x
  • Country ranking ?

    293
  • Producer ranking ?

    24
  • Decanting time

    5h
  • When to drink

    now to 2050
  • Food Pairing

    Sonoma County Artisan Cheese Fondue

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

Close

2007 Insignia Awarded Perfect Score

In the August 31, 2018 issue of Robert Parker Wine Advocate, 2007 Joseph Phelps Insignia is awarded 100 points by Lisa Perrotti-Brown in the 2007 Napa Valley Retrospective Report. 

2007 Joseph Phelps Insignia – 100 Points 
"Deep garnet colored with a lingering hint of purple, the 2007 Insignia reveals the most seductive crème de cassis, Black Forest cake and licorice notions with touches of violets, eucalyptus, chocolate box and unsmoked cigars plus a waft of cedar chest. Full-bodied with tantalizing opulence yet compelling restraint, the palate beautifully juxtaposes the rich, ripe fruit with wonderful freshness and a firm yet plush backbone, finishing beautifully perfumed. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2050." -LPB (Aug. 2018)

To purchase this library vintage, please contact our Customer Service team at 707-967-3701

Close

The Story

First produced from the 1974 vintage, Insignia is the first proprietary Bordeaux-style blend produced in California. Each vintage is comprised of the best grapes from Joseph Phelps Vineyards, first from both grower and estate fruit, and beginning with the 2004 vintage, from entirely estate-grown fruit sources. Insignia is a Cabernet Sauvignon based wine crafted from six of the Joseph Phelps estate vineyards: Spring Valley Home Ranch Vineyard in St. Helena, Banca Dorada Vineyard on the Rutherford Bench, Las Rocas and Barboza Vineyards in the Stags Leap District, Yountville Vineyard in the Oak Knoll District and Suscol Vineyard in South Napa Valley.

Forty years after the inaugural vintage, Insignia is recognized as one of the world’s great wines. The 2002 vintage was awarded “Wine of the Year” by Wine Spectator magazine in 2005 and in November 2013, high esteem by critic Robert Parker that in 2014, to mark the winery’s 40th anniversary, he visited the estate for an historic tasting of each Insignia vintage from 1974-2012, awarding the 1991, 1997, and 2002 vintages each a perfect 100 points points – proving that the best California Cabernets can stand the test of time. On his website, Parker reported on the tasting, noting that the event was, ‘one of the most historical vertical tastings I have ever done… I had the privilege of tasting every vintage from 1974 to 2012.’

Close

Wine Information

88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot from 100% estate-owned Napa Valley vineyards which break down as follows: * South Napa, 39% (Suscol Vineyard.) * Stags Leap District, 30% (15% Barboza Vineyard.and 15% Las Rocas Vineyard.) * Oak Knoll District, 16% (Yountville Vineyard.) * Rutherford, 11% (Banca Dorada Vineyard.) * St. Helena, 4% (Spring Valley Ranch Vineyards)

Winemaking Data

Grapes were harvested between September 4 – October 15, 2007 at an average 24.5° Brix, fermented in stainless steel tanks, then aged 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels from coopers Taransaud, Dargaud Jaegle, Nadalie, Demptos, Marcel Cadet and Sylvain.

Winemaker Notes

The darkly pigmented 2007 Insignia is a perfect example of the amazing color this vintage produced. Rich aromatics of mineral, baking spices, dark chocolate, graphite, and opulent plum and blackberry lead to the concentrated and balanced mouthfeel. Silky, well structured tannins, core black fruit and sweet oak notes from our estate vineyards create length and weight that will allow this beautiful wine to age, as well as remain approachable in its youth.

Vintage Notes

January through March were drier than in previous years. Soils dried out prematurely, and in order to bring moisture to the root zone we began to till early. Bud break arrived early with the warming temperatures that spring brought. Bloom also came early with near perfect weather throughout this period. This ensured good berry set for all varieties. Summer temperatures for the most part were temperate and consistent. Due to the low rainfall during the winter months the vines matured more rapidly, canes lignified earlier and the period from veraison to harvest was shorter than our historical average. 2007cluster weights were between 23% and 45% lower than historical weights, leading to lower yields. As the summer progressed, irrigation strategies and canopy management became key factors in developing fruit quality. Overall fruit was excellent and 2007 is considered one of the best vintages of the past decade.

Release Date

September 1, 2010

Close

Tasting note

color

Ruby red

ending

Spicy

flavors

Blackberry, Blackcurrant, Blueberry and Toasty

nose

Complex

taste

Warming, Full-bodied, Rich and Silky tannins

Written Notes

Moderately deep, ruby red colour. Rich, intense and complex nose that has pronounced smoky and jammed black fruit aromas. Full-bodied and opulent mouthfeel. The palate shows jammy fruit with silky tannins and heavy oakiness. A warming finish that is highlighted by sweet spicy flavours.
  • 90p
Load more notes

Information

Origin

Napa, Napa Valley

Vintage Quality

Outstanding

Value For Money

Very good

Investment potential

Average

Fake factory

None

Glass time

3h

Drinking temperature

16

Inside Information

“The winemaker’s role is to ensure that the terroir and beauty of the vineyard in which the grapes are grown are expressed in the finished wine. At Joseph Phelps our winemaking philosophy is to create the very best wine from the vintage we’ve been given, making sure that the wine is complex, balanced, and that it expresses the soul of the vineyard.”

-Ashley Hepworth, Winemaker, Joseph Phelps Napa Valley

Read more
Incorrect Information
If you found some information that is wrong, let us know
Are you sure you want do delete this wine? All information will be lost.
Are you sure you want to recommend this wine?
Are you sure you want hide this written note ?
Are you sure you want show this written note ?
UPGRADE MEMBER PLAN
Upgrade your membership now, it's quick and easy. We use PayPal, the world's largest payment system, it accepts all credit cards. Once you've chosen your membership level, you'll go directly to PayPal. You can cancel your membership at any time.
Thank you for your support!
 

Pro Member

 

Winemerchant Member

 

Winery Member

 

User

 

HOW TO USE TASTINGBOOK?

We recommend you to share few minutes for watching the following video instructions of how to use the Tastingbook. This can provide you a comprehensive understanding of all the features you can find from this unique service platform.

This video will help you get started



Taste wines with the Tastingbook


Create Your wine cellar on 'My Wines'



Explore Your tasted wines library



Administrate Your wine world in Your Profile



Type a message ...
Register to Tastingbook
Sign up now, it's quick and easy.
We use PayPal, the world's largest payment system, it accepts all credit cards.
Once you've chosen your membership level, you'll go directly to PayPal, where you can sign up for a free 7-day trial period. You can cancel your membership at any time. We wish you a rewarding journey to the world of Fine Wines.

Free 7 days Member trial

 

Member

 

Pro Member

 

Winemerchant Member

 

Winery Member

 

User

  Register