Wine Advisor
Joseph Phelps, Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is a pretty wine. There is good depth and density, but most of that happens at the outset, as the wine loses some of its persistence through the mid palate and into the finish. Ultimately, the shortcomings of the year can't be totally overcome. I would prefer to drink the 2015 sooner rather than later.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon clearly shows the struggles of the vintage. Unusually dark, jammy and powerful, the 2015 is very ripe and at times alcoholic. It will be interesting to see how the wine reacts to the final period of its aging in barrel. Today, the elements aren't fully put together.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Blended of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc, sourced from six vineyards, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon reveals a medium to deep garnet-purple color and nose of red and black currants, black raspberries and mulberries with hints of pencil shavings, cinnamon stick, cloves and vanilla pod. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has great freshness, with the vibrant, open-for-business fruit well supported by ripe, grainy tannins, finishing with good length. 23,000 cases were made.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa seems slightly richer, even though there is less Cabernet Sauvignon in it (78%), with 15% Merlot and the rest the other three Bordeaux varietals. This will spend 18 months in both French and American casks. The wine has a deep color, loads of glycerin, a plump, juicy, succulent mid-palate, and plenty of blue and black fruits in its flavor and finish. Drink it over the next 15+ years.
About the Producer
Joseph Phelps, a building contractor from Colorado, first invested in vineyards in the Napa Valley in 1972. In 1974 Phelps and his winemaker Walter Schugg produced their first vintage of Insignia, which at the time was one of the first Bordeaux style blends in California. Its Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot grapes are sourced primarily from Rutherford & Stags Leap (notably for `Insignia'); the Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc from Los Carneros & Napa (for the better quality fruit). Joseph Phelps Vineyards is a family-owned and operated wine estate with vineyards and wineries in Napa Valley and on the western Sonoma Coast. The winery was founded in 1973 by Joseph Phelps, a successful construction executive and entrepreneur whose early interest in wine led him to establish vineyards on a 670-acre former cattle ranch in Napa Valley. Over the next 42 years Joe became one of the most respected figures in the California wine industry, building Joseph Phelps Vineyards into a critically-acclaimed winery internationally known for its iconic wines and unwavering commitment to quality. Every wine in the Joseph Phelps portfolio is 100% estate-grown, overseen from grape to bottle by our dedicated winegrowing team. Their family owns and farms 390 acres of vines in Napa Valley on eight estate vineyards in St. Helena, Rutherford, Oakville, the Stags Leap District, the Oak Knoll District, South Napa and Carneros, as well as 100 acres over two vineyards on the western Sonoma Coast. Strategically chosen over many decades, each vineyard has its own personality and brings a different characteristic to our wines. Our commitment to the estate-grown model is our way of ensuring consistency and the highest quality we can possibly achieve. Our estate vineyards give our winemaking teams unparalleled depth and diversity when it comes to producing Joseph Phelps wines.
