Joseph Phelps Insignia 2018
99-Point Napa Valley Collector’s Item. “One of the Best Insignias Ever.” – JS
It’s no stretch to call Insignia a first growth of Napa Valley wine. Its track record of huge scores and incredible longevity speak for themselves. The new release, the 2018 Phelps Insignia may just be the finest in history! That’s what critics James Suckling and Jeb Dunnuck are saying at least. So much structure, immense power, depth and balance. Featuring sweet tobacco, dark fruits and figs on the palate, silky refined tannins and a backbone that makes it built to last a long time.
This vintage will be looked back upon as underrated, even at 99 points! The price hikes keep coming for this ultimate collector’s bottle- this year’s release is a whopping $325! But what’s in the bottle is just as good if not better than ever and still one of the best Napa Valley collector’s items you can find.
Original price was: $325.00.$269.00Current price is: $269.00.
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99 Points, James Suckling
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. Savory and refined. A classic-styled 2018. This needs time, but is so approachable and gorgeous. One of the best Insignias ever. Alive and changing all the time. 40% Stags Leap AVA. 87% cabernet sauvignon, 8% petit verdot, 3% malbec and 2% cabernet franc. Leave this for five or six years, but so wonderful now.
98 Points (Cellar Selection), Wine Enthusiast
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 rich red fruit and chalky tannins, with a dusting of cocoa through out. Enjoy from 2028–2038.
98 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
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 an incredible bouquet of cassis, currants, dark chocolate, lead pencil, and tobacco, and while it’s unquestionably Napa, it has a regal, structured, almost Bordeaux-like vibe as well. Full-bodied, perfectly balanced, and layered on the palate, with silky tannins, this quintessential Insignia is up with the finest vintages of this cuvée I’ve tasted and is in the same realm as the 1997 (the first vintage I bought for my personal cellar), 2001, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016.
97+ Points – Robert Parker Wine Advocate
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 District), 13% Banca Dorada (Rutherford), 18% Suscol (South Napa Valley), 14% Home Ranch (St. Helena), 12% Las Rocas (Stags Leap District), 7% Barboza (Stags Leap District). It was aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes storming out of the glass with powerful notes of blackcurrant cordial, stewed black plums and boysenberries, plus hints of cedar chest, graphite, menthol and wet slate with a fragrant waft of clove oil. The medium to full-bodied palate already demonstrates remarkable balance at this youthful stage, featuring a firm backbone of fine-grained tannins and bold freshness to support the tightly wound, crunchy black fruits, finishing long and spicy
99 Pts, James Suckling – 98 Pts, Jeb Dunnuck 98 Pts, (Cellar Selection) WE – 97+ Pts, Wine Advocate
It’s no stretch to call Insignia a first growth of Napa Valley wine. Its track record of huge scores and incredible longevity speak for themselves. The 2018 Phelps Insignia is one of the finest, highest rated renditions yet! Every single reviewer that got their hands on it came up with a huge score for it- cementing its place as one of the greats. James Suckling called it one of the best ever. There’s just so much to like. Perfectly structured and featuring immense power, exuberance and balance. This one will age longer than all of us, and do it with grace. This is a collector’s item you don’t want to miss.
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