Joseph Phelps Vineyards Insignia Red Estate Grown Napa Valley is made from 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc.

The rarest offering of Insignia in twenty years, 2017 Insignia opens in the glass with heady aromas of mocha, cedar, roasted espresso, blueberry and ripe plum. Fresh and focused with building layers of black cherry, blackberry preserve, spice box and vanilla essence. Plush, velvety texture and seamless tannins culminate in a lengthy, lingering finish.

Reviews:

This has a real sense of freshness and grip. A pure expression of Cabernet with a shot of eucalyptus and menthol, extremely concentrated but with elegance and power. The tannins just grip on to your palate and don't let go leading to a lovely chewy finish. This is great stuff, with a discernibly finessed style that shows a fine tannic balance magnified through the lens of Californian heat and laced through with cassis, espresso and chocolate block. Great structure, this will take a few decades of ageing in its stride. 100% new oak, from five vineyards around Napa Valley, mainly in Stags Leap and Oak Knoll. -Decanter 96 Points

COMMENTARY: Somewhere in the archives of my early journals are my notes of the 1974 Joseph Phelps—tasted circa 1978. That once-in-a-lifetime wine (Hmm, do I have too many once-in-a-lifetime wines?) was so memorable that I can still recall its taste to this very day. The 2017 vintage puts a smile on my face as it continues this magic carpet ride of a lifetime. TASTING NOTES: This wine is enticing with its aromas of blackcurrants, dust, earth, and a suggestion of oak. Pair its elegance with a well-seasoned oven-baked, rack of lamb. (Tasted: July 14, 2020, San Francisco, CA) -Wilford Wine 97 Points

The 2017 Insignia is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc coming from: 46% Las Rocas vineayrd (Stags Leap District), 22% Barboza vineyard (Stags Leap District), 13% Suscol vineyard (South Napa Valley), 10% Yountville vineyard (Oak Knoll District) and 9% Home Ranch (St. Helena). It was aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant scents of Black Forest cake, preserved plums and blueberry pie plus touches of redcurrant jelly, potpourri, clove oil and dark chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has gained weight from it's in-barrel offering, boasting rich, decadently perfumed black fruit preserves flavors with a racy backbone and velvety tannins, finishing long and spicy. 7,400 cases were made. -Wine Advocate 96 Points