Robert Parker 90 points - The 2000 Insignia reveals a smoky, rich cassis characteristic, medium to full body, and an open-knit, lush, generous style without the austere backwardness of the 1999. Expan-sive, fleshy and seductive, it should drink well for 15–16 years. (90–92) (Aug 2002)
With the release of the 1974 Insignia in the spring of 1978, Joseph Phelps Vineyards became the first California winery to produce a blend of the traditional Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot grape varieties of Bordeaux under a proprietary label. Considered innovative at the time, the Insignia name was selected to represent the finest available production in each vintage year, and became the first proprietary wine of California to place blending above either varietal or vineyard designation as a determinant of quality. It would not be followed until a decade later by the second such wine, Opus One, and Insignia has remained the benchmark of this category for over a quarter century.
Insignia is an opulent wine of concentration, complexity and structure, with a superb balance of finely tuned acidity and dense, velvety tannins. Cassis, liquorice and spice are abundant on the palate, with notes of eucalyptus and earth. The finish is sweet, elegant and extended.
| Wine maker notes |
| Grapes were harvested between September 26 and October 4 at an average 24.6° Brix, fermented in stainless steel tanks, then aged 26 months in new French oak barrels before being bottled in February, 2003. |
