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Tasting notes
The 2017 Insignia is quite powerful and dense. Inky dark fruit, leather, spice, menthol, lavender and licorice all race out of the glass. After bottling, the 2017 is quite a bit more shy than it was from barrel. The 2017 was made entirely from pre-fire lots and naturally lacks the opulence the later picks would have added. If opened young, the 2017 will benefit greatly from aeration. In 2017, most of the fruit came from estate vineyards in Stags Leap.
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Tasted out of bottle, the 2017 Insignia is beautiful stuff that excels in the vintage. Revealing a dense purple color as well as stunning notes of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, tobacco, and earth, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a silky, seamless texture, building tannins, and a great finish. It has the more linear, elegant style of the vintage, yet it’s balanced, has ample concentration, and is just a gorgeous wine that will evolve for 30 years or more.
The 2017 Insignia is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc coming from: 46% Las Rocas vineayrd (Stags Leap District), 22% Barboza vineyard (Stags Leap District), 13% Suscol vineyard (South Napa Valley), 10% Yountville vineyard (Oak Knoll District) and 9% Home Ranch (St. Helena). It was aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant scents of Black Forest cake, preserved plums and blueberry pie plus touches of redcurrant jelly, potpourri, clove oil and dark chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has gained weight from it's in-barrel offering, boasting rich, decadently perfumed black fruit preserves flavors with a racy backbone and velvety tannins, finishing long and spicy. 7,400 cases were made.
94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc. Winter rains were much needed after three seasons of drought. A warm summer with regular heatwaves. A balance of waiting for fruit flavours against rising potential alcohol was the key to producing good wine in 2017. Harvest took place between 11 September and 7 October with strict selection, leading to the lowest production of Insignia in 20 years. Deep purple colour. Coconut sweetness in oak on the nose, but there is intense fruit too, with plummy, blackcurrant notes coating that extra sweetness. Expressive and opulent on the nose. Full of spice on the palate, but again the fruit bursts through with great intensity. This is impressive, modern but balanced. Give it some time to settle in the bottle but expect it to age well with the chalky tannins that coat the mouth through to the long finish. (TP)
About the producer
California winery Joseph Phelps is best known for its flagship Insignia cuvée, one of the first and finest proprietary red wines in the Napa Valley.
Product details
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec/ Auxerrois / Cot
Red
Dry