Joseph Phelps Insignia 2005
Cabernet Sauvignon
from Napa Valley, California
winemaker's notes:
The initial blend assembled in April of ’06 was quite reticent. Not until early ‘07 did the wine "blossom" in barrel showing amazing depth, texture and vibrant fruit qualities. Deeply colored, concentrated and layered, with floral, anise, black cherry and graphite aromas, this wine is classically structured with excellent acidity, well-balanced tannins and a mouth-staining, persistent finish.
(93-96 points)
"The 2005 Insignia is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec. Elegant and restrained (which is very much in keeping with the style of this vintage), the wine is also rich, dense, pure, with chocolatey cassis notes intermixed with hints of subtle wood, roasted herbs, and spice. It is ripe, rich, full-bodied, but in need of 4-5 years of bottle age. It should last for 25-30 years. It is far more reticent than the more flamboyant 2004." - Wine Advocate
"This vintage of Insignia is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon (92%), blended with small amounts of Petit Verdot and Merlot, sourced from Phelps's estate vineyards in Rutherford, Stags Leap District, south Napa and St. Helena. For now, it's a sleek wine, with black currant flavors equal to a substantial presence of oak. The tannins are superripe and luxurious; they gain detail with air, becoming more mineral while allowing a fresh scent of roses to come forward. Accessible now for its richness, this will yield more complex pleasures with ten years of age." 94 Points
Wine & Spirits
June 2009