Region | |
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Subregion | U.S.A. > California > Napa Valley |
Colour | Red |
Type | Still |
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Joseph Phelps Vineyards
The 2009 Insignia (82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot and 5% Malbec) is tighter and more restrained, and appears to be going through that inevitable stage when, after a year or two in the bottle, many Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines close down and reveal their huge structure and tannic ferocity. The inky/purple-colored 2009 possesses plenty of creme de cassis, bouquet garni, blackberry, chocolate, vanilla and toast characteristics. It is full-bodied, but the tannins are formidable and the wine seems to be in one of those broodingly backward stages that require patience from potential buyers. There were 10,540 cases produced, so it was a modestly sized vintage, and the wine is slightly lower in alcohol than the 2008.