Tom Garland

9.2

1 hour decant(decent sediment). A striking purplish crimson red color. On the nose: Seductive perfumed notes of red fruit, herbaceous, leather, mint, milk chocolate, cedar. Taste: silky, rich, wine with dark cherry/blackberry, minerals, graphite, chocolate espresso, earth, and a smokey spiced slightly astringent tar long lingering finish with some still there tannic kick. — 24 days ago

with Brenda

Rick Phillips

9.8

Decanted for 4 hours and was floral with hints of spice. Smoothed out over the evening to lush flavors of plum, cherry, blackberry and blueberries. Finished with lite taste of tobacco and old leather. — 3 months ago

with Letha

Tom Garland

9.4

Decant and pour.  On the nose:  dark fruit, pencil shavings, green bell pepper, leather, mushrooms.   Taste:  a brooding, still austere, structured wine with dark fruit, cassis, smoked earth, cigar, minerals, crushed stone.  Some pronounced tannins want you to give it more time for a better score in the future.

At Cote, Last Vegas — 5 months ago

with Brenda and

Tom Garland

9.3

Decant for sediment and pour(decent chunky/fine sediment). A striking dark ruby red color. On the nose: jumping from the glass are port drenched cherries, pencil shavings, tobacco, toffee, balsamic, and cinnamon. Taste: silky, balanced, still fresh wine with currants, little dried cherry, tobacco, earth, dried herbs, and a spicy saline graphite satisfying finish. YUM! In the home stretch, drink. — 8 months ago

with Brenda

Luca D’Ambrosio

9.9

Hate to be a typical wine drinker, but there was a smooth and velvety taste with a continuous bite at the end. Completely coats the tongue with flavor from start to finish. — 10 months ago

Shervin Rafie

9.4

Luna - 9.4
Shervin - 9.2
Haven’t posted on here in a long time :( We haven’t been drinking much wine (or any alcohol rly) but this bottle put us right back into it! Super light, dry, fresh and (Luna thinks has floral taste). Great wine! — a year ago

Wulf Losee

9.1

I revisited this wine in July of 2022, and I am upping my rating to 9.1. I don’t know if it’s just a biochemical difference in my taste buds from day to day, or whether the wine is miraculously transforming itself within the bottle while I’m not paying attention to it. All of my previous descriptions still hold, except at the tannic structure has become fuller. And that holds everything together. My new opinion of this wine is that it’s very elegant, indeed.


My old review: 2019 opened February 2022. Disappointing but drinkable. Mint and nettles on the nose. Unripe strawberries on the front of the palate. It has a weak — almost watery — tannic structure that fails to balance the sour high notes that crowd in on mid pallet. And the pucker factor intensifies as it transitions to the finish, but it dissipates quickly leaving just a hint of lingering flint and menthol. Better than a fourth growth Bordeaux in an off year, but that’s not saying much. — 5 years ago

Tom Garland

9.5

1/2 hour decant(decent fine sediment). A striking dark ruby red with bricking. On the nose: Captivating notes of dark fruit, forest floor, worn leather, mushroom, cigar, smoked meat, some bandaid(brett). Taste: silky, classic, elegant wine with dried red berries, currants, tobacco, saline, minerals and a cedar graphite long dry finish. YUM! What a thrill to drink tonight! — 2 months ago

with Brenda

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Been a bit since my last but still do not think much of the style of their Cabernet. Especially, given its price point.

2022 Napa Cabernet’s more than less boil down to when did you harvest, before or after the 10 days of intense heat during the harvest window.

2026 Taste of Oakvile — 3 months ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.3

vintage 2006 | Needs a few hours to open, very classic with laurel, tobacco, eucalyptus in smell, even chocolate. Balanced taste. Paired with a wagyu burger and zuchinni. Many years to go. — 6 months ago

Irina Georgieva

9.7

Amazing taste, great Chardonnay, very similar to Chablis style. Long aftertaste, ver well balanced wine! — 8 months ago

M. Christopher Roebuck

9.2

Finally talked this dude into drinking.

I don't know, maybe I'm getting old but aged Riojas are starting to taste/feel weighty to me. It's very good. Muddled fruits, resolved tannins, nice and round, leather notes. But somewhat boring. Probably my mood.

92+ points — 10 months ago

Robert Swart

9.0

Smooth, well-balanced, medium tannins. Strong smell and taste of cocoa and lush dark cherries. — 4 years ago

Sheryl Dhuey

9.0

Nice taste, nice price! — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

I recently had a conversation with a few Joseph Phelps Ambassador’s at Pebble Beach Food & Wine in April. I said, I had every vintage of Insignia back to 2006 in storage. They said, “you should really drink up the 2006.” So, I coravined an 06 last weekend, a taste. I agreed then. But tonight not the case, it shows it still has a fair amount of life. Another 5-8 yrs and perhaps plus.

My Ribcap, a definition of Medium Rare Plus.

The nose reveals floral; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, dark cherries and blue fruit notes. Melted dark chocolate, mocha, caramel, softly layered baking spices, very underrated graphite, steeped tea, mid berry cola, red licorice, limestone powder, dry top soil, dry twig, red, dark candied to slightly withering florals w/ liquid violet cola.

The palate shows well resolved, rounded, velvety M+ tannins. Nicely ripe fruits that are floral; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, dark cherries and blue fruit notes. Melted dark chocolate, mocha, caramel river, softly layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanillin, warm caramel, dark Asian spices with palate burrowing heat, dry tobacco/ leather, cedar, grilled meats, very underrated graphite, sweet tarriness, black licorice, steeped tea, mid berry cola, red licorice, limestone powder, dry top soil, dry twig, red, dark candied to slightly withering florals w/ liquid violet cola, candied to withering; dark, red, blue florals wrapped in liquid violets, epic rainfall acidity, well balanced-structured-toned, elegant finish that lasts minutes and falls on earth & heated spice.

95-96 peaking. — 2 months ago

Tom Garland

9.7

Double decant and pour(decent sediment).  A remarkable still murky dark garnet with bricking.  On the nose:  Intoxicating perfumed notes of dark fruit, worn leather, smoked meat, touch of barnyard, tobacco leaf, mushrooms, mint.  Taste:  silky, fresh, regal, powerful wine with sweet red fruit, meaty, dried herbs, tobacco, mineral, and a earthy orange rind lingering finish with a slight tannic kick.  Amazing!!! YUM! — 3 months ago

Steven Larsen

9.3

it’s interesting because this bottle was not properly kept for several years, the cork fell apart upon opening, but this 1983 vintage ,was still delightfully good ! in spite of the improperly kept history, as a Sauturne. It has a nice delightful, sweet and aromatic taste that was quite pleasant to drink. It was open today, March 22, 2026. — 6 months ago

Tom Garland

9.3

2 hour decant. A marvelous medium garnet color (decent fine sediment). On the nose: dark berries, cassis, forest floor, sandalwood, pencil shavings, chocolate, and cigar box. Taste: layered, balanced, still young wine with dark cherry/plum, cedar, dark chocolate, charcoal, and a lingering tobacco/leather finish. YUM! No hurry, a long distance Las Cases. — 9 months ago

with Brenda

Patrick Dolan

8.9

Nose of honeysuckle and white peach. Well balanced with taste hints of pineapple. Slightly acidic in finish. Very nice sipper. — 3 years ago

Norma Munoz

9.8

Deliciously dry. Sprinkly on the tongue. Good finish. I can taste the oak. I can smell the dirt these grapes came from. Love! — 4 years ago

with Roy