Joseph Phelps Insignia 2011

  • 96 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 95 Vinous
  • 93 Robert
    Parker
  • 93 Decanter
  • 92 James
    Suckling
  • 91 Wine
    Spectator
4.5 Fantastic (32)
2019 Vintage In Stock
365
329 97
OFFER 10% off your order of $99+
Ships Thu, Mar 21
You purchased this 3/17/23
1
Limit Reached
You purchased this 3/17/23
Alert me about new vintages and availability
Joseph Phelps Insignia 2011 Front Bottle Shot
Joseph Phelps Insignia 2011 Front Bottle Shot Joseph Phelps Insignia 2011 Front Label Joseph Phelps Insignia 2011 Back Bottle Shot

Product Details


Varietal

Region

Producer

Vintage
2011

Size
750ML

ABV
14.5%

Features
Collectible

Your Rating

0.0 Not For Me NaN/NaN/N

Somm Note

Winemaker Notes

The 2011 Insignia is layered with aromatics of dark fruit, cardamom, tobacco, Herbs de Provence and graphite on the nose. Fresh and lively this elegant wine boasts bright red cherry, blackberry and espresso throughout the palate with supple tannins.

Professional Ratings

  • 96
    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. Hold through 2026.
  • 95

    The 2011 Insignia is superb. Deep, layered and so expressive, Insignia is without question one of the wines of the year. Had I tasted it blind, I would have never guessed it is a wine from a challenging year. Still fresh and vibrant, the 2011 is such a pleasure to taste today. Hints of sage, tobacco, spice, menthol and pine add lovely aromatic top notes to a core of inky blue/purplish fruit. The 2011 has turned out even better than I had originally expected.

  • 93
    The 2011’s deep ruby/purple color is followed by sweet aromas of bouquet garni, mint, red and black currants, tobacco leaf and licorice, and a surprisingly intense, full-bodied mouthfeel with more richness and intensity than I would have expected from this vintage. It is also precocious and can be drunk upon release or cellared for 15 or more years.

    Range: 90-93 Points

  • 93
    This vintage of Joseph Phelps' flagship accurately reflects the challenging but charming 2011 vintage. The cool, wet year brings fresh, herbal, rustic qualities – a charming departure from the concentration of more recent vintages – joining a palate of chicory, sawdust and bell peppers. It won't have the lifespan of its more brawny siblings, but offers a different, more approachable, side of Insignia and California Cabernet. The blend is 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec, 2% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Drinking Window 2020 - 2035
  • 92
    A balanced, delicious Insignia for early drinking. Aromas of currants, blueberries and licorice follow through to a full to medium body, fine tannins and a clean finish. Yummy.
  • 91
    Good bright medium ruby. Nicely perfumed nose offers scents of currant, plum, tobacco, mocha and dark chocolate. Plush and sweet on the palate; perhaps smaller-scaled than the top vintages of Insignia but there's plenty of texture and depth here. Dark berry flavors are complicated by subtle tobacco leaf, menthol and dried herb nuances. Finishes plummy and sweet, with big building tannins and lots of sexy oak; largely avoids the dryness of the Napa Valley version. This is the first vintage of Insignia to include all five of the major Bordeaux red varieties.

Other Vintages

2019
  • 99 Jeb
    Dunnuck
  • 96 Robert
    Parker
  • 94 Wine
    Spectator
  • 94 Wine
    Enthusiast
2018
  • 99 James
    Suckling
  • 98 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 98 Jeb
    Dunnuck
  • 97 Robert
    Parker
  • 94 Wine
    Spectator
2017
  • 97 Wilfred
    Wong
  • 96 Jeb
    Dunnuck
  • 96 Robert
    Parker
  • 96 James
    Suckling
  • 96 Decanter
  • 94 Wine
    Spectator
2016
  • 99 Robert
    Parker
  • 99 Wilfred
    Wong
  • 98 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 98 James
    Suckling
  • 97 Jeb
    Dunnuck
  • 96 Connoisseurs'
    Guide
  • 95 Wine
    Spectator
  • 95 Decanter
2015
  • 98 Robert
    Parker
  • 97 James
    Suckling
  • 97 Jeb
    Dunnuck
  • 97 Wine
    Enthusiast
2014
  • 97 James
    Suckling
  • 97 Robert
    Parker
  • 96 Wilfred
    Wong
  • 96 Wine
    Enthusiast
2013
  • 98 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 98 Robert
    Parker
  • 96 Wilfred
    Wong
  • 96 Tasting
    Panel
  • 95 James
    Suckling
  • 95 Wine &
    Spirits
  • 94 Decanter
  • 93 Wine
    Spectator
2012
  • 97 James
    Suckling
  • 97 Jeb
    Dunnuck
  • 96 Robert
    Parker
  • 95 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 95 Connoisseurs'
    Guide
  • 93 Wine
    Spectator
  • 92 Wine &
    Spirits
2010
  • 97 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 95 Robert
    Parker
  • 94 Connoisseurs'
    Guide
  • 94 Wine
    Spectator
2009
  • 97 Robert
    Parker
  • 96 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 92 James
    Suckling
  • 91 Wine
    Spectator
  • 91 Wine &
    Spirits
2008
  • 97 Robert
    Parker
  • 96 James
    Suckling
  • 94 Wine
    Spectator
  • 93 Wine
    Enthusiast
2007
  • 100 Robert
    Parker
  • 96 Connoisseurs'
    Guide
  • 96 Tasting
    Panel
  • 96 Wine
    Spectator
  • 95 James
    Suckling
  • 94 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 91 Wine &
    Spirits
2006
  • 95 Connoisseurs'
    Guide
  • 95 Robert
    Parker
  • 94 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 94 Wine
    Spectator
2005
  • 97 Connoisseurs'
    Guide
  • 96 Robert
    Parker
  • 95 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 94 Wine &
    Spirits
  • 92 Wine
    Spectator
2004
  • 98 Robert
    Parker
  • 97 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 94 Wine
    Spectator
  • 91 Wine &
    Spirits
2003
  • 96 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 94 Robert
    Parker
  • 90 Wine
    Spectator
2002
  • 100 Robert
    Parker
  • 97 Wilfred
    Wong
  • 96 Wine
    Spectator
  • 93 Wine &
    Spirits
  • 92 Wine
    Enthusiast
2001
  • 99 Robert
    Parker
  • 96 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 95 Wine &
    Spirits
2000
  • 92 Wine
    Spectator
  • 91 Robert
    Parker
  • 90 Wine &
    Spirits
1999
  • 94 Wine
    Spectator
  • 91 Robert
    Parker
1998
  • 93 Wine
    Spectator
  • 92 Wine &
    Spirits
  • 91 Robert
    Parker
1997
  • 100 Robert
    Parker
  • 97 Wine
    Spectator
  • 95 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 93 Wine &
    Spirits
1996
  • 95 Robert
    Parker
  • 93 Wine
    Spectator
1995
  • 98 Robert
    Parker
  • 94 Wine
    Spectator
1994
  • 98 Robert
    Parker
  • 93 Wine
    Spectator
1993
  • 95 Robert
    Parker
  • 90 Wine
    Spectator
1992
  • 95 Robert
    Parker
  • 94 Wine
    Spectator
1991
  • 100 Robert
    Parker
  • 93 Wine
    Spectator
1985
  • 95 Robert
    Parker
1976
  • 96 Robert
    Parker
Joseph Phelps

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

View all products
Joseph Phelps Vineyards, California
Joseph Phelps Vineyards Joseph Phelps Freestone Vineyards Winery Video

Joseph Phelps Vineyards is a family-owned winery committed to crafting world class, estate-grown wines. Founded in 1973 when Joe Phelps purchased a former cattle ranch near St. Helena in the Napa Valley, the winery now controls and farms nearly 375 acres of vines on eight estate vineyards in St. Helena, the Stags Leap District, Oakville, Rutherford, Oak Knoll District, Carneros and South Napa Valley. In 1999, the Phelps family added 100 acres of vineyard property near the town of Freestone on the Sonoma Coast, where Phelps now grows Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Phelps is best known for its flagship Napa Valley blend of red Bordeaux varietals, Insignia, first produced in 1974. Awarded Wine Spectator's "Wine of the Year" in 2005, Insignia is widely regarded as a qualitative benchmark for California winemaking.

Image for  content section
View all products
Image for Napa Valley Red Wine content section
View all products

Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.

Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.

BUY131187_2011 Item# 131187

Internet Explorer is no longer supported.
Please use a different browser like Edge, Chrome or Firefox to enjoy all that Wine.com has to offer.

It's easy to make the switch.
Enjoy better browsing and increased security.

Yes, Update Now

Search for ""