Joseph Phelps Vineyards
Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Red Wine
Napa Valley, California, USA
Double decanted two nights before service. The 2013 Insignia pours a deep garnet color with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing but still quite youthful with notes of tart and ripe dark fruit: dense brambles, purple flowers, tobacco, vanilla 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+. At 11 years of age, this remains tightly coiled and needs more time to open up and tell more of its story. All that being said, this is very good now…but to my palate, better after 2027 and through 2043.
Double decanted two nights before service. The 2013 Insignia pours a deep garnet color with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing but still quite youthful with notes of tart and ripe dark fruit: dense brambles, purple flowers, tobacco, vanilla 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+. At 11 years of age, this remains tightly coiled and needs more time to open up and tell more of its story. All that being said, this is very good now…but to my palate, better after 2027 and through 2043.
Nov 11th, 2024
Took about 2 hours to open up. A touch oaky at first and too much body but became balanced after awhile.
Took about 2 hours to open up. A touch oaky at first and too much body but became balanced after awhile.
Jan 1st, 2023
Opened long before it will actually show its true depth this is still a stunning bundle of black fruit. The oak and cedar overwhelm the bouquet at first, then cassis, blackberry, black cherry, and plum emerge. The palate is rich and creamy with very ripe tannins giving a hint of the longevity this wine possesses. Mint, cigar box and forest floor are beginning to show but many more notes will emerge with time. Lovely wine, classic Napa black fruit. Cabernet with just a dollop of Petite Verdot (5%) and Malbec (2%) for complexity.
Opened long before it will actually show its true depth this is still a stunning bundle of black fruit. The oak and cedar overwhelm the bouquet at first, then cassis, blackberry, black cherry, and plum emerge. The palate is rich and creamy with very ripe tannins giving a hint of the longevity this wine possesses. Mint, cigar box and forest floor are beginning to show but many more notes will emerge with time. Lovely wine, classic Napa black fruit. Cabernet with just a dollop of Petite Verdot (5%) and Malbec (2%) for complexity.
Sep 30th, 2022
Absolute perfection! Firm, intense and concentrated, massive yet well-proportioned, with a dense, focused core of graphite, dried currant, blackberry, black tea, forest floor and blueberry flavors. Full-blown, finishing with rich, layered tannins that beg for cellaring. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot.
Absolute perfection! Firm, intense and concentrated, massive yet well-proportioned, with a dense, focused core of graphite, dried currant, blackberry, black tea, forest floor and blueberry flavors. Full-blown, finishing with rich, layered tannins that beg for cellaring. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot.
Mar 7th, 2021
Celebrating 20K on Instagram with this beautiful wine!
Dark ruby in color with a short purple rim. Doesn't show age at all.
Fruity nose of blackberries, sweet cherries, black currants, figs, raisins, vanilla, cedar, licorice, cloves, cola, chocolates, mocha, caramel and black pepper.
Full bodied, smooth and bold, with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and extremely fruity on the palate with blackberries, black plums, cooked cherries, cedar, leather, earth, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, mocha, coke, light earth, peppercorn, leather and tobacco.
Long finish with firm tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a great Napa Bordeaux blend. Showing great complexity and mouthfeel. Nicely balanced and fruit forward.
A fantastic wine from a great vintage. I've had a few different vintages of this, from older to younger, and this 2012 vintage is so nice right now. Will be even better in the next 10 to 15 years.
Thank you John for sharing this with me.
Rich yet elegant. Opulent and luxurious. Delectable and delicious.
Robert Parker 96 points.
Good right out of the bottle and much better after 3 hours of airtime. Fun wine for parties if it's in the budget. 😉
A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc. Aged in New French oak barrels for 24 months.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
97 points.
$250.
Celebrating 20K on Instagram with this beautiful wine!
Dark ruby in color with a short purple rim. Doesn't show age at all.
Fruity nose of blackberries, sweet cherries, black currants, figs, raisins, vanilla, cedar, licorice, cloves, cola, chocolates, mocha, caramel and black pepper.
Full bodied, smooth and bold, with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and extremely fruity on the palate with blackberries, black plums, cooked cherries, cedar, leather, earth, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, mocha, coke, light earth, peppercorn, leather and tobacco.
Long finish with firm tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a great Napa Bordeaux blend. Showing great complexity and mouthfeel. Nicely balanced and fruit forward.
A fantastic wine from a great vintage. I've had a few different vintages of this, from older to younger, and this 2012 vintage is so nice right now. Will be even better in the next 10 to 15 years.
Thank you John for sharing this with me.
Rich yet elegant. Opulent and luxurious. Delectable and delicious.
Robert Parker 96 points.
Good right out of the bottle and much better after 3 hours of airtime. Fun wine for parties if it's in the budget. 😉
A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc. Aged in New French oak barrels for 24 months.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
97 points.
$250.
Wine Nerd herd virtual tasting of various vintages from 90s, 00s and 10s - mine was the 2013 - 88% CS, 8% PV, 3% merlot and 1% CF from various vineyards in the valley floor region - four hour decant - this is less fruit than you would expect but certainly an amazing wine - Napa finest at a modernist style Bordeaux blend - nose was rich with tobacco leather cocoa and forest floor - heavy to medium body yet the wine was soft because the fruit was muffled - mid palette with black blue and red fruits - orange peel cinnamon and sweet silky tannins integrated nicely - this could easily go 30 more years but not sure it will get better so if willing to decant and maybe even double decant for an afternoon this wine is ready for being paired with a cowboy bone in rib eye steak and will not let you down - truly an enjoyable experience as was all vintages tasted last night - HUGE SMILES
Wine Nerd herd virtual tasting of various vintages from 90s, 00s and 10s - mine was the 2013 - 88% CS, 8% PV, 3% merlot and 1% CF from various vineyards in the valley floor region - four hour decant - this is less fruit than you would expect but certainly an amazing wine - Napa finest at a modernist style Bordeaux blend - nose was rich with tobacco leather cocoa and forest floor - heavy to medium body yet the wine was soft because the fruit was muffled - mid palette with black blue and red fruits - orange peel cinnamon and sweet silky tannins integrated nicely - this could easily go 30 more years but not sure it will get better so if willing to decant and maybe even double decant for an afternoon this wine is ready for being paired with a cowboy bone in rib eye steak and will not let you down - truly an enjoyable experience as was all vintages tasted last night - HUGE SMILES
Dec 3rd, 2020WOTN - I was impressed - besides always being a crowd pleaser this wine always acts like the postman and always delivers
1 hour decant - was not planning to open but we drank the other bottles like thirsty sailors after 90 days on the boat - color has not changed - the smell has gotten even better - the finish was spot on and the taste was impeccable- remarkable- memorable- a true stunner - blue fruits dancing with black and reds fruits - tobacco cassis sweetness from caramel- tamed but striking how this baby keeps growing - drink now if you want but I will not try again for 5 years or more - this Napa cult classic will last 10 years plus and seems to find a way to get better - bravo
WOTN - I was impressed - besides always being a crowd pleaser this wine always acts like the postman and always delivers
1 hour decant - was not planning to open but we drank the other bottles like thirsty sailors after 90 days on the boat - color has not changed - the smell has gotten even better - the finish was spot on and the taste was impeccable- remarkable- memorable- a true stunner - blue fruits dancing with black and reds fruits - tobacco cassis sweetness from caramel- tamed but striking how this baby keeps growing - drink now if you want but I will not try again for 5 years or more - this Napa cult classic will last 10 years plus and seems to find a way to get better - bravo