Wine Advisor
Joseph Phelps, Insignia 2016
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
A barrel sample blended of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec and 3% Cabernet Franc coming from five vineyards and reared in 100% new French oak, the 2016 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine has a deep purple-black color and pretty nose of lifted black cherries and wild blueberries with touches of Mediterranean herbs, aniseed and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, it has a chewy backbone and plenty of vivacity, with an herbal lift on the long finish. 14,000 cases are expected to be bottled.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
A barrel sample made up of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec to be aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak, the 2016 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine has a deep garnet-purple color and is a little reticent at this still nascent stage (to be bottled in January 2019), opening out to reveal chocolate-covered cherries, wild blueberries and black raspberries with touches of underbrush, cedar chest and bouquet garni plus a hint of grilled meat. Medium to full-bodied, the palate springs forth with exciting energy, offering loads of red and black fruit layers and compelling herbal sparks, featuring a firm, fine-grained backbone and bags of freshness lifting the finish. 13,500 cases are expected to be made.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Bottled in January 2019, the 2016 Insignia is a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec, aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose is a little reticent to begin, needing a fair bit of coaxing to reveal beautifully beguiling notions of wild blueberries, warm blackberries, black currant cordial, cloves and cedar chest with nuances of camphor, yeast extract, charcuterie and candied violets. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastic elegance and depth, revealing loads of subtle floral, black fruit and earthy layers with a firm, very finely grained texture and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length. 13,400 cases were made.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2016 Insignia has turned out beautifully. Silky, layered and positively striking, the 2016 is magnificent. In this vintage, Insignia is especially silky, refined and understated, which is unusual for this wine that has often been more bombastic. Readers will have to be patient with the 2016, as it needs at least several years in bottle to be at its very best, but this is all finesse and class.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2016 Insignia is fabulous. Dark and powerful in the glass, the 2016 pulses with a sense of vibrancy that is impossible to miss. Even with all of its energy, the 2016 is understated and nuanced, especially next to the vintages that surround it. Today, the 2016 is a bit less expressive than it has been in the past, and yet all of the elements are in place for it to develop into an exquisite wine.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Sweet, racy and perfumed, the 2016 Insignia captivates all the senses with its exceptional balance. In 2016, Insignia is poised and vibrant in the glass, with gorgeous balance of aromatics, fruit and structure. Succulent dark cherry, plum, lavender and menthol are all nicely delineated. Today, the 2016 offers the mid-weight structure of the 2014 with the depth and darker profile of the 2015, a combination that is incredibly appealing. All of that makes the 2016 Insignia one of the highlights in this tasting.
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.
