Joseph Phelps Insignia Vertical Tasting back to the 2003 Vintage Saturday, August 30th 7:30pm and all the Joseph Phelps wines in the store on SALE!!!
"Oh I'd be a rich man if I had all the money I owe.
But to have that much, I oughta' help them sell my soul.
One and one make two, two and two make four,
That figure don't drive the rent man from the door.
Just got time for a little more wine.
Just got time for a little more wine."
A Little More Wine by Savory Brown
I like this guy, there's always time for a little more wine! Until your time runs out and then there is no more wine for you!! That’s why I always say- drink the good stuff first!!
One Napa Valley winery that I would consider to be a "first growth" if such a thing existed would be Joseph Phelps Winery and the wine of course - Insignia.
Insignia was the very first Bordeaux inspired blend that was made in California dating back to the 1974 vintage, before Opus One and long before any of the elite "Cult" wines of Napa that today garner $500+ in price upon release and more in the aftermarket.
We tasted many of these wines on this offering over the years and I will never forget the "collectors series" wine dinner we hosted at Cafe Maxx with winemaker Craig Williams where we showcased 10 vintages of Insignia back to 1986 from local collectors cellars. Every vintage on the table including the 1998 and 2000 were outstanding! A testament to a great producer, their wines are excellent even in a difficult vintage.
So, when we received a nice collection of Insignia featuring 12 different vintages, I said it’s time to do some scientific work with one of Napa Valley’s finest Bordeaux blends! We are going all the way back to the 2003 vintage and the price of admission is just about the price of the new release the 2021 vintage is listed at $365 on the wineries website.
There are only 14 spaces available for this tasting and the fee is $395 + tax and this includes dinner! For reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.
Joseph Phelps Insignia Vertical Tasting
Saturday, August 30th
7:30 PM
2003 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
2004 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
2006 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
2008 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
2009 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
2014 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
2015 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
2016 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
2017 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
2018 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
2019 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
2021 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
Menu
Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie
Mushroom Soup Finished with Dry Sherry and Crème Fraiche
Traditional Beef Tenderloin Tartar Served Over Bone Marrow with Truffle Aioli
Sous Vied Duck Brest with Cherry Cabernet Natural Sauce and Gouda Sweet Potato Au Gratin
Dark Chocolate Crème Brulee with Raspberry Coulis
The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $395 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com
A brief history of Joseph Phelps:
Joseph Phelps, a Colorado construction magnate, came to the Napa Valley to build wineries for others. Like everyone else who loves wine and visits this beautiful valley, he quickly succumbed to the romance of it all. In 1972 he purchased a 600-acre ranch in the hills east of St. Helena and began planting it to different varietals. The wooden cellars, on a west-facing slope of the home property, are a tribute to two arts, architecture and winemaking. Two pavilions are joined by a closed bridge housing offices. One pavilion contains fermentors - steel in an otherwise woodsy environment - and the other holds lofty racks of French oak barrels. In addition to the home ranch, Phelps now owns vineyards in Stags Leap, Rutherford, Yountville, and the Carneros District.
The first Phelps wine to appear in the marketplace was a 1973 Johannisberg Riesling. That it was an immediate success was no surprise; the winemaker was Walter Schug, born and trained in Germany. Schug left the winery in 1983 to devote full time to his new venture, Schug Cellars. (His assistant from almost the beginning, Craig Williams, assumed the reigns as winemaker.) The winery gradually began to produce a wide range of interesting, high-quality varietals - not only from its own ranch, but also from selected growers in the Napa Valley and in Sonoma County as well. In fact, Phelps once made one of California's best Zinfandels from eighty-year-old vines in Sonoma's Alexander Valley. However, the winery gradually began to trim its number of offerings and concentrate primarily on the Napa Valley for fruit sources.
The winery's truly monumental wines are usually red and are based on the cabernet grape. In each vintage Phelps produces a regular Napa Valley Cabernet from grapes grown on several of the Phelps ranches as well as grapes purchased from independent growers. Some of the Phelps regular Cabs have been outstanding; the 1975 (probably the winery's best ever), the 1977, and the 1980 were at the top of their price class in the Napa Valley. In the middle 1980's Phelps acquired and developed two new vineyards in the Napa Valley - one in Rutherford along Manley Lane in the heart of the bench area and the other in the Stag's Leap District immediately north and adjacent to the historic Fay Vineyard. These two ranches have provided the backbone for the Phelps regular Cabernet as well as a Merlot that was first produced in 1989. Although we felt that the Phelps regular Cabernets had slipped in the years since 1980, beginning with the 1992 they have been again among the best in their price class. In fact, the recent Cabernets are probably the best regular bottlings produced at this winery in nearly twenty years. Although a portion of the fruit is purchased from independent growers, over half comes from the winery's Las Rocas Vineyard in the Stags Leap District and the winery's Manley Lane Vineyard in the Rutherford Bench area. Really special, however, have been the vineyard-designated Cabernets (one from the Backus Vineyard and one from the Eisele Vineyard) and the super special Insignia bottling. The Eisele bottling was discontinued after the 1991 vintage, because - unfortunately for Phelps - Milton Eisele sold his legendary vineyard to Bart Araujo (The Araujo Estate Cabernet has already garnered enormous critical acclaim under its new owners). The Insignia bottling - the flagship of the winery and the first Meritage blend ever made in California (1974) - has been consistently fine for two decades. However, beginning with the 1989 vintage, it has clearly been in the top handful of red wines produced in every vintage.
Over the last few years things have been turned upside down at Phelps Winery. When long time president Tom Sheldon and long time winemaker Craig Williams were both forced to retire in May of 2008, a lawsuit followed. Unfortunately Tom Sheldon died in July of 2008 of brain cancer, but both men were awarded their 40% stake in the winery that was given to them by Joseph Phelps in 1999. In a binding judgment issued Sept. 9, 2008 retired Judge William Bettinelli ruled that Mr. Shelton is entitled to a total of $12,264,000 in damages and Mr. Williams is owed $11,856,000, according to the ruling. Their attorney stated for the record; "Everyone in Napa knows what Tom Shelton and Craig Williams did for the Phelps brand and the Phelps family," said Hainline. "It is time for the Phelps family to do the right thing, honor their agreements and acknowledge how these two men made monumental contributions to enhance the status and reputation of Joseph Phelps Vineyards and their work was what made the winery successful."
This lawsuit left a bad taste in the mouth of many people in Napa Valley, but on my visit to Joseph Phelps winery in July of 2009 the staff had their best foot forward and were moving on, trying to look toward the future. Ashley Hepworth was promoted to winemaker in 2008, she has been with the winery since 1999 and we don't think that the style of the wines will change.
All the Joseph Phelps Insignia in the store on SALE!!
1994 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
Price: $415.00 Sale Price: $349.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(98 points) The 1994 boasts an inky/purple color along with a glorious nose of black raspberries, blackberries and black currants that is still somewhat primary despite nearly 18 years in bottle. The Phelps team kept this cuvee in 100% new French oak for 28 months. Its magnificent structure, intensity and purity of fruit, ripeness, balance combined with authoritative power and the magnetic appeal of this full-bodied, Bordeaux-styled wine are extraordinary. This amazing effort is just coming into its best years, and should drink well for at least another 15-20 years. eRobertParker.com #1113 Nov 2013 Wine Advocate
2002 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa MAGNUM
Price: $850.00 Sale Price: $695.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(100 points) The 2002 boasts an inky/purple color along with notes of graphite, violets, blackberries, creme de cassis and hints of charcoal and barbecue in addition to a full-bodied, multilayered mouthfeel that builds incrementally with great purity, staggering fruit concentration, and a long, velvety, 50+-second finish. This prodigious effort should continue to drink well for 20+ years. eRobertParker.com #1113, Nov 2013
2006 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa (6 Liter)
Price: $2995.00 Your Price: $2635.60 Quantity in Stock: 1
(95 Points) The 2006 Insignia (95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot; 16,000 cases produced) is a superb effort in this vintage. Another 30+ year wine, it boasts a dense plum/purple color as well as abundant notes of licorice, black currants, charcoal, black olives, and graphite. Full-bodied, pure, and rich with moderately high tannins, it represents a California version of a Bordeaux from Pauillac or St.-Julien. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2045.
In case you think the aging curves I have described are unrealistically long, I have the Joseph Phelps regular Cabernets from the mid-seventies as well as the Insignias in my cellar, and those wines are still drinking beautifully at 30+ years of age. Today's wines are better made. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2007 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa Valley (MAGNUM)
Price: $875.00 Sale Price: $695.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
2007 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
Price: $450.00 Sale Price: $365.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(97-100) The 2007 Insignia (a 13,500-case blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot) offers a seamless introduction to this flagship cuvee. Its inky/purple color is followed by aromas of creme de cassis, incense, crushed rocks, lead pencil shavings, cedar, and spice box. It possesses a massive, opulent mouthfeel, serious tannins, and no hard edges. This stunning effort should hit its peak in 5-8 years, and last 40 years. I would not be surprised to see it become the greatest Insignia to date and close in on a perfect score. In case you think the aging curves I have described are unrealistically long, I have the Joseph Phelps regular Cabernets from the mid-seventies as well as the Insignias in my cellar, and those wines are still drinking beautifully at 30 years of age. Today’s wines are better made. Wine Advocate # 186, Dec 2009
2008 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
Price: $325.00 Sale Price: $260.00 Quantity in Stock: 3
(95-97 Points) The blend of the 2008 Insignia, 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot, is not terribly different from the 2007. However, I suspect the production will be a lot less given the frost damage in early spring. The color is an inky/purple and the wine shows lots of cassis, blueberry, graphite and floral notes, good acidity, stunning concentration and purity, and a long finish. Another great success for Phelps, the 2007 and 2008 Insignias may be the best back-to-back vintages they have produced since 1995 and 1994. The 2008 has some tannins to resolve whereas the 2007 has already assimilated them. It appears the 2008 will require 2-3 years of bottle age, but should last for three decades. Joseph Phelps’ flagship wine, which they have been making for 36 years, is the Insignia, which boasts a remarkable track record. Phelps, always a visionary, was the first to recognize that a blend of grapes could be better than a single varietal cuvee. Phelps produces a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Backus Vineyard situated on the eastern slopes of the Oakville Corridor overlooking Screaming Eagle and Rudd Estate. Wine Advocate
2009 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa (MAGNUM)
Price: $625.00 Sale Price: $499.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(93-96 Points) The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Insignia is a big, generous wine that covers the palate with waves of dark red fruit. Today it is beautifully expressive and opulent yet also well balanced. An explosive finish rounds things out in style. This looks to be a relatively approachable Insignia. Floral, spicy notes round out the finish. In 2009 the blend is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029. Wine Advocate #198, Dec 2011 Wine Advocate
2010 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
Price: $325.00 Sale Price: $259.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(93-95 Points) The 2010 Insignia is striking. Cool, mineral notes frame a core of blue and black fruit, licorice, spices, smoke, and melted road tar as this stunning wine opens up in the glass. Totally alive in the glass, the 2010 captures the essence of this cold, late harvest. Hints of menthol, violets and crushed rocks all flow through to the incisive, vibrant finish. My sense is that the 2010 is still holding back much of its significant potential. The 2010 is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 3% Merlot and 2% Malbec. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2030. Winemaker Ashley Hepworth has done a fabulous job with these new releases. While most of the attention at Phelps centers around the flagships Insignia and Backus, over the last few years I have been equally impressed with the straight Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine that delivers tremendous bang for the buck. In addition to these wines, I also tasted a few Syrahs from the 1970s. Today, Phelps is known for their Cabernet Sauvignons, but it is also worth remembering Joe Phelps was the first grower to introduce Syrah to the Napa Valley several decades ago. Wine Advocate #204, Dec 2012 Wine Advocate
2011 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
Price: $280.00 Sale Price: $225.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(96 Points) Impeccable elegance characterizes this vintage of the producer’s marquee Bordeaux-style blend, an expert finessing of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec, 2% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Juicy in exotic black fruit, it stands tall, with silky, towering shoulders of herb, cardamom and clove that will coalesce beautifully over time. *Top 100 Cellar Selections of 2015, Best of 2015* (VB) Review Date: 05/2015 Wine Enthusiast
2014 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
Price: $350.00 Sale Price: $275.00 Quantity in Stock: 4
(97 points) Outer quote mark Composed of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc coming from six vineyards and reared for 24 months in 100% new French oak, the 2014 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of crushed blackberries and fresh blackcurrants with touches of cigar box, sandalwood, dried lavender, beef drippings and mocha plus a waft of wild thyme. Medium to full-bodied and incredibly elegant and fine in the mouth, the lively fruit is well structured by grainy tannins and seamless acid, finishing long and earthy. (LPB) 97+ Inner quote mark (10/2017) Wine Advocate
2015 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
Price: $395.00 Sale Price: $325.00 Quantity in Stock: 7
(98 Points) The 2015 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine is blended of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple colored, it opens with stunning black and red plums, cassis and mulberries scents with loads of redcurrant sparks and compelling wafts of lilacs, pencil shavings, black olives and tilled soil plus a hint of bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate explodes with red and black currant fireworks plus some exciting mineral nuances coming through, framed by firm, grainy tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing very long and beautifully layered. 12,400 cases produced. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2016 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa Valley
Price: $395.00 Sale Price: $325.00 Quantity in Stock: 6
(99 Points) 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. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2017 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
Price: $350.00 Sale Price: $295.00 Quantity in Stock: 6
(96 Points) The 2017 Joseph Phelps Insignia is a fabulous showing in this vintage. The final blend is composed of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc and 4% Malbec, which spent 24 months in 100% new French oak. This immediately gets going with seductive aromatics of ripe black cherries, blackberries and hints of crème de cassis that are accented by baking spices, fresh violets, moist tobacco, hints of espresso and an earthy mineral character that all take shape and emerge beautifully from the glass. On the palate this is medium/full-bodied with excellent overall balance and poise. It delivers a mouthful of ripe dark/red fruits along with spice and mineral nuances that are framed beautifully by lovely acidity, which provides incredible energy and freshness through the long polished finish. While this is certainly impressive in its youth, it also has the characteristics to evolve for decades and looks as if the best is still yet to come. Insignia seems to have a track record of excelling in challenging vintages, and this is no exception, the 2017 is an absolutely sensational wine that should not be missed. (JD) Review Date: 04/2020, Int'l Wine Review
2018 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
Price: $375.00 Your Price: $330.00 Quantity in Stock: 2
(98 Points) The 2018 Insignia is a fabulous showing in this vintage. Composed of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec, which all spent 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels. It begins with a complex aromatic profile of ripe black currants, blackberries as well as blueberries that are joined by violets, graphite, mocha, mint, cigar box, herbs and gravel nuances that all take shape. This continues to impress with its gorgeous full-bodied texture that is structured with beautifully polished tannins resulting in a lovely finessed mouthfeel as it works its way across the palate. It goes on to display outstanding overall balance and concentration, as layers of ripe dark fruits, mocha and spices continue to build up to the long supple finish. The 2018 is already extremely impressive, however this wine clearly has the potential, and track record to age marvelously for decades. (JD) Review Date: 05/2021, Int'l Wine Review
2019 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa Magnum
Price: $900.00 Your Price: $792.00
2019 Joseph Phelps Vineyards Insignia, Napa Valley, USA
Price: $410.75 Your Price: $361.46 Quantity in Stock: 6
(96 Points) More elegant and refined than the Napa Cab, the 2019 Insignia features restrained cedar and vanilla notes (despite spending two years in 100% new French oak) and delicate herbal shadings accenting cassis and black cherry fruit. Full-bodied, velvety and somewhat open-knit on the palate, it turns plush and long on the finish, adding a touch of warmth. Production this year is approximately 17,000 cases, reflecting the increased volume coming from recently replanted vineyards. It's remarkable what a good job they continue to do with this bottling year after year, without compromising on quality. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2021 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa
Price: $410.25 Sale Price: $361.02
(96 Points) A Napa stalwart, the 2021 Insignia is a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec, aged in 100% new French oak. Cedar and vanilla scents accent black cherries and a hint of redcurrants on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is soft and plush, easy to enjoy now but with the requisite concentration to age for up to two decades. Long, silky and tart on the finish. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The rest of the Joseph Phelps wines in the store on SALE!!
2018 Joseph Phelps Chardonnay Freestone Sonoma Coast
Price: $49.00 Your Price: $43.12 Quantity in Stock: 11
This wine is made from 100% estate-grown Chardonnay from Phelps Freestone Vineyards out on the true Sonoma Coast. This wine has a very intense bouquet of lemon drop candy, flingyt minerally notes, lightly toasted oak spice, vanilla bean cremem brulee, a very concentrated and rich bouquet. Thick and creamy on the tongue with a solid core of lemon drop candy fruit , apricot and a nice touch of buttered toast and that vanilla and cinnamon spice here through the tingly mineral laced finish, very rich and layered with a long finish. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
2022 Jospeh Phelps Pinot Noir Freestone Sonoma Coast
Price: $60.00 Your Price: $52.80
A bright bouquet of red cherries and summer berries, black pepper, cassis and sweet vanilla open this latest Pinot Noir offering from our Freestone Vineyards. An exceptionally fruit expressive wine with a core of black cherries and blackberries, lingering Freestone spice and notes of forest floor and tangerine peel. A creamy mouthfeel and silky texture paired with balanced tannins and acidity lead to a long, pleasing finish.
2002 Joseph Phelps Syrah Napa
Price: $80.00 Sale Price: $65.00 Quantity in Stock: 6
(91 Points) Framed by creamy, toasty espresso bean-scented oak, the syrupy core of black cherry, blackberry and boysenberry flavors fold together nicely, giving it a sense of completeness, finishing with a pretty fruit aftertaste. Review Date: 12/2004 Wine Spectator
2004 Joseph Phelps Syrah Napa Valley
Price: $80.00 Sale Price: $65.00 Quantity in Stock: 7
(92 Points) Shows all the hallmarks of the upscale Cabs the winery is better known for, from the softly sensuous mouthfeel, ripe fruit and judicious use of new French oak, to the long-lasting complexities. Red and black cherry jam, cassis, plum sauce, gingerbread, smoky vanillins, peppery spice, and it's all dry and balanced. What's not to like? Review Date: 09/2007 Wine Enthusiast
2005 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Price: $155.00 Sale Price: $125.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(90 Points) Smooth-textured, supple and harmonious, with subtle layers of currant, spice, herb, anise and light cedary oak, ending with a graceful mix of ripe fruit and fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2013. 50,000 cases made. “JLWine Spectator Issue: Jun 30, 2008 Wine Spectator
2019 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Napa
Price: $95.00 Your Price: $83.60 Quantity in Stock: 9
A classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with inviting violet, dark fruit, tobacco, subtle baking spice and earthy dried herb aromatics. The palate is filled with expressive black cherry, blackberry and dark plum, hints of spice box and sweet vanilla bean. A focused, concentrated wine with youthful energy and freshness nimbly balanced by supple tannin structure and finesse.
Blend: 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, 1% Malbec
2021 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Magnum
Price: $247.50 Your Price: $217.80
2021 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Napa
Price: $93.00 Your Price: $81.84 Quantity in Stock: 5
(93 points) There should be around 30,000 cases of the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted as a final blend, taken from tank, it reveals plenty of cherries, plus a backdrop of darker, riper fruit flavors, like cassis and blueberry. There's the requisite cedar and vanilla, from aging in oak, but it's balanced. In the mouth, the wine is medium to full-bodied, silky-velvety smooth and easy to drink, plush without being creamy or overdone, with a long, mint-accented finish. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2022 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Napa
Price: $93.00 Your Price: $81.84
(92 Points) The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is terrific, especially for a wine of its level and production. Aromatic, medium in body and impeccably balanced, the 2022 is seriously impressive. It is perhaps a bit more floral and lighter than most years, but its balance and overall harmony are beyond reproach. This is a strong showing. New oak is 45%, 27% French and 18% American. Vinous
2019 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Napa
Price: $425.00 Your Price: $374.00 Quantity in Stock: 3
(99 Points) Just about pure perfection, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard is a stunning, heavenly bottle of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. Deeper hued than the Insignia, it has a Pauillac-like bouquet of ripe blackcurrants, cassis, scorched earth, lead pencil, and smoked tobacco. This carries to a deep, layered, multi-dimensional, and full-bodied beauty with perfectly integrated acidity and tannins, flawless balance, ripe yet seamless tannins, and a great finish. Review Date: 03/2023, Jeb Dunnuck
2018 Joseph Phelps Backus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa Valley
Price: $325.00 Sale Price: $259.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(96 Points) The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard is a blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Malbec, aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak. Deep purple-black colored, it soars out of the glass with notes of plum preserves, baked black cherries and crème de cassis, plus nuances of pencil shavings, bouquet garni, crushed rocks and unsmoked cigars with a touch of cardamom. The palate is full-bodied and seductively rich, delivering mouth-coating black and blue fruit preserves with loads of exotic spice accents and a velvety texture, finishing long with a refreshing herbal lift. (LPB) 96+ (7/2021) Wine Advocate
2017 Joseph Phelps Backus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa Valley
Price: $315.00 Sale Price: $249.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(96 Points) The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard is composed of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec and 4% Petit Verdot. It was aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a little coaxing before it charges out of the glass with bold expressions of crème de cassis, boysenberries and black cherry preserves plus suggestions of cast-iron pan, violets, allspice and sandalwood with a touch of fragrant earth. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is absolutely packed with muscular black fruit preserves flavors, beautifully supported by finely grained tannins and lovely freshness, finishing with loads of mineral and spice fireworks. (LPB) 96+ (10/2020) Wine Advocate
2016 Joseph Phelps Backus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa Valley
Price: $290.00 Sale Price: $229.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(98 Points) The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot, aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak and bottled in Jan 2019. Deep garnet-purple colored, it charges out of the gate with bold blackberry pie, black currant pastilles and warm blueberries notes with touches of menthol, mocha, cardamom, iron ore and cinnamon stick plus a waft of black olives. The full-bodied palate delivers mouth-coating black and blue fruits with a vast array of earth and spicy sparks, framed by firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. (LPB) Review Date: 10/2019 Wine Advocate
2014 Joseph Phelps Backus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa Valley
Price: $300.00 Sale Price: $240.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(96 Points) Bottled in January 2017, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard is a blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Malbec and was aged in 100% new French oak. It has a deep garnet-purple color and is scented of blackberries, black cherries and kirsch with nuances of dark chocolate, espresso, sautéed herbs, dusty earth and cedar. Full-bodied, big, rich and densely packed with red and black fruits, it has a wonderful frame of fine-grained tannins and great freshness, finishing long with some exotic spice notes coming through. (LPB) 96+ Review Date: 10/2017 Wine Advocate
2013 Joseph Phelps Backus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa Valley
Price: $275.00 Sale Price: $219.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(96 points) The impressive site of Backus Vineyard, right across from the Oakville Crossroads and the Screaming Eagle vineyard, is an extremely steep but magnificent site in Napa Valley. Production for this wine ranges from 1,200 to 1,600 cases. The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard has 90% Cabernet and the rest Petit Verdot and Malbec. This wine is also aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak. The 2013 is a big, strong, powerful, muscular, even masculine style of wine, with high extract, loads of blackberry and cassis, some loamy soil undertones, sweet but noticeable tannins, and a long finish of close to 50+ seconds. It is a wine meant for the long haul, so I wouldn’t touch a bottle of the 2013 for another 5-6 years and drink it over the following 30+. (RP) (10/2016) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2012 Joseph Phelps Backus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa Valley
Price: $275.00 Sale Price: $219.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(95 Points) The Cabernet Sauvignon Backus is their single-vineyard wine made on the lower hillsides of the Vaca Mountains at the Oakville crossroads. The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus, a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Malbec and Petit Verdot, spent 24 months in 100% new French oak. There are 2,900 cases of this massive wine, which is certainly the most backstrapping, highly extracted, muscular Cabernet in the Phelps portfolio. It is inky bluish purple to the rim, showing notes of underbrush, dusty soil notes and plenty of blackberry and blueberry fruit. An elegant and relatively large production for this vineyard, the 2012 is a beauty and the tannins are surprisingly civilized for such a young Backus. It can be drunk in 3-4 years, but will keep 30 or more. (RP) Review Date: 10/2015 Wine Advocate
2010 Joseph Phelps Backus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa Valley
Price: $250.00 Sale Price: $199.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(96 Points) Espresso, mocha, cloves, violets and plums all meld together in the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard. Rich, sumptuous and layered, the 2010 boasts tons of depth and pure structure. Much more expressive than the 2010 Insignia is today, the Backus is relatively open at this stage. At the same time, though, the underlying structure suggests the 2010 will drink well for many years. (AG) Review Date: 11/2013 Vinous
2009 Joseph Phelps Backus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa Valley
Price: $250.00 Sale Price: $199.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(94 Points) The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard is very nicely balanced from start to finish. In this vintage, the Backus isn’t as overtly ripe as it can be. Hints of tobacco, crushed flowers, new leather and spices add complexity to the inky black fruit. Firm, powerful tannins suggest it will be years before the 2009 is ready to provide maximum pleasure. From time to time, the wine’s inner perfume and expressive black fruit show a glimpse of their potential, but the 2009 is a wine that begs for cellaring. (AG) 94+ Review Date: 12/2012 Wine Advocate
2008 Joseph Phelps Backus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa Valley
Price: $275.00 Sale Price: $219.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(94-96 Points) A barrel sample of the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard reveals a deep ruby/purple color, a more subdued set of aromatics, loads of fruit, supple tannins, stunning concentration and a more explosive mouthfeel than the restrained aromatics suggest. Everything is here for a classic back-to-back success for Phelps. It is another 25+ year wine. (RP) Review Date: 12/2010 Wine Advocate
2004 Joseph Phelps Backus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa Valley
Price: $275.00 Sale Price: $219.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(97 Points) The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard, from a steep hillside site in the low end of the Vaca mountains, across from Rudd Vineyards and Screaming Eagle, boasts an inky/purple color along with remarkably sweet tannins, especially for Backus, which tends to be a forbiddingly backward style of Cabernet. It possesses broad, expansive flavors, an opulent, full-bodied palate and unreal length. One of the superstars of the vintage... (RP) Review Date: 04/2014 Wine Advocate
1987 Joseph Phelps Eisele Cabernet Sauvignon Napa
Price: $450.00 Sale Price: $350.00 Quantity in Stock: 2
1997 Joseph Phelps Delice Du Semillon Napa 375ml
Price: $99.00 Your Price: $87.12 Quantity in Stock: 3
(94 Points) The 1997 Delice du Semillon is a decadently rich, unctuous, exceptionally pure and sweet wine that will thrill nectar lovers. This wine resembles a full-bodied Sauternes Wine Advocate
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