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Joseph Phelps Vineyards Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1997
The prodigious 1997 Insignia (83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, and 3% Petit-Verdot) lives up to its pre-bottling promise. Tasted on three separate occasions, every bottle has hit the bull's eye. The color is a saturated thick-looking blue/purple. The nose offers up explosive aromas of jammy black fruits, licorice, Asian spices, vanillin, and cedar. Full-bodied as well as exceptionally pure and impressively endowed, this blockbuster yet surprisingly elegant wine cuts a brilliant swath across the palate. A seamless effort with beautifully integrated acidity...Anticipated maturity: now-2025. Robert Parker
Ratings on Delectable
Jay Kline 
Flight #1 of our 1997 Retrospective. Presented single-blind; no formal notes. This had a really compelling mix of fruit and non-fruit notes; multifaceted, balanced. Superb structure. Bordeaux-like. Called this “Insignia”. This was my favorite of the flight and the most complete wine in the line-up. Drinking well now and should hold that way well through 2027.
Flight #1 of our 1997 Retrospective. Presented single-blind; no formal notes. This had a really compelling mix of fruit and non-fruit notes; multifaceted, balanced. Superb structure. Bordeaux-like. Called this “Insignia”. This was my favorite of the flight and the most complete wine in the line-up. Drinking well now and should hold that way well through 2027.
9.4
Severn Goodwin
Capitol Region Wine Collectors Club (WCC), CA Cabernet Pre-2000; 20 April 2023 at Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY
Capitol Region Wine Collectors Club (WCC), CA Cabernet Pre-2000; 20 April 2023 at Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY
9.4
Robert Cunningham
Wine Educator DeVinimus, Wine Workshop
Modern style but showing very well. Dusty red earth tones.
Modern style but showing very well. Dusty red earth tones.
9.2
Shay A
An absolutely stunning lunch from @joe leatherwood today. 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 5 reds and 1 dessert wine. All served blind. In. The. Zone. The first of five mind blowing reds. This, to me, epitomizes first growth version of Bordeaux. In fact, I called this Napa royalty style first growth style. It is dusty and just starting to channel some herbal and leather notes, but the density and purity/softness of the fruit (still quite dark, hint of red fruit), scream older Napa Cab. Added notes of fig, leafy tobacco, and truffled dark cocoa. Wonderful!
An absolutely stunning lunch from @joe leatherwood today. 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 5 reds and 1 dessert wine. All served blind. In. The. Zone. The first of five mind blowing reds. This, to me, epitomizes first growth version of Bordeaux. In fact, I called this Napa royalty style first growth style. It is dusty and just starting to channel some herbal and leather notes, but the density and purity/softness of the fruit (still quite dark, hint of red fruit), scream older Napa Cab. Added notes of fig, leafy tobacco, and truffled dark cocoa. Wonderful!
9.6
Henrik Poulsen
(93-95 pts for me at this point). I’m not usually a fan of this vintage but this is one of the successes.
(93-95 pts for me at this point). I’m not usually a fan of this vintage but this is one of the successes.
9.4
Mike Saviage
From magnum. Deep reddish tawny color. Almost opaque. Nice seductive nose. Notes of blackberries, cedar box, warm blueberries, a little currant and some tobacco leaf. Really nicely balanced with tannins fully resolved and integrated. In a great place and don’t think it will get much better from here, but clearly built to last.
From magnum. Deep reddish tawny color. Almost opaque. Nice seductive nose. Notes of blackberries, cedar box, warm blueberries, a little currant and some tobacco leaf. Really nicely balanced with tannins fully resolved and integrated. In a great place and don’t think it will get much better from here, but clearly built to last.
9.4
Charlie Beatty
Buyer wineworksonline.com
Awesome 97 Insignia. The wine of the night and there were plenty others. Sharing this with all on our Monday night dinner group. I would say 100 points because it was. Guys like Rob Parker recently upgraded this to a 100pts. Big rich full and elegant stand out on this 20 yr old wine. Thanks David for giving me this Awesome Beauty. CB
Awesome 97 Insignia. The wine of the night and there were plenty others. Sharing this with all on our Monday night dinner group. I would say 100 points because it was. Guys like Rob Parker recently upgraded this to a 100pts. Big rich full and elegant stand out on this 20 yr old wine. Thanks David for giving me this Awesome Beauty. CB
10Kevin Sidders
President VinConnect
Wow this is fantastic. Napa Red the way it ought to be -- lots of fruit, nicely framed by oak, amazingly complex and yet great balance. Just a gorgeous drink and in its prime window I think. Second bottle of this in past year and both incredible...
Wow this is fantastic. Napa Red the way it ought to be -- lots of fruit, nicely framed by oak, amazingly complex and yet great balance. Just a gorgeous drink and in its prime window I think. Second bottle of this in past year and both incredible...
9.8
Jason Chang
Proprietor NINE SUNS Winery, HOUYI Vineyard
Great nose
Great nose
9.3
Ron R
Notes of leather, sage and tobacco on the nose. Nice texture with fully integrated tannins. Still has lots of fruit. Plenty of runway, but best consumed now.
Notes of leather, sage and tobacco on the nose. Nice texture with fully integrated tannins. Still has lots of fruit. Plenty of runway, but best consumed now.
9.5
See all reviews and ratings on Delectable WARNING: DRINKING DISTILLED SPIRITS, BEER, COOLERS, WINE AND OTHER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MAY INCREASE CANCER RISK, AND, DURING PREGNANCY, CAN CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS.