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Uutiset
97 points Vinous
The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard is a total turn-on. Deep, plush and exotic, the 2013 is also remarkably polished for a wine of its considerable size. There is a real sense of depth and gravitas that runs through the 2013. I would prefer to cellar the 2013 for at least a few years to allow the intense, dark fruit to be at its most expressive. (AG) (12/2016)
96 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The impressive site of Backus Vineyard, right across from the Oakville Crossroads and the Screaming Eagle vineyard, is an extremely steep but magnificent site in Napa Valley. Production for this wine ranges from 1,200 to 1,600 cases. The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard has 90% Cabernet and the rest Petit Verdot and Malbec. This wine is also aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak. The 2013 is a big, strong, powerful, muscular, even masculine style of wine, with high extract, loads of blackberry and cassis, some loamy soil undertones, sweet but noticeable tannins, and a long finish of close to 50+ seconds. It is a wine meant for the long haul, so I wouldn’t touch a bottle of the 2013 for another 5-6 years and drink it over the following 30+. (RP) 
(10/2016)
Viinin Kuvailu
The Story
In the late 60s, Joseph Phelps was running one of the largest construction companies in the U.S. when he won the bid to build Souverain Winery (now Rutherford Hill) located a few miles outside of St. Helena. Enamored with the beautiful Napa Valley and contemplating a career change, in 1973 he bought the 600-acre Connolly cattle ranch in Spring Valley, and began planting vineyards. The winery was completed in 1974 and that same year the first Syrah was made, the first grapes were crushed at the new facility and the first Insignia was produced. It was a period of unparalleled activity, creativity, ingenuity, entrepreneurship and risk-taking and it put Joe Phelps on the map of top Napa Valley wine producers. Nearly four decades later, the flagship wine, Insignia, is recognized as one of the world’s great wines. Twenty nine of 34 vintages have been rated ninety or more points by various wine publications. The 2002 vintage was awarded “Wine of the Year” by Wine Spectator Magazine. Over the years, the goal of becoming 100% estate grown resulted in carefully planned acquisitions of prime vineyards in the Napa Valley. Today, the Phelps estate consists of the Spring Valley Home Ranch outside of St. Helena, Banca Dorada in Rutherford, Las Rocas and Barboza vineyards in Stags Leap, Yountville Vineyard in Oak Knoll, Suscol Vineyard in South Napa and Backus Vineyard in Oakville.
Wine Information
The 2013 growing season proved to be an excellent year in Napa Valley. It was slightly warmer than 2012, resulting in an overall earlier growing season. Lower than normal rainfall paired with moderate spring weather brought with it early bud break and bloom. Sunny skies throughout the summer months led to early veraison and harvest. Warm daytime temperatures followed by cool nights prior to harvest produced evenly ripened fruit with ideal hang time. There is great purity of fruit in the 2013 wines, good structure and overall an excellent winegrowers vintage.
The Cabernet Sauvignon blocks selected for this wine came from both the steeply sloped, tightly spaced South block as well as those vines planted around the property’s iconic smokehouse, known as the North block. The addition of 6% Malbec, grown along a rocky plateau some 500 feet above the valley floor, completes this exclusive blend. The wine will continue aging in a new Taransaud 5 French oak barrel for twenty-four months before bottling. The 2013 vintage highlights classic Oakville black fruit and graphite aromatics with powerful, yet balanced, tannins. Layer upon layer of complexity can be found throughout the lingering finish. Cherish this wine for decades to come.
