x
  • Country ranking ?

    25
  • Producer ranking ?

    1
  • Decanting time

    4h
  • When to drink

    from 2025
  • Food Pairing

    roasted lamb

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.

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(97-100) Points - Robert Parker Wine Advocate
The 2015 Insignia has a very deep inky-purple color and nose of crushed red and black currants, blackberry pie and plums with hints of dried herbs, sandalwood, spice box and underbrush. Medium to full bodied, the palate delivers a knock-out core of intense, energetic fruit with chewy tannins and a lively backbone, finishing with epic length and freshness. -LPB (Oct. 2017)

96 Points - James Suckling
The subtlety and brightness to this one. Blackcurrants, fresh mint and sage undertones. Full-bodied, yet so tight and reserved. Linear and very racy with fantastic blackberries, crush stones and lead pencil. Love the finish. (May 2018)

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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.’

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Wine Information

The 2015 Napa Valley growing season experienced dry, mild winter and spring temperatures similar to the prior three growing seasons. The majority of Cabernet Sauvignon was 50% through bud break by the end of March, followed by a normal period of bloom. May temperatures were unseasonably cool, but summer months were consistently warm, with heat spikes in September and October, creating conditions for a low-yielding vintage of high quality fruit from one of the earliest and most condensed harvests on record. Small berries and loose clusters led to intensely concentrated, rich flavors and full-bodied wines from the 2015 vintage.

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Latest Pro-tasting notes

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Written Notes

This shows finesse and beauty with dark berries and wet earth. Subtle. Very fine-grained. Medium to full body. Bright and vivid. Lovely length and intensity. Drink or hold.

  • 97p

The 2015 Insignia is a fleshy, flamboyant vintage for this wine and reminds me of the 1997. Tons of dark fruits, tobacco, cedar, and dried flower notes all give way to a full-bodied, seamless 2015 that has remarkable purity and elegance, yet still shows the vintage’s sexy style. Drink it any time over the coming two to three decades.

  • 97p

Lisa Perrotti-Brown Issue Date 13th Dec 2018 Source Interim December 2018 Week 2, The Wine Advocate The 2015 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine is blended of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple colored, it opens with stunning black and red plums, cassis and mulberries scents with loads of redcurrant sparks and compelling wafts of lilacs, pencil shavings, black olives and tilled soil plus a hint of bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate explodes with red and black currant fireworks plus some exciting mineral nuances coming through, framed by firm, grainy tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing very long and beautifully layered.

  • 100p

Optimum, even ripening for Insignia designated blocks was acheived by careful vineyard manage- ment throughout the growing season. Grapes were held separate during picking, sorting and fermentation.

The 2015 Insignia is densely hued with rich dark fruit, cocoa powder and fragrant dried flower notes. Velvety texture and weight on the palate with layers of juicy black plum, Madagascar vanilla and bergamot. Bold, creamy and supple with integrated tannin structure and a lengthy finish.

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Information

Origin

Napa, Napa Valley

Inside Information

90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec from estate-grown Napa Valley vineyards: 21% Las Rocas Vineyard (Stags Leap District), 20% Home Ranch Vineyard (St. Helena), 19% Yountville Vineyard (Oak Knoll District) 15% Suscol Vineyard (South Napa Valley), 15% Barboza Vineyard (Stags Leap District) and 10% Banca Dorada Vineyard (Rutherford).

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