Seth Masterson

9.2

This is a Syrah that is ready to go less than 2 years in the bottle!
Sam is a master at extraction and this wine shows it- maintaining an undeniable freshness while holding a strong stance in the weight and body department like it's been hitting the gym. Incredible presence and character and crunch! The balance of acid, tannin and fruit is a waltz, no actually more of a symphony of harmonics.

@Dave listening to @TheLotRadio — 20 days ago

Catherine Leith

9.0

Nice, but not as full bodied as some of their other reds. Notes of ripe black fruits. — 3 years ago

Andrew

8.9

Crisp, apples — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Facing a natural terrace above the river Miño, located in the town of As Neves, within the wine region of Condado do Tea, bordering Portugal. Pale yellow with pronounced fruit and floral aromas. On the palate white flesh fruit flavors, citrus and herb notes with lively acidity and nice balance of minerality. Crisp on the finish ending with lemon zest notes. Nice! — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Been awhile since I pulled out an Insigna.

The 03 Pichon Lalande is the better wine and steak pairing. However, Napa Cabernet is the choice to finish steak and enjoy on its own after. You never want to do Napa before Bordeaux IMHO. It’s much harder to adjust from sweeter to something more earthy.

Enjoyed the 05 as my score reflects. I don’t remember it being as sweet as it was in previous tastings. Still quite good. It just tipped my sweet scale a little too much.

The body is, rich, lush & round. It’s achieved good evolution after 13 years in bottle and will continue to improve over the next 6-8 years and last another 15 years. As I mentioned, the fruit was ripe & sweet. Blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, plums, hints of blueberries and strawberries haunting the backend. Rich, dark earth, Rutherford dusty tannins and dry soils, purple cola, touch of fresh tobacco & graphite, light baking spices of; cinnamon, dash of clove, nutmeg and vanillin, anise to black licorice, saddle-wood, used leather, dry stems, some dry, crushed rocks/limestone with red, dark, purple and blue florals. The acidity round and nicely executed. The finish was similar wire to wire. It’s, lush, rich, elegant, touch too sweet, polished, well balanced & knitted with a soft, persistent, dark spice on the long set. Very enjoyable second bottle.

Photos of; Joseph Phelps Winery & sloping estate vines, inside lounge are with views of the back side, tasting terrace and front lobby/salon area upon entering past check in. — 6 years ago

with Christina and James

Big Wave Dave

9.4

Such a contrast to 2016! 2014 was warmer and with 2 more years of bottle age, the wine is more fruit forward, more opulent and more balanced against the brooding, spicy character of Gibbston. Fabulous! — 7 years ago

with Rocket

Norman

9.4

Side by side Gravelly better — a month ago

Robert Torretti

9.1

Nice, cool-climate California Pinot Noir. Good red and dark fruits on the palate. I served it a bit too cold, but as it warmed up, the earthiness that this wine is known for came through. I don’t love California Pinot, but Rhys almost always impresses me. — 5 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.7

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Three Vineyard Blend is an experimental wine that was bottled a few times in Diamond Creek's history, but never officially commercially released. The 2013, a blend of 70% Volcanic Hill, 25% Red Rock Terrace, and 5% Gravelly Meadow is superb. What a wine. Rich, powerful and savory, the 2013 is just starting to enter the place where it is approachable, in relative terms of course. There is still plenty of hillside tannin, and yet there is so much about the 2013 that is alluring. The aromatic breadth, the intensity of the fruit and the wine's persistence are all so compelling. Wow. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2021)
— 5 years ago

Tree Kilpatrick

9.0

WA Cab Franc. Might be my first. Smells strange and lovely. Wet earth, aka mud, and dark fruits. Hints of smoke and meats. Even smoked meats. Flavors are robust and extracted. Very full. Nice deepness to the fruit and smoke flavors. This is New World Bordeaux type wine at its best. — 6 years ago

Robert Rothfield

9.6

An intense wine....exuberant nose, long finish and layers of red fruits and acidity that create a tension that is impossible to resist — 6 years ago

Dimes

9.0

Was pleasantly surprised since Washington wines tend to be a little more earthier and excellent soil than I like — 6 years ago

Andy Hall

9.6

This is a seriously good wine. Great nose, great structure and terrific balance from the front palette to the backend. Drinks like a 1990’s Cali cab. Just a baby, it has many years to age! — 7 years ago

Tree Kilpatrick

9.0

Lovely color. Smells like rocks and wet foilage. Flavors are excellent and complex. Rocks and juicy berries. This is great stuff. — a month ago

Scott E. Becker

9.3

[Tasted on February 1, 2026 at Tom and Kathy’s house with Tom and Kathy]

Cherry and strawberry fruit, with black tea, spice and rose petals. — 5 months ago

Leo Gentile

9.4

Delicious fruity zin that’s holding up beautifully. A bit of oxidation although no pronounced off aroma or palette. Remarkable how this rich ripe wine has consistently delivered fruit and supple tannins after 10+ years. Tribute to Mr. Scherrer. — 3 years ago

Mary Christoph

9.1

Really excellent red wine, great with food — 6 years ago

Arden Barnett

9.1

Just a good wine. Grandfather collected Rafanelli from the mid 90’s till Mississippi cracked down on shipping wine to the state in 2010. Brought a couple bottles back for him from Texas. While I attribute the 1998 Terrace Select Cab as the wine that really got me into wine, I overall still lean towards their Zin’s. — 6 years ago

David Shaw

8.9

Revisiting vintage, last bottle, Oregon-based winemaker, wine from his “offseason” making wines in New Zealand — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

The 2015 Napa has a much more expressive nose than previous vintages. The mid red fruits are brighter and more dominant. Ripe; blackberries, strawberries, dark cherries, pomegranate, cranberries, black raspberries and blueberry hues. Good presence of vanilla, cinnamon, very light clove, limestone, dark turned, rich earth, light dry crushed rocks, soft leather, blue florals and fresh red & blue florals.

The body is also much lighter in the 15 than other vintages. It’s still very fresh. At this stage, it’s like a well extracted Pinot. Ripe; blackberries, strawberries, dark cherries, pomegranate, cranberries, black raspberries and blueberry hues. Good presence of vanilla, cinnamon, very light clove, limestone, dry clay, stems, mint, Provence fresh herbs, dark turned, rich earth, dry crushed rocks, soft leather, blue florals and fresh red & blue florals. The acidity is light a waterfall. The finish is bright fruit that is well balanced with earth. However, as it cellars, I predict this wine with flush out, put on weight and gain complexity. Much better palate experiences 10-15 years plus down the road for this 15 Napa.

Photos of, the terrace view from JPV’s visitors center, the JPV annual members party small bites, the lounge area in their visitor center and estate vineyard off their terrace.
— 8 years ago