Joseph Pascal

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1984

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

Tom, Daniel and 8 others liked this
Paul K

Paul K

Cool 😎

Agrapart & Fils (Pascal Agrapart)

Minéral A Avize Grand Cru Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs 2018

Impressive showing. Bursting with apples and pears. Still young...would love to try one of these after longer bottle aging. — a month ago

Ted, Pooneet and 22 others liked this

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave

Saint-Joseph Syrah 2018

Unreal. Still so young but drinking beautiful. — 2 months ago

Andrew, Dave and 8 others liked this

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1995

Somm David T
9.4

I will say straight up, I am very disappointed that LVMH bought this historical Napa property. I imagine that Joseph isn’t happy about that. What was the family thinking? First guess, is they lacked their fathers passion & just wanted the money. Maybe, future climate played apart? 🤷‍♂️

I have had the 95 a couple-three times. Again, sounding like a broken record, these are good young, but not great until they are 13-28 yrs in bottle. I’ve had plenty of older JP’s to know.

Once again, I count bottle yrs, not from vintage creation. Human life doesn’t is not counted until birth. Wine for me is no different.

The nose shows slightly brambly fruits, blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, both plums, baked strawberries, hovering raspberries, mid berry cola, anise to black licorice, black tea, soft leather, dryish tobacco, dry twigs, softly layered baking spices-cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & vanillin, understated, dry spice-sage/bay leaf lead, dark, rich, slightly sweet forest floor w/ dry leaves, dark, fresh/withering, dark, red, flowers, red roses framed in lavender.

The palate shows resolved, mushy, thick tannins, insanely fresh, ripe, juicy, brambly fruits; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, both plums, baked strawberries, hovering raspberries, mulberries, goose berries, red to mid berry cola, anise to black licorice, black tea, soft leather, dryish tobacco, dry twigs, dark, rounded spices, incense, softly layered baking spices-cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & vanillin, understated, dry spice-sage/bay leaf lead, dark, rich, slightly sweet forest floor w/ dry leaves, limestone powder, dry crushed rocks, dry river pebbles, moist, grey volcanic clays, dark, fresh/withering, dark, red, flowers, red roses framed in lavender and liquid violets, insane, summer rainfall acidity, the balance, length are off the charts, soft spoken tension is still apart of this cuvée with lush, elegance for days that lands gently on fruit, clay and spice.

This 95 is not tired and, just, and, I mean, just the other side of its peak with a very drinkable decent over the next 5 yrs.

Glorious evolution & style! 94+ a bit. Cork near perfect and some sediment.
— a month ago

Dawn, Juan and 16 others liked this
GaryWEdwards

GaryWEdwards

Maybe LVMH has a greater passion for excellence than the next generation of Phelps

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Freestone Vineyards Pinot Noir

Was fine, but nothing to write home about!✍️ — 2 months ago

Domaine Pascal Cotat

Les Monts Damnés Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2024 “Les Monts Damés” pours a straw color with medium viscosity. On the nose, the wine is developing with white flowers, grapefruit, star fruit, alfalfa, and cream cheese stuffed poblano pepper. There’s also this Double Bubble thing going on. Wild stuff. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. In a world of increasing ambiguity, I love that this is immediately identifiable as Sancerre. Drink now through 2034+. — a month ago

Jan, Peter and 8 others liked this
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

Two Monts Damnees in a row! Good week!

Domaine Faiveley (Joseph Faiveley)

Clos des Cortons Faiveley Monopole Grand Cru Pinot Noir

Silky cherry with tannins nicely integrated . Showing well. Finally! — a month ago

Jan, Andrew and 2 others liked this

Joseph Drouhin

Côte de Beaune Pinot Noir

Beautiful fruit and structure. Opened up pretty quickly. Brought this bottle back from trip to France a couple years ago. — 2 months ago