2018 Joseph Phelps Insignia Proprietary Red Wine

Proprietary Blend - 1.5L
Reg: $699.00
$625.00
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REVIEWS

JS 99 JD 98 WE 98 JA 97 WA 97 DC 96 VN 96 WS 94
JS 99

jamessuckling.com, April 2021

Blackberry and black chocolate with mint, conifer and clove. Sweet tobacco, violets and flowers, too. Some graphite. Cool and complex. Full-bodied with ultra fine, dusty tannins and a wonderful, extremely long finish...
JD 98

jebdunnuck.com, December 2021

The 2018 Insignia checks in as 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec and the rest Cabernet Franc, from a mix of vineyards (mostly in the southern part of the valley) aged two years in new French oak. It has...
WE 98

Wine Enthusiast, December 2021

This impressive blend combines 87% Cabernet Sauvignon with 8% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc, aging the whole for 24 months in 100% new French oak. Elements of cedar, sage, dried herb and underbrush meet...
JA 97

janeanson.com, July 2021

Joseph Phelps is practically the inventor of the Bordeaux blend in California, and the team has done a wonderful job with the Insignia in 2018. Clarice Turner, who began as a trainee 23 years ago, is now director, with...
WA 97

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, July 2021

(97+ points) The 2018 Insignia is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc. The vineyard sources this year include: 30% Las Rocas (Stags Leap District),18% Yountville (Oak Knoll...
DC 96

Decanter, July 2021

This shows the excellence of the 2018 vintage in Napa made by seasoned winemaker Ashley Hepworth who, this year, celebrates 23 years at Joseph Phelps. The wine opens with a seductive, fruity and generous nose followed by...
VN 96

Vinous, January 2022

The 2018 Insignia is racy and exuberant to the core. Soft and plush, with fabulous balance, the 2018 is such a showy wine today. Blackberry jam, leather, mocha, cloves and menthol build effortlessly. The 2018 can be...
WS 94

Wine Spectator, July 2021

This is richly layered, with cassis, crushed plum and blackberry puree flavors moving through slowly but steadily, while warm earth, ganache and black licorice notes follow along. Picks up a tarry edge on the finish as...

WINE DETAILS

Color & Type Red
Varietal Proprietary Blend
Country USA
Region California
Sub-region North Coast
Appellation Napa
Vintage 2018
Size 1.5L
Percent alcohol 14.5%
Closure Cork

In the late 1960’s, Joseph Phelps, a successful construction company owner from Colorado, came to the Napa Valley to build a winery for Souverain (now Rutherford Hill). Like many others, he fell in love with the region and the industry and in 1974, he completed construction on his own eponymously named Joseph Phelps Winery, just in time to harvest the first vintages of Syrah and Insignia. Four decades later, Phelps Insignia is recognized as one of the world’s great and most highly-rated wines.

Over the years, the goal of becoming 100% estate grown resulted in carefully planned acquisitions of prime vineyards in the Napa Valley. Since 2004, all Phelps wines are made from estate-grown fruit, including Phelps Insignia, the estate labeled Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier, the Oakville single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Backus’, Eisrebe, a dessert wine made from the Scheurebe grape, and Syrah from the Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard.

Joe Phelps also had a life-long love affair with the wines of Burgundy and a desire to craft wines in that style. He found the ideal spot for the perfect combination of climate, soil and location in Freestone, in the Sonoma Coast AVA. In 1999, he began developing 100 acres of vineyards just outside of Freestone and in 2005, construction began on a new winery. Today, 80 acres of Pinot Noir and 20 acres of Chardonnay produce remarkable estate-grown wines bearing the Joseph Phelps name under the Freestone label.

First produced from the iconic 1974 vintage, Phelps Insignia is the first proprietary Bordeaux-style blend produced in California. Primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, each vintage is comprised of the best grapes from Joseph Phelps Vineyards, initially from both grower and estate fruit, and beginning with the 2004 vintage, from entirely estate-grown fruit sources. Grapes from six of the Joseph Phelps estate vineyards go into Insignia: Spring Valley Home Ranch Vineyard in St. Helena, Banca Dorada Vineyard on the Rutherford Bench, Las Rocas and Barboza Vineyards in the Stags Leap District, Yountville Vineyard in the Oak Knoll District and Suscol Vineyard in South Napa Valley.

The 2018 Joseph Phelps Insignia Proprietary Red Wine is a true gem from the esteemed Napa Valley region of California, USA. This red wine is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec, and 2% Cabernet Franc, showcasing the artistry of the winemaking team at Joseph Phelps.

In the glass, this wine exudes a deep garnet-purple color, hinting at its richness and intensity. The nose is a symphony of aromas, with notes of blackberry, black chocolate, mint, conifer, and clove captivating the senses. As the wine evolves, it reveals additional layers of sweet tobacco, violets, flowers, and graphite, adding complexity and allure.

On the palate, this full-bodied red wine delights with ultra-fine, dusty tannins that caress the mouth. The flavors of crunchy black fruits dance on the palate, accompanied by savory undertones. The finish is extremely long, leaving a lasting impression of refinement and elegance. The wine is beautifully balanced, displaying the perfect harmony between fruit, tannins, and acidity.

Renowned wine critic James Suckling describes this wine as "cool and complex," praising its approachability and gorgeousness. He considers it one of the best Insignias ever produced, emphasizing its ability to evolve and captivate over time. Other esteemed critics, such as Jeb Dunnuck, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Vinous, Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Jane Anson, and Decanter, also join in the chorus of praise for this exceptional wine.

The 2018 Joseph Phelps Insignia Proprietary Red Wine is a classic-styled masterpiece that exemplifies the excellence of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. It can be enjoyed now, but for those with patience, it will reward further aging. This wine is a testament to the dedication and expertise of the Joseph Phelps winery, and it is a must-try for any wine enthusiast seeking a truly exceptional and memorable experience.