Joseph Phelps Insignia 2003 750ml

Wine Advocate #1113, Nov 30, 2013 by Robert Parker Jr
The 2003 has performed well in recent tasting, showing a dense purple color along with notes of creosote, lavender, flowers, creme de cassis, espresso roast, white chocolate and a hint of oak. Still in a young adolescent stage, it should drink nicely for another 15-20 years.

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.

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