2005 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard
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Tasting notes
From a steep hillside vineyard on the lower slopes of the Vaca Mountains in Oakville emerges the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard, which is a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec. This is a deeper, more primordial, richer and more masculine style of wine than the Insignia. The 2005 reveals surprisingly sweet tannin (tannin management can be an issue in certain vintages), gorgeously dark blackberry and cassis fruit, a hint of Graves-like scorched earth and volcanic undertones, and a full-bodied, powerful, concentrated, multi-layered mouthfeel. This is extremely youthful, has 14.6% natural alcohol, and seems set for another 30 years of evolution.
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Robert Parker
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
The dense 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard (93% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Petit Verdot and Malbec) offers sweet creme de cassis aromas interwoven with scorched earth, espresso roast, and licorice. Full-bodied as well as elegant with sweet tannin, gorgeous purity, and admirable depth, this effort has developed beautifully since I tasted it last year. It appears to have 25 or more years of aging potential. The Freestone Vineyard, a 100-acre, cool climate site planted on the Sonoma Coast by Joseph Phelps, is finally coming into production, offering consumers a bevy of different Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. There are three Chardonnay offerings, all of which emphasize the minerality and citrusy characteristics of this varietal with little intrusive oak, despite the fact that they are barrel-fermented and aged primarily in new French oak. The Cabernet Sauvignon program consists of three wines, the Cabernet Sauvignon, their famous proprietary red wine called Insignia, and their single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from the western hillsides of Oakville, called Backus. The regular Cabernet is a solidly made, reliable effort usually comprised of about 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot, Petit Verdot, and occasionally Malbec. The single vineyard offering comes from Oakville’s Backus Vineyard. There are typically 1,500-2,500 cases produced from this biodynamically farmed vineyard. Tel. (707) 963-2745; Fax (707) 963-4831
Cool but sweet aromas of medicinal black fruits, licorice, menthol and graphite; today this comes across as sweeter than the Insignia. Then massive and pliant for the year, showing a distinctly warmer character than the Insignia. With aeration, this exuded lovely inner-palate perfume, thanks to bright acidity, which gives lift to the fruit. But this very young wine finishes with substantial tannic clout.
Bright, deep ruby. Extremely primary aromas of blackberry, minerals, licorice and menthol. Then suave and silky but youthfully tight, even a bit brutal. There's an almost banana-like fermentative note today, along with a strong dark chocolate flavor. The wine's firm acids and major tannins currently give the finish a hard edge, making this very tough to judge today. But there's terrific material here.
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.