded your attention with its showy coffee, licorice, blueberry, caramel, blackberry and earthy scents. Powerful, round, rich and packed with ripe fruit, the chocolate covered blackberry is as opulent as it is pure. I could drink this now, or age for 15-20 years.
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4/28/2012 - pizzler wrote: 93 Points
Wine Spectator's Grand Tour, Washington DC 2012 (Ronald Reagan Building): Sweet taste, classic Cab with a chili cocoa note to it, ripe, very pleasant to drink now but has the stuffing to age, shows why Insignia is one of the most collectible of all California Cabs
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4/23/2012 - VinoLife wrote: 90 Points
Black currants, blueberry and soft vanilla notes. More currants, aniseed, and cedar on the palate. These intense robust tannins are still slightly hard edged and could use a little more time IMHO. Plenty of unctuous black fruit and complexity waiting to emerge from underneath all this structure. Reasonably enjoyable now but I would definitely wait for this to resolve a bit.
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4/1/2012 - tp096255 wrote: 90 Points
Very tannic.
Wally's California All-Stars 2012
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3/20/2012 - Papies wrote:
Joseph Phelps Insignia Vertical 2008>1994 with Robert Baxter (Handford Wines, London): Dark purple in colour. Jammy sweet mocha notes with lots of fruit. A wine to age with lots of tannin and structure. However it is relatively approachable but really one should wait a good 15yrs. A bit too young to rate.
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2/28/2012 - Gestalted wrote: 94 Points
I completely disagree with the comments that this is too young to drink now. Of course it will improve even more, but I thoroughly enjoyed this wine as-is. After a short decanting, the nose was ripe and extremely potent with cassis and licorice. Midpalate was really weighty and finish was absolutely intense with cassis, red/blue fruits, charcoal and especially black licorice and as you'd expect, the finish just goes on and on. Love the moderate grip on the end.
I might consider purchasing again. In my opinion, not quite worth the $160 price tag.
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Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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2/20/2012 - mattyboy_ Likes this wine: 96 Points
2008 seems tricky while I was tasting in Napa. Seems like some producers might've picked a bit too early. So far, the better producers I've tasted from all have very powerful and intense 2008s.
The 2008 Insignia serves as proof. Invigorating! Already a monster right now and will outlive even the 2009s.
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2/4/2012 - Phyllis D wrote: 96 Points
While this is a higher quality wine it is young, but I just couldn’t help myself. I had to see how it tasted now. With its slight youthful acidity, this Insignia held its own against spicy food well. Of paramount importance for me is the length of the finish. This one did not disappoint. I’m truly looking forward to opening up another bottle after a few years with a nicely aged steak.
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12/27/2011 - Kayeman wrote: 90 Points
Incredible nose on first open. Chocolate and dark fruit. Opened up for about an hour in decanter. Tasted wonderful initially then changed again in another hour or so. After taste of wood/leather and then next day true again, after taste gone and made way for nice tannins and ripe fruit. Just drank too early but wow, great layers and can't wait to try again in a few years and on.
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12/25/2011 - mattyboy_ Likes this wine: 96 Points
This made Christmas a wee bit more special. Monster cab, but with finesse. In the glass, the wine displays very high extract with intense purple color and long flowing red legs with every swirl. At this age the nose is still reticent but looks very promising with notes of cedar, tobacco, creme de cassis, and licorice. The wine is very focused as well - delivery good grip on the mid palate with every taste. The excess petit verdot (abt 7-8%) in the blend also provides complex layers of depth to the wine - Accessing the fruit at the core of every taste is a treat. The finish is very exciting and heightens into a crescendo which overloads the palate with intense cassis and licorice fruit which lingers for minutes. Still a baby, but would be interesting to taste this wine 20 years from now. Would recommend 2-3 hrs of decanting as other fellow community tasters have stated before drinking. This is indeed, a knockout!
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12/17/2011 - Porchino wrote: 92 Points
Step up from palhmeyer better frit than hundred acre but not as smooth
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12/14/2011 - rexmerlot wrote: 93 Points
Love this wine. Similar note as prior note. But for some reason impressed me more tnite.
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12/8/2011 - rexmerlot wrote: 91 Points
Same as prior note.
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12/5/2011 - The Wine Guy wrote: 94 Points
Monster Cab as its style is consistent. this one needs several years but if you cant wait it needs several hours and decant to expose its depths. with that the wine was fruit forward, a oak and cedar notes hints of vanilla, and coffee on the finish. This was actually better than the 07 opened at the same time last year.
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11/27/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Wow! This nose is a knockout with its licorice, espresso bean, blackberry jam, blueberry and floral scents. Rich, round, ripe and powerful, the opulent finish is packed and stacked with lush blackberry, spice and cassis.
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10/29/2011 - alr6767 wrote:
K&L Napa 'Big Boy' Tasting (K&L San Francisco): Complex medoc-esque nose, herbs, graphite. Nice red currant fruit. Great lift on the expressive mid-palate, medium+ acidity. Some tannin on the long mocha chocolate finish, a touch of heat. Most complete wine in the line up at this stage and my WOTD.
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10/29/2011 - rexmerlot wrote: 91 Points
Clear Dark purple in colour. Clean nose of black currant, menthol, herbs, and vanilla. Dry, med acidity, big smooth tannins, black fruit, leather, chocolate, and herbs on palate. Nice long finish. Needed time to decant, definitely young, but a great wine.
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10/8/2011 - lumpyelbow wrote:
Napa 2011; 10/6/2011-10/9/2011 (Napa Valley, California): No Notes.
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9/24/2011 - christophee Likes this wine: 89 Points
Ink and glass coating. Blueberry, earth, coffee and bacon on the nose. Secondary graphite and black licorice. Full body with elegant and present mouthfeel. Balanced layers of dark fruit, cocoa powder, ripe red fruit and earth. Secondary herbs and spiciness. Some noticeable heat. Firm, but svelte grip. Medium/long finish. Very good, but have had better at half the cost.
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9/17/2011 - slywka7 wrote: 97 Points
Almost as good as the 07 and more open than that was last year at this point. Some nice fruit and super finish.
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9/12/2011 - anonymoose12345 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasted back-to-back with the '06 Insignia at The Wine Club in San Francisco. From decanter. Showed better than the '06 but not by much. Very extracted, opulent fruit. Mouth-puckering tannins. Again a bit lacking in the mid-palate.
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5/15/2011 - AlexHop wrote: 93 Points
Smoke and bark on the nose. Medium big mouth with a hint of caramel, nice dark fruit, good structure. Long finish. Pre-release but bottled. Tasted at Insignia day 2011.
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