Joseph Phelps Insignia 2014 1500ml

Wine Advocate #233, Nov 01, 2017 by Lisa Perotti-Brown
Composed of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc coming from six vineyards and reared for 24 months in 100% new French oak, the 2014 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of crushed blackberries and fresh blackcurrants with touches of cigar box, sandalwood, dried lavender, beef drippings and mocha plus a waft of wild thyme. Medium to full-bodied and incredibly elegant and fine in the mouth, the lively fruit is well structured by grainy tannins and seamless acid, finishing long and earthy. 14,500 cases were made.

Joseph Phelps is one of Napa Valley's most prominent wine producers. The iconic redwood winery is located just outside of St Helena, but owns vineyards across Napa, notably in Stags Leap, Oak Knoll, Rutherford and Oakville and, as of 2004, all of the wines are made from estate-grown fruit. As is the case with many of Napa's most famous producers, the key grape variety here is Cabernet Sauvignon.
The estate was established in 1973. Joseph Phelps was running a construction company in Colorado and had come to Napa for a project and had fallen in love with the wine industry there. After importing grapes back to Denver for vinification for a time, he bought a cattle ranch in the valley and began planting vineyards. The first vintage was released in 1974.
Joseph Phelps' flagship wine is Insignia, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Phelps' aim was to move away from varietal labeling and create a wine that could be different every year, depending on what the vintage called for. It is one of Napa's so-called cult Cabernets, and several vintages have been awarded 100 points by noted wine critic Robert Parker.

Meats, Beef and Venison