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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 93.5 pts. and median of 94 pts. in 436 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by gew71walsh on 5/13/2024 & rated 94 points: Keep going back and forth on this by small degrees. Paired this with a beef bourgignon—from last note, I was correct in thinking this is a better wine with food. Dark burgundy in glass. Dark fruits still there with some secondary aspects. Everything in balance. Last bottle of this vintage and it was worth it. (338 views) | | | Tasted by f95masv on 2/2/2024 & rated 96 points: Delicious. Blackberry, plum, leather, vanilla and oak. Long finish with soft tannins. Still young with emerging notes of maturity. (1666 views) | | | Tasted by hoservin on 1/13/2024 & rated 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. (1697 views) | | | Tasted by T.E.D. on 1/6/2024 & rated 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. (1737 views) | | | Tasted by bpittenger on 1/1/2024: 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. (1686 views) | | | Tasted by vino_per_tutti on 12/24/2023 & rated 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. (1595 views) | | | Tasted by ShadowIII on 9/25/2023 & rated 93 points: classic Cali cab, dark fruit, blackberry, cassis, hints of cedar, tobacco, integrated tannins, long finish, still very youthful, power with elegance (2476 views) | | | Tasted by Yondan on 7/19/2023 & rated 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. (2839 views) | | | Tasted by cjoetucker@aol.com on 7/19/2023 & rated 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. (2660 views) | | | Tasted by kend707 on 7/7/2023 & rated 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. (2691 views) | | | Tasted by Marc on 3/27/2023 & rated 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! (3619 views) | | | Tasted by AllRed on 3/25/2023 & rated 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. (2892 views) | | | Tasted by JoeDwine on 1/28/2023 & rated 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. (2671 views) | | | Tasted by SonnyChiba on 12/31/2022 & rated 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 ! (2608 views) | | | Tasted by Gregmonroe on 12/31/2022: 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. (2858 views) | | | Tasted by stuartwh on 12/30/2022: NYE 2022 with Sutton and Wise (1795 views) | | | Tasted by SMagowan on 12/25/2022 & rated 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. (1885 views) | | | Tasted by ddemas on 12/9/2022 & rated 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. (1855 views) | | | Tasted by lvjohn on 11/10/2022 & rated 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. (2028 views) | | | Tasted by Roentgen Ray on 11/8/2022 & rated 92 points: Obvious oyster shell-limestone aromas which aren’t my favorite. The backbone was blackberry and balanced. Tannins were supporting and not pronounced. (1669 views) | | | Tasted by docdavid on 10/22/2022 & rated 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 (2076 views) | | | Tasted by CubFan4Life on 9/29/2022 & rated 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. (2339 views) | | | Tasted by gew71walsh on 9/26/2022 & rated 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. (1998 views) | | | Tasted by VINNICK on 9/25/2022 & rated 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. (1939 views) | | | Tasted by Rickfor on 9/24/2022 & rated 94 points: - Garnet color. (1836 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (3/14/2019)
(Joseph Phelps Napa Valley Insignia, Red, United States) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, Vintage Retrospective: The 2008 Napa Valley Cabernets (May 2018) (5/18/2018)
(Joseph Phelps Vineyards Insignia Red Wine Napa Valley Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, Vertical Tasting of Phelps Insignia (Apr 2016) (4/1/2016)
(Joseph Phelps Vineyards Insignia Napa Valley) Subscribe to see review text. | By Michael Godel
WineAlign (3/20/2016)
(Joseph Phelps Insignia, Napa Valley red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (3/21/2013)
(Joseph Phelps, Insignia Napa Valley Red) Subscribe to see review text. | i-WineReview.com, California Selections 2012 (3/10/2012)
(Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa Valley) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, New Releases from Napa Valley (Dec 2011)
(Joseph Phelps Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Insignia Napa Valley) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 2010, IWC Issue #150
(Joseph Phelps Vineyards Insignia Proprietary Red Wine Napa Valley) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JamesSuckling.com and Vinous and WineAlign and JancisRobinson.com and i-WineReview.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Joseph Phelps Producer website
In the late 60s, Joseph Phelps was running one of the largest construction companies in the U.S. when he won the bid to build Souverain Winery (now Rutherford Hill) located a few miles outside of St. Helena. Enamored with the beautiful Napa Valley and contemplating a career change, in 1973 he bought the 600-acre Connolly cattle ranch in Spring Valley, and began planting vineyards. The winery was completed in 1974 and that same year the first Syrah was made, the first grapes were crushed at the new facility and the first Insignia was produced. It was a period of unparalleled activity, creativity, ingenuity, entrepreneurship and risk-taking and it put Joe Phelps on the map of top Napa Valley wine producers.
Nearly four decades later, the flagship wine, Insignia, is recognized as one of the world’s great wines. Twenty nine of 34 vintages have been rated ninety or more points by various wine publications. From 1990 to 2007, the average score from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate is 94.5 pts., with the lowest score still a fabulous 91. The 2002 vintage was “Wine of the Year” by Wine Spectator Magazine, and the 2007 vintage has been rated 98 points by Robert Parker and 96 points by Wine Spectator Magazine.
Over the years, the goal of becoming 100% estate grown resulted in carefully planned acquisitions of prime vineyards in the Napa Valley. Today, the Phelps estate consists of the Spring Valley Home Ranch outside of St. Helena, Banca Dorada in Rutherford, Las Rocas and Barboza vineyards in Stags Leap, Yountville Vineyard in Oak Knoll, Suscol Vineyard in South Napa and Backus Vineyard in Oakville.
Beginning with the 2009 vintage, estate-grown wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Insignia, Backus (the single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville) and Eisrébe, a dessert wine made from the Scheurebe grape. In addition, a small amount of Syrah is produced from fruit owned by Hyde Vineyards in Los Carneros.
Though the main focus is on Bordeaux varietals, Joe Phelps has had a life-long love affair with the wines of Burgundy and a desire to craft wines in that style. Originally Chardonnay was sourced from St. Helena, later from Yountville and then from Los Carneros. Through the years, however, Joe continued to search for the ideal spot to grow both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and his search ended when the perfect combination of climate, soil and location was found in Freestone, located in the Sonoma Coast AVA, a mere eight miles from the Pacific Ocean. In 1999, 200 acres were acquired and planting began. Today, 80 acres of Pinot Noir and 20 acres of Chardonnay are producing some remarkable wines which are available for tasting at the Freestone Guest Center. Visit Freestone Vineyards to learn more.2008 Joseph Phelps Insignia Release NotesRed Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.InsigniaOf interest concerning the sources for grapes for this wine:
http://wine.appellationamerica.com/wine-review/669/Insignia.html
jhtUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Napa Valley Napa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)Napa ValleySt. Helena |
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