2014 Joseph Phelps Insignia

97+ RP

Qty:

The blackberry, dark-chocolate and walnut aromas are persuasive. Full body, a dense and fruity center palate and beautiful depth and intensity. The tannin texture is exceptional. Great wine. Drink in 2020 and onwards.

James Suckling | 97 JS

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. 14,500 cases were made.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RP

The 2014 Insignia has turned out beautifully. Finely sculpted, nuanced and classic in structure, the 2014 is built on a core of energy and brightness. There is a level of purity and delineation in the flavors that is remarkable. Bright red cherry, lavender, rose petal and graphite add to the wine's sculpted personality. The 2014 is not an obvious or especially opulent Insignia, but rather a wine that makes its case with its impeccable balance. A closing flourish of bright, floral notes adds the final shades of nuance.

Vinous Media | 97 VM

The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Insignia checks in as 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc and was brought up all in new oak. This beauty comes from six estate vineyards and offers a gorgeous bouquet of black raspberries, cassis, Asian spice and white chocolate. With full-bodied richness, a beautiful, opulent, yet balanced texture, sweet tannin, and a great finish, it's a gorgeous 2014 that's already hard to resist, yet will cruise for two to three decades in the cellar.

Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JD

This fine vintage of Insignia combines 87% Cabernet Sauvignon with 9% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc. Soft, supple and seamless, it offers rich but balanced cassis and milk chocolate flavors, with supportive and complementary oak. It should do well in the cellar and will be best from 2024–2034.

Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE

No Merlot in this vintage, with a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc. The nose is more subdued than on the Napa Cabernet, although there is abundant toasty oak. It's very rich and tannic, concentrated and taut, but remains youthful and reserved. It needs a good deal of time. Very long, with mocha tones on the finish. Of remarkable quality, given that more than 170,000 bottles were produced. Drinking Window 2020 - 2045.

Decanter | 95 DEC

Rich and juicy, with layers of blackberry, subtle herb and spice, cedary oak and gravelly earth, accented by shades of tobacco and cigar box. Maintains a consistent weight and range of flavors through the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Drink now through 2032. 14,500 cases made.

Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Country	US : As one of the most prolific and innovative wine regions in the world, America is a joy to explore. Most wine connoisseurs will agree that the nation's finest and most compelling wines are being produced today, which means that we have front-row seats to one of the most inspirational stories in wine history. While other regions tend to focus on specific wine styles and have somewhat strict rules as to which varietals you could grow, areas like California have few such restrictions in place. As a result, creative visionaries behind America's most reputable estates have been able to develop compelling, unique, and innovative styles, with a level of terroir expression that rivals even France's largest giants.
Region	California : With a history of wine production that dates back to the 18th century, California currently sits as one of the world's most prolific and reputable wine regions. With an area as vast as California, you can expect a colorful collage of terroir profiles, a series of microclimates, and micro-environments that give the wine a unique, memorable appeal. The region's produce is far from homogenized in that sense, and it would take you countless hours to sample all of it. While the region boasts scars from the Prohibition era, it went through what can only be described as a viticultural Renaissance sometime after the 1960s. At that point, California went from a port-style, sweet wine region to a versatile and compelling competitor on the world market. Today, no matter which way your taste in wine leans, you can find a new favorite producer among California's most talented. Notable sub-regions include legendary names like Napa Valley and Sonoma County, places that any wine lover would die to visit. California's quintessential warm climate allows for incredibly ripe fruit expressions, a style that provides a stark contrast to Old World-inspired, earthy classics. Even where inspiration was clearly taken from staple French appellations, Californian winemakers put their own unique spin on the wine.