April 19, 2024 - Joseph Phelps Vineyards Spring Release Event (Joseph Phelps Vineyards, Napa Valley): Tasted twice today. I have always enjoyed Napa Cabernet Sauvignon from this vintage and this was no exception. Nose of black berry, black cherry, with lots of allspice, and spring flowers, same on the palate, with perfect winery storage this showed very tasty, at peak, but suggest you enjoy soon, reminded me of 1988 Dunn Napa, medium/big body, lovely, flavorful finish, and a flavorful aftertaste of sweet fruit.
April 12, 2024 - Allowed to breathe in glass 1 hour. Clear deep garnet-blood red color with bricking at the rim. Lovely notes of red berries, red plums and their liqueurs; cigar humidor, green tobacco, sage, earthy mushrooms, with hints of tidal mud flats, meat juice. Mostly tertiary at this point. Like a traditional old claret.
March 28, 2015 - Out of double magnum: Mature red. Nose shows mint, chocolate and pipe tobacco. Great balance, elegant has a clear 'old world' touch to it. Nice sweetness. Maybe a bit short but out of this 3 liter bottle it was a wonderful wine. Now fully mature.
Normal bottles are likely past its prime, so here it was a clear large format bonus.
April 26, 2011 - Fail. Dead.
November 28, 2009 - Red fruits that were still relatively lively. Some bricking. Well aged and fairly well balanced. Some leather on the palate as well. Nothing truly special in and of itself but was a nice test of a 21 year old wine. Probably the vintage is more at fault than the age.
October 13, 2007 - Thirty Years of Phelps Insignia (1974 through 2004): The nose is very straightforward with red fruit, mushroom, and mineral. The taste is very enjoyable but a bit compact on the palate. Good fruit. Drying tannins. Nice.
October 13, 2007 - Insignia Vertical Tasting 1974-2004 (WA Frost, St. Paul): Deep and brooding. Nose of smoky black fruit. The palate thinned out a bit. A straightforward, down-the-middle Insignia.
November 26, 2006 - Disappointing. Unidimensional simple red table wine. Not defective but not good either. Red fruits; nothing else.
June 13, 1998 - Insignia Vertical @ Joe C: Mint, herbs, cassis and red fruits on the nose. Nice mouth-feel. Not bad, given the vintage. Short finish. Good.