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Joseph Phelps

Joseph Phelps Vineyards is a family-owned winery based in St. Helena. It was founded in 1973 when Joseph Phelps, a building contractor from Colorado, arrived in Napa Valley to build wineries. He soon decided to make his own wine and purchased a former cattle ranch near St. Helena. Phelps Vineyards now owns or leases 560 acres of vineyards in Napa Valley and the Sonoma Coast. The estate owns choice properties in St. Helena, Stags Leap, Oakville, Rutherford, South Napa Valley and Oak Knoll. Phelps is best known for Insignia, its flagship Napa Valley blend of red Bordeaux varieties 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. Besides Cabernet Sauvignon and small amounts of Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec, Phelps also grows Chardonnay, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Scheurebe. The estate produces 50,000 cases annually from Napa Valley and an additional 15,000 cases from the Sonoma Coast.

1985 Joseph Phelps Eisele Cabernet Sauvignon

Lightly depressed cork

RP  93   

1981 Joseph Phelps Insignia

Light capsule condition issue; very top shoulder fill; label condition issue

1983 Joseph Phelps Insignia

Base neck fill; light label condition issue

1988 Joseph Phelps Insignia

Light capsule condition issue; very top shoulder fill; label condition issue

1990 Joseph Phelps Insignia

1.5ltr

Light capsule condition issue; light signs of past seepage

WS  90   
RP  87-90   

2000 Joseph Phelps Insignia

Light capsule condition issue; lightly depressed cork; label condition issue

WS  92   
ST  92+    
RP  91   

2007 Joseph Phelps Insignia

Missing back label

RP  99   
WE  97   
WS  96   
ST  94   
JR  17