Joseph Phelps Vineyards - Insignia 2019

James Suckling

A very aromatic Insignia with pencil-shaving and graphite highlights to the dark fruit and blackberries. Full-bodied, yet tensioned and vertical, with very fine tannins that run deep and layered in the wine. Needs time to come together, but fantastic tension and structure. Try after 2027.

Jeb Dunnuck

Another beautiful wine from this team, the 2019 Insignia is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon but includes smaller amounts of Merlot and Malbec, brought up all in new barrels, sourced from seven estate vineyards. It has a classic varietal and incredibly complex nose of crème de cassis, freshly sharpened pencils, green tobacco, and damp earth, with a kiss of background sappy spring flowers. Seemingly from a cooler year with its freshness, vibrancy, and herbal, floral character on the nose, it's nevertheless full-bodied and beautifully concentrated on the palate, with ultra-fine tannins, a seamless, layered mouthfeel, and a gorgeous finish. Unquestionably up with the finest vintages of this cuvée, this is legit awesome juice that’s going to offer incredible pleasure over the coming 20-25 years. Hats off to winemaker Ashley Hepworth.

The Wine Independent

Raffaele Vecchione - WinesCritic.com

Wine Enthusiast

Given two years in new French oak, this vintage blends 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec. Brooding black fruit is complemented by classic notions of cigar box, tobacco, iron and clove, with a leather texture that's still got time to unfurl. Dense and chewy tannins provide a powerful imprint of intensity and ripeness matched in toasted oak. Enjoy best from 2029–2039.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

More elegant and refined than the Napa Cab, the 2019 Insignia features restrained cedar and vanilla notes (despite spending two years in 100% new French oak) and delicate herbal shadings accenting cassis and black cherry fruit. Full-bodied, velvety and somewhat open-knit on the palate, it turns plush and long on the finish, adding a touch of warmth. Production this year is approximately 17,000 cases, reflecting the increased volume coming from recently replanted vineyards. It's remarkable what a good job they continue to do with this bottling year after year, without compromising on quality.

It was a gorgeous afternoon when I pulled into the parking lot at Joseph Phelps Winery. For those who haven't been, it's tucked into a small side valley east of the Silverado Trail in Saint Helena, a short ways up Taplin Road. The terrace overlooking the vineyards and old winery building are beautiful settings in which to taste, and a high shelf in the interior is home to an impressive lineup of empty trophy bottles consumed by the founder. Winemaker Ashley Hepworth had been at Phelps for 23 years when I visited in February, but she has since departed to start her own consulting business. Assistant winemaker Kelly Fields—18 years with Phelps—also joined us for the tasting, and I believe she is staying on. I wrote in my notes at the time that they showed remarkable longevity for non-family members in a Napa winery—I hope I didn't jinx anything! Getting back to the wines, this was primarily a look at the 2019s from bottle and the 2021s from barrel (or tank). Hepworth explained that they picked about one-third of the red fruit in 2020 but