Wine Advisor
Joseph Phelps, Insignia 1984
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Last Tasted 5/94 More developed and forward than its sibling from the Eisele Vineyard, this dark ruby/purple-colored wine displays a wonderful herb, cassis, vanillin, and Asian spice-scented nose. Full-bodied, jammy, and intense, with less tannin and structure than the Eisele, it can be drunk now and over the next 10-15 years.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The wine's strikingly dark ruby/plum/purple color belies its nearly 30 years of age. Abundant red and black currant fruit notes intermixed with notions of incense, truffles, underbrush and forest floor emerge from this full-bodied, dense, rich Insignia. It still appears capable of further nuances and development, which is hard to believe given its age. An impressive underlying vibrancy and focus are found in this still young Napa red. This year enjoyed a more normal Napa spring weather-wise, with warm temperatures interspersed with hot periods throughout the summer, and an early harvest. The 1984 Insignia is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc (30% of the fruit from estate vineyards and 70% from growers), and for the first time in a number of years the barrel regime was shortened to 11 months.
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.
