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Wine Description
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
92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec from the estate-owned Backus Vineyard in Oakville.
Grapes were harvested at an average 24.5° Brix and fermented in stainless steel tanks, then aged 24 months in new French oak barrels produced by Taransaud, Marcel Cadet and Darnajou. The wine was bottled in January, 2010. The 2007 Backus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon boasts aromas of licorice, violet, espresso beans, blueberry syrup and exotic spices. The texture and silkiness on the palate are seamlessly interwoven with concentrated layers of perfectly ripe tannin and fruit. Notes of minerality and sweet oak linger on the long finish.
Vintage Notes
The winter months of January through March were drier than in previous years, and in order to bring moisture back to the root zone we began to till early. Budbreak arrived early with the warm temperatures that spring brought. Bloom also came early with near perfect weather throughout this period which 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. 2007 cluster weights were between 23% and 45% lower than historical weights, producing lower yields. As the summer progressed, irrigation strategies and canopy management became key factors in developing fruit quality.