2007 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard
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Tasting notes
The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard boasts a stunningly pure nose of blueberries and blackberries with notions of toast and flowers in the background. Thefloral nature of the fruit only adds to the wine’s complexity. Full-bodied but civilized, this wine’s tannins can be borderline rustic, but that’s not an issue with this glorious, full-bodied, opulent 2007 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink it over the next three decades.. Joseph Phelps’ flagship wine, which they have been making for 36 years, is the Insignia, which boasts a remarkable track record. Phelps, always a visionary, was the first to recognize that a blend of grapes could be better than a single varietal cuvee. Phelps produces a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Backus Vineyard situated on the eastern slopes of the Oakville Corridor overlooking Screaming Eagle and Rudd Estate. Tel. (707) 963-2745; Fax (707) 963-4831
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Tightly wound and powerfully tannic, with dense black fruit and graphite minerality. Pinched now, it has the stuffing – and history – to broaden in the cellar. (LM)
Full ruby. Plum liqueur and chocolate on the nose. Supple on entry, then quite backward in the middle, showing a restrained sweetness and a distinctly savory character. Finishes with substantial toothcoating tannins. Essentially suave wine but in need of at least five or six years of cellaring.
Full ruby. Deep, brooding aromas of cassis, bitter chocolate and mint. Dense and ripe but quite penetrating, offering more stuffing and vibrancy than the 2006 version. Wonderfully broad and classically dry cabernet with strong mint and soil tones contributing complexity. Like the Insignia, this is quite refined for all its power. Finishes with big, broad tannins and superb persistence. A great early showing.
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.