Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 750ml

Wine Advocate #215, Oct 30, 2015 by Robert Parker Jr
The Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, is a strong effort from Joseph Phelps and possibly could turn out to be one of the best generic Napa bottlings they have made in many a year. There are 23,000 cases of this wine, which is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and the rest Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, almost all of it coming from their estate vineyards. The wine saw about 45% new oak (55% French, 45% American) and is opaque purple in color, with a classic Cabernet expression of tobacco leaf, blackcurrants, licorice and Christmas fruitcake. It is full-bodied, dense, opulent and concentrated, especially for the introductory Cabernet Sauvignon in the Joseph Phelps stable. No doubt, the fruit coming from 100% estate vineyards has certainly added quality to this offering. This should drink well for up to 20 or more 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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