Joseph Phelps Syrah 1999 Front Bottle Shot
Joseph Phelps Syrah 1999 Front Bottle Shot Joseph Phelps Syrah 1999 Front Label

Winemaker Notes

Ripe and concentrated with plenty of color and spicy, red fruit aromas, this wine is distinguished by its core of berry flavors and harmonious balance. This vintage, while showy and drinkable now, will provide enjoyment for years to come.

Professional Ratings

  • 90

    Rich and concentrated, with well developed flavors of plums and blackberries and a spicy, peppery streak. Very dry, with stylish, ripe and fine tannins, and enough acidity for balance. This wine feels distinguished enough for the best tables.

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

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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.

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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.

SWS73543_1999 Item# 58690