Wine looks very young reflecting a beautiful crimson color and an expressive nose. Red fruit and perfume aromas jump from the glass with secondary notes of cassis, subtle vanilla crème, cigar box and stewed meat. Delightfully delicious, juicy and flavorful coating the entire palate. Red fruits dominate with herbaceous and mineral notes followed by earthy soiled and cedar pepper secondary notes adding to its medium plus finish. — 10 days ago
Opened around 8pm the evening prior, double decanted and left in room temperature until service on Friday evening. In total, this was opened 24hours before service. The 1995 pours a beautiful garnet with transparent core; medium viscosity with moderate stating of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with surprisingly boozy dark fruit. Brambles, cassis, bell pepper, licorice, spearmint and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long with great acidity. Overall, remarkably youthful. While it’s certainly ready to go, it will likely continue some positive evolution over the next couple of decades. Drink now with a long decant through 2045. — a day ago
Inky! Very smooth and rich with deep flavors of earth and dried fruit. Give me a little pepper and I’m giving a few more points. — 19 days ago
Opened the evening prior at 7pm and double-decanted; the bottle was left at room temp with the cork pressed lightly back into the neck until service. The 2000 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core and a slightly water rim; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous and showing some real power with a compelling combination of ripe and desiccated fruit: dark brambles, cassis, leather, dill, olives, spiced meat, tobacco and soft baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and whoa is it ever delicious. This has to be one of the wines of the vintage. Drink now through 2040. — 2 days ago
Nice for a steak dinner at a restaurant for a reasonable price. Pop and pour Zinfandel blend. Deep color, fruit and spice aroma. Palate is heavily red Zinfandel with dark berries, plum, and spice - pepper with a hint of nutmeg and vanilla. Balanced tannins and acidity. Short but pleasant finish. — a month ago
The “Black Label” edition of the ‘18 vintage for 50th anniversary of the winery, with 3% Cab from the Backus vineyard - a first time for Insignia. Not sure that makes a difference.
Truly an exceptional wine even by Insignia standard. Complex notes of blackberry, red plum, cassis, cedar, tobacco, baking spices, menthol, and light forest floor that do not try to overwhelm your senses. Power and grace on the palate with impeccable balance.
Drinking beautifully now but patience will be rewarded. — 8 days ago
If I could use just one word? Intense! Still tight but the layers of dark fruit are starting to shine through the angular, lead pencil soaked tannins. Everything is super balanced and leads you to a grippy, lingering finish. Drinking it right here in the Idaho Mountains! What a life. Oh, talking about Idaho. It finally got on the map of Wine Folly! Do you want to personally visit some of the best Idaho wineries and try their outstanding wines? Go to www.spokenwines.com 😁. And while you are there signup for our monthly newsletter. Every month you will get intimately introduced to a new winery we visited somewhere in the world with exceptional wines and captivating stories. Cheers! 🍷🥂 — 17 days ago
Samuel Tyndall
One of best I’ve had. Great blend. Lots of bold flavor. Vanilla, oak, blackberry, mosquito spray. Everything you could ask from a red blend. Dry and balanced. — 13 days ago