Exceptional. Enjoyed over dinner at an excellent restaurant (main dishes were pork in a red wine sauce and a strip steak). 30 years in, this wine is fully mature but at least this bottle still had lots of time left. This is a full-bodied wine, with gorgeous fruit, great structure, and a wonderful long finish. One of the best California reds I have had in quite some time. While this is unmistakably a California wine, it has complexity, structure and nuance -- it's not an OTT "fruit bomb". I have had many bottles of the 1999 Insignia over the years -- I thought this was even better and doesn't seem even close to decline.
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Drank this with family at our covid delayed Christmas dinner of prime rib roast. Very elegant wine. Plummy red and black fruit, good structure and balance. Perfectly resolved tannins, long silky finish. Maybe just past peak. Throwing lots of sediment.
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I knew I was in trouble when I removed the lead cap. The cork had a stain of wine and was soft. Color was good. Deep red and clear. At first the wine was acidic which reduced after decanting. Although the acid taste disappeared, the wine was flat.
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Perhaps my favorite Napa year and more than held its own as my WOTN in an amazing lineup. Impressive richness that belies its age with superb nose and long, memorable finish.
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(Joseph Phelps Insignia) Dark red violet color; bright, ripe cassis, raspberry nose; youthful, charming, cassis, blackberry palate with a touch of mint and depth; long finish 94+ pts.
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4/13/2024 - Valaprop Likes this wine: 96 Points
Exceptional. Enjoyed over dinner at an excellent restaurant (main dishes were pork in a red wine sauce and a strip steak). 30 years in, this wine is fully mature but at least this bottle still had lots of time left. This is a full-bodied wine, with gorgeous fruit, great structure, and a wonderful long finish. One of the best California reds I have had in quite some time. While this is unmistakably a California wine, it has complexity, structure and nuance -- it's not an OTT "fruit bomb". I have had many bottles of the 1999 Insignia over the years -- I thought this was even better and doesn't seem even close to decline.
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2/7/2024 - jgh123 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Rich, fully developed and delicious! At a perfect place. Will last at least 5 more years but there's nothing to be gained by waiting.
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1/27/2024 - Pinotfanbg Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank this with family at our covid delayed Christmas dinner of prime rib roast. Very elegant wine. Plummy red and black fruit, good structure and balance. Perfectly resolved tannins, long silky finish. Maybe just past peak. Throwing lots of sediment.
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1/21/2024 - ljl wrote: 80 Points
I knew I was in trouble when I removed the lead cap. The cork had a stain of wine and was soft. Color was good. Deep red and clear. At first the wine was acidic which reduced after decanting. Although the acid taste disappeared, the wine was flat.
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10/24/2023 - dkwins Likes this wine: 97 Points
Perhaps my favorite Napa year and more than held its own as my WOTN in an amazing lineup. Impressive richness that belies its age with superb nose and long, memorable finish.
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