Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Red Wine

Weston hosted Friday group today and was it definitely a can’t miss tasting. Wow! Absolutely knocked it out of the park with heavy hitter after heavy hitter. Similar to Wednesday group, all wines are tasted blind.

I’ve been fortunate to have the ‘12, ‘13 and ‘14 all within two weeks. While I think the ‘12 has been my favorite, this was close. Not sure of the merlot usage here, but it was fairly soft and plush. Ripe blueberries and blackberries but also some tobacco and grilled meats. A few people wondered if this wine could be a Cali Syrah (in comparison to the last 2).

Most palatable of the $200+ Cab Queens. Still not really my cup of tea...I mean wine. Overripe fruit, massive oak, and limited aromas.

inspired by one @Carl Fischer I decided to check on a 2011 i had been holding onto. Short finish but no green for a mostly valley floor wine. The tobacco and cedar box that insignia is known for was there for sure. this probably won't be a 20yr vintage for them I would drink now for another 5.

The wine was double decanted and we tasted it after three hours later. On the nose, a touch of pepper, soft spices, blueberries, blackberries, dark cherries, cherries, black raspberries, black plums, rich dark soils, light vanilla and fresh and decayed dark soils. The 2011 is very lean. It tasted like it had 10-12 years of bottle age rather than it's 6. Not to say that the 11 is turning just yet, but I certainly don't believe this is going to be a long cellar vintage. Soft fruits of; blackberries, black cherries, blueberries, black raspberries, black plum, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, crushed dry rock powder, very soft leather, mid intensity volcanic minerals, lightly brewed coffee, strawberries come on later and acidity that could be better. The 2011 is not going to hold up as many of the other Insignia vintages do. It's already not as rich and full bodied as other vintages at 6 years of age. On the long finish, it's already showing some fig, date and prune qualities. Photos of their big dinning room and some wildly fragrant white roses on the back terrace.

Dark red fruit with tobacco and pencil shavings

Beast. For a 2011, this is drinking quite nicely. Soft, subtle... Full of sex appeal.

Cant go wrong with insignia

Excellent every time.

Dark cassis, very herbaceous, leathery, crush dry rock, black olive, strong mineral finish. Higher % of Petit Verdot in this vintage.

Biased review.