Joseph Phelps Offer

2016 Insignia is here! Oh, and magnums of 2016 Napa Cab, too.

Joseph Phelps was one of the greats. He started the winery from scratch and built it into one of the most iconic names in Napa. People hear the word Insignia and, even if they haven’t been fortunate enough to try it, know that it’s one of the best Cabernet Sauvignons in the world. Joe apparently thought up the name while shaving one morning, probably without anticipating the grandeur of the brand he was about to create. He’d studied construction management at home in Colorado and founded the Hensel Phelps Construction Co. with his dad in 1957, which became one of the largest construction firms in the US. In later years, Joe worked out of the company’s San Francisco office and landed a gig building a new winery in St Helena. He fell in love with the valley and bought a 600-acre former cattle ranch in 1973 to start his own winery. In 1974 he created Insignia, the first proprietary Bordeaux-style blend to release in Napa.
The Cabs that Joseph Phelps created are unapologetically bold. They’re rich and luxurious and probably encouraged Robert Parker to start calling wines ‘sexy’. Insignia is aged in 100% new French oak to create a dramatic style that is appealing young but can also be aged and enjoyed for decades to come.

Wood boxes of 2016 Insignia are piled high and ready to go to new homes. It’s the holidays, so we also brought in a limited amount of Napa Cab magnums.

2016 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Magnums
$259.99 / 1500ml bottle (3 btls/cs)

93 Points, The Wine Advocate
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is made up of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc aged for 18 months in 48% new French and American oak and bottled in May/June of 2018. Deep garnet-purple colored, it sings of crushed blackcurrants, blackberry pie and blueberry compote with suggestions of cigar box, menthol, rose hip tea and baking spices. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with vibrant black fruit laced with plenty of spicy sparks, framed by grainy tannins and oodles of freshness and finishing long with a menthol kick.

2016 Insignia
$439.99 / 750ml bottle (6 btls/cs) — wooden case

99 Points, The Wine Advocate
Bottled in January 2019, the 2016 Insignia is a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec, aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels. Deep garnet-purple coloured, the nose is a little reticent to begin, needing a fair bit of coaxing to reveal beautifully beguiling notions of wild blueberries, warm blackberries, black currant cordial, cloves and cedar chest with nuances of camphor, yeast extract, charcuterie and candied violets. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastic elegance and depth, revealing loads of subtle floral, black fruit and earthy layers with a firm, very finely grained texture and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length.