Jay Kline

9.1

This bottle of the 1984 Insignia was opened about 30min before service and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The wine pours a deep garnet with a slightly browning rim and an opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and plenty of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of desiccated black fruits: blackberries, black cherry, Chunky beef stew, mushroom, eucalyptus, leather, organic earth and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. A mature wine what’s still lovely; full of secondary and tertiary notes. Drink now. — a day ago

Amelia Mowry, CSW

9.6

Aromas of blueberry, black currant, lavender and rose petals. Earthy graphite and savory herbs favors with hints of spice and cocoa powder in the glass. Creamy and fine grain tannin finish. Could have aged for another 20 years. — 3 hours ago

with Lou, Cristian and 1 other

Charlie Frago

9.0

Overall nice red blend. Well balanced, moderate fruit. Enjoyed — a month ago

Henry Fuseler

9.0

1/2026. Good body and full flavor. Nice fruit. Paired well with the burger and fries at Halls Chophouse. — 2 months ago

Irina Georgieva

9.4

Fruity and well-balanced — a month ago

Dave

9.2

This really is delicious, and well worth the $21 I paid for it. Tons of berries, blue and red. Excellent structure with a firm finish that becomes so nice after a bit of airing. Making birria, which will be very good with this wine. Last time I had this I gave it 8.9 but today it's more deserving.
Listening to Hole — 9 days ago

Kate Parkerson

9.3

Nice easy Malbec. Had with Sarah with pizza — 2 months ago

Matt Boone

9.0

Excellently balanced. — 2 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Most of the wines I open tell me a story w/ each sip. Most tied to my late wife Sofia. My memories of this producer precedes her.

This is a producer that flashed early in my wine journey. Generally, one you have moved on from today. That’s until, their 2013 is offered at $39 recently. A grand vintage. For me, I wanted to see the wineries progression and experience earlier memories that flood back w/ each sip. It has done that.

I have a Napa history infatuation. This one is kinda of a pleasure-pain thing. While I enjoyed this producer many years ago, the 2020 Glass Fires destroyed 90% of their vineyards, almost all their structures & their 19 & 20 vintages. I can’t express enough what a gut punch that is for its owners & staff. It is an insurance nightmare and let’s not forget that after all the time it takes to re-plant vines, it takes at least 7 years before you get useable fruit to make wine. So…a ten yr plus setback w/ nearly no revenue stream.

The wine tonight w/o a ribeye, showed excellent fruits that the 13 growing season brought. But what followed was a lean mid plate and finish. With the steak, not so.

The palate shows M+ velvety, dry tannins. Ripe, rich, lush, ruby fruits of: blackberries, black plum, baked plum, dark cherries, black raspberries, raspberries, poached & fresh strawberries & an understated array of purple fruits. Moist, grey, volcanic clays, moist tobacco w/ ash, used leather, graphite, dry, crushed rocks/limestone-sandstone, dry brush, dark cola, black licorice to anise, dry herbs-bay leaf, sage, dark, mid spice with some palate heat, sweet tarriness, dark, fresh, candied & withering red roses, lavender & dry violets, excellent acidity with a well balanced-knitted, nicely structured & tensioned, elegant finish that lasts minutes and long sets on dry earth & spice.

This is nice on its own but so much better with a ribeye. 92 on its own with a hour decant. 92-93+ with an hour decant plus a juicy, well seasoned MR ribeye. — 16 days ago

Steve Mitchell

9.4

Nice Cabernet to sip with a filet and grilled potatoes. Medium tannins, full bodied and very nice finish.
— a month ago