1997 Phelps, Joseph Insignia Proprietary Red Wine Proprietary Blend
Reviews of 1997 Phelps, Joseph Insignia Proprietary Red Wine Proprietary Blend
96 points, Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
December 2000
Joseph Phelps' flagship wine is their fabulous Insignia, a wine with a tremendous track record back to the debut vintage of 1974. It is produced in significant quantities (18,000-20,000 cases) for a wine of such quality.
The prodigious 1997 Insignia (83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, and 3% Petit-Verdot) lives up to its pre-bottling promise. Tasted on three separate occasions, every bottle has hit the bull's eye. The color is a saturated thick-looking blue/purple. The nose offers up explosive aromas of jammy black fruits, licorice, Asian spices, vanillin, and cedar. Full-bodied as well as exceptionally pure and impressively endowed, this blockbuster yet surprisingly elegant wine cuts a brilliant swath across the palate. A seamless effort with beautifully integrated acidity, sweet tannin, and alcohol, it is still an infant, but can be drunk with considerable pleasure...
94 points, Stephen Tanzer
May 2000
...Supersweet aromas of blackberry, cassis, bitter chocolate, espresso and tobacco. Thick and seamless yet bright and sharply defined. Very long and spicy on the aftertaste, with excellent grip.Sweet tannins coat the teeth...
95 points, Wine Enthusiast
November 2000
Opens with aromas of black cherry and pencil lead, fruitcake and cookie dough; now it’s all one big melange wrapped a bit tight. The balance and immense depth of fruit shine, even in this unevolved state. Standard dark-plum and chocolate notes are rendered with uncommon subtlety here. The finish goes on and on...
96 points, Wine Spectator
September 2000
Superrich and seductive version of this prestigious red, its layers of currant, black cherry, chocolate and ginger turning smooth and polished, with a long, intricate aftertaste...
97 points, Wine Spectator
January 2008
Dense, rich and focused, youthful and concentrated, with hints of maturity on the edge of the core currant, mineral and spicy berry flavors. Wonderful vibrancy and intensity for a wine this age, which only bodes well for the future. A classic. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot.--'97 California Cabernet retrospective. Drink now through 2020. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 20,000 cases made. –JL
WineZap Reviews
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Mike P.
May 2008
Great body, with a super mouthfeel. Nice dark fruit evident. I liked the length of this one. Still from all I have recently read about this wine I feel it did not show full potential |
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garygooselvr
August 2007
The color of this wine is so well balanced and full with
colors of purple and blue.
There is a smell of jam. some kind of black fruit jam. and there is a spiciness
to the smell an almost aisain spice smell and licorice.
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About 1997 Phelps, Joseph Insignia Proprietary Red Wine Proprietary Blend
About the Wine
"In a vintage that was characterized by problematical weather conditions and low crop yields, there was no compromise in the quality of the 1998 Insignia.
After careful crop thinning in the vineyard and barrel aging in the cellar, small, flavorful lots displaying only the highest aroma and flavor profiles were combined and repeatedly tasted to determine the final blend. This rigorous selection process reduced case production 20% from the previous year, but the result is a wine of remarkable quality especially for a vintage that provided much less in raw materials. With dark, saturated purple color and aromas of spice, oak and cassis, the 1998 Insignia is full-bodied and well-balanced, with sweet tannins framing a layered finish. It is a generous, compelling wine which will almost certainly take its place among the best reds of the vintage."
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