A Napa Cabernet that Stands the Test of Time
Posted by Tim Fish on the Wine Spectator's website, 5th January 2010...
A Napa Cabernet that Stands the Test of Time
Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa Valley 1999
Tim Fish, Posted: January 5, 2010
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At the end of the year, I always open a few 10-year-old California Cabernet Sauvignons for an impromptu retrospective. The decade mark is a milepost for California Cabernets, and the first real test of whether a vintage is a keeper or a drinker. The 1999s hold special meaning for me since my son was born that year, so my cellar is well-stocked. (Particularly since 1999 Bordeaux lacked as much promise for long-term aging, although I have a magnum of Latour for good measure.)
My colleague James Laube rated the vintage a classic for Napa Cabernet when the wines were released, and his recent retrospective tasting only confirmed it. A Bordeaux-style blend, the Phelps Insignia is typically among my favorite Cabernets after 10 years, and when I opened a bottle of the 1999 over the holidays, I wasn’t disappointed. The wine was still dense and complex, with accents of lively blackberry and cedar. It was ready to drink but had several years of great drinking ahead. I rated it 94 points, non-blind.
And the 10 year retrospective tasting note which he is referring to from James Laube in 1999 reads:
Complex, with mature herb, dried currant, fresh earth and sage flavors that are focused and concentrated, gaining depth and complexity from midpalate on and then firming up and ending with chewy tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. 1999 California Cabernet blind retrospective (2009). Drink now through 2013.
The original tasting note:
Issue: Jul 31, 2002, Score: 94
Dark, rich and intensely concentrated, with a firm, tightly wound core of currant, black cherry, mineral, anise, sage and mocha-laced oak. Well-focused, with firm acidity and firm yet supple tannins. A young blockbuster in need of cellaring. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Best from 2004 through 2016. 15,000 cases made.
Notes from the Winery
1999 Insignia
Blend & Grape Sources: 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 6% Petite Verdot, 1% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc, primarily from estate-owned vineyards in Stag’s Leap and Rutherford, with additional fruit coming from independent growers in Carneros and St. Helena.
Winemaker Notes: The outstanding 1999 vintage was characterized by a long growing season which allowed flavor development to proceed at a measured pace. Temperatures were mild, there was no threat of rain, and warm weather in mid-July allowed the crop to mature into picture-perfect clusters of small berries which, by harvest, displayed optimal color, flavor and acid levels.
The Insignia from this growing season is a deep, black cherry red color, with aromas of roasted black fruit, licorice, cedar and spice. The tannins are rich and full in flavor and texture to give this wine incredible depth and length in the finish.
