Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

I recently had a conversation with a few Joseph Phelps Ambassador’s at Pebble Beach Food & Wine in April. I said, I had every vintage of Insignia back to 2006 in storage. They said, “you should really drink up the 2006.” So, I coravined an 06 last weekend, a taste. I agreed then. But tonight not the case, it shows it still has a fair amount of life. Another 5-8 yrs and perhaps plus.

My Ribcap, a definition of Medium Rare Plus.

The nose reveals floral; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, dark cherries and blue fruit notes. Melted dark chocolate, mocha, caramel, softly layered baking spices, very underrated graphite, steeped tea, mid berry cola, red licorice, limestone powder, dry top soil, dry twig, red, dark candied to slightly withering florals w/ liquid violet cola.

The palate shows well resolved, rounded, velvety M+ tannins. Nicely ripe fruits that are floral; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, dark cherries and blue fruit notes. Melted dark chocolate, mocha, caramel river, softly layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanillin, warm caramel, dark Asian spices with palate burrowing heat, dry tobacco/ leather, cedar, grilled meats, very underrated graphite, sweet tarriness, black licorice, steeped tea, mid berry cola, red licorice, limestone powder, dry top soil, dry twig, red, dark candied to slightly withering florals w/ liquid violet cola, candied to withering; dark, red, blue florals wrapped in liquid violets, epic rainfall acidity, well balanced-structured-toned, elegant finish that lasts minutes and falls on earth & heated spice.

95-96 peaking. — 14 hours ago

Joe DAscoli

9.5

Opened and decanted for about 2 hours

Evolved from being tight and Bordeaux like to eventually giving off some red fruits and having a kirsch like flavor

Fairly robust and a lot of depth. — 12 days ago

Bill Morgan

9.0

Full body Black fruit flavors with hints of cinnamon — 4 days ago

Gabriella Boros

10

A perfect wine. Balanced and complex. A gorgeous first hit of plum with a hint of cherry. So broad fruit at first but then settles on the tongue with a noise terror of tannin. No bitterness just smooth and lovely. Girgeous wine. 2010 vintage gift bottle from Donna and Anders — 3 hours ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

This needed lots of air to open. — 13 days ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.2

vintage 2020 | Totally in balance, a cedarwood charmer, laurel. Roundness. Had the swallow factor when I tasted it. — a month ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2015 vintage. Sampled from Coravin. Medium body. The monstrous tannins tamed somewhat...as they meet a decade+. Absolutely, top-notch nose. If you both respect the exuberance of youth and celebrate the wisdom of age, this is for you. A fascinating, case study currently. 6.24.26. — a month ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Dark ruby/ inky in color with a short purple rim.

Red and black fruits on the nose with cedar, chocolates, spices, tobacco, coffee and black pepper.

Full-bodied and elegant with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with sweet raspberries, cherries, black currants, black plums, cedar, licorice, chocolates, herbs, coffee, light earth, spices, tobacco leaf and light pencil lead.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This young Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley is starting to drink beautifully now. Rich and easy drinking.

Fruit forward and complex, soft and smooth. Spicy and entertaining, powerful yet refined. Showing good balance albeit a little hot at the back of the throat, at this point.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 to 20 years and shows good potential to become a 94+ point wine.

A great sipping wine that will also pair nicely with food.

A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot.

15% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$250. — 7 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2020 vintage. Last tasted 5.13.26 (9.3). Another bottle picked up at $34.99 USD. Tasted over two days. Plenty of sumptuous, complementary oak in the early going that dissipates with time. Damned tariffs slid this offering from the upper $20's to the mid-$30's but still one helluva BDX bargain and a great introductory BDX for Napa/Brunello converts. Meyney killing it for affordable BDX for years. Get you some. 7.7.26. — 25 days ago

K Brooks

9.1

Delicious red wine with cheese and crackers and with potato chips on a wonderful trip to the Pacific Northwest. — 5 days ago

Monis Mirza

9.7

Phenomenal wine. Tannins are completely softened with dark fruits. Incredibly enjoyable. The 2009 still going strong 17 years later. This can easily stay in bottle another 5-10 years. — 20 days ago

Boris Mathiszik

9.0

Really good blend. Took me only two decades to try this Duckhorn offshoot. Plush and mellow tannins. — a month ago

Matt Schwartz

8.9

Oak, sawdust, coco nibs, tobacco, black currant and blackberries. This is rich, deep and dark. Mostly secondary and tertiary flavors at this point, not a ton of fruit left. — a month ago

Joe Flo

9.6

Drinking perfectly at 8 yrs old — a month ago

Paul K

9.0

I love this producer (we actually got engaged here) and the recent fire sale was an opportunity to pick up quite a few back vintages of what I’d call their previous style for incredibly low prices. Let’s not get into how that made me feel about being a member for quite a long time and paying much more, but I do understand it from the perspective that their library size and go to market strategy of previous owner didn’t quite add up. Anyway, this bottle was a little tired and didn’t hold up as well as some of the older vintages I’ve had. Still had good fruit, balance but structure and tension wasn’t what it is on other vintages. I haven’t had any from the new group. I hope they find the soul of this appellation and place.
— 2 hours ago

Daniel M

9.5

16 years old and kicking! This was one of the very first grand cru classés that I bought when I began my wine journey in the early 10's.
The nose shows tar, pine resin, mushrooms, damp autumn forest floor, cedar, old leather, dark cherries, black currant. Some many layers! The palate is complete with fully integrated tannins, a very smooth, silky mouthfeel, nice cherry and black currant notes all along, fully integrated tannins which caress the tongue in the rear, and a long and smooth finish, leaving a nice dusty layer amongst nice cherry and black currant touches. Some cedar, light oaky notes pop up as well as a nice saline touch which adds a layer of complexity. It's in a perfect place right now. Great wine! — 20 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

The label I read showed 2019, my host assured me that it was 2021.

The 2021 coming along nicely and showing some beautiful development. Because of its nice integration, I believe this really was 2019. 🤷‍♂️ — 20 days ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Dark ruby in color with a purple rim.

Beautiful nose and medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing red and black fruits with cedar, licorice, chocolates, herbs, light earth, spices, tobacco leaf, dark coffee and light green vegetables.

Spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This iconic Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Santa Cruz Mountains in California is still very young, but already delicious, even by itself.

Needs a few hours to open up properly, and will continue to age nicely in the next 30 years. Showing good potential to become a 95+ point wine.

A great sipping wine that paired beautifully with my Lamb chops.

A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Aged in American oak barrels for 20 months.

13.8% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$300. — a month ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2022 vintage. Drinking better now, and for the foreseeable future, than the 2022 Opus. 6.24.26. — a month ago

John Harding

9.2

Smooth slight pineapple but not too tart. Buttery, but not too sweet. Refined. — a month ago

with Jenny