JOSEPH PHELPS INSIGNIA 1.5L 2001

Still a young wine at age 12, the 2001 Insignia exhibits a dense purple color along with a sweet bouquet of camphor, blackberries, cassis, incense and spring flowers. Full-bodied, rich and heady with sweet tannin, stunning concentration and a fabulous finish, this remarkable Insignia has 25 or more years of life ahead of it. A whopping 18,000 cases were made of this great vintage of Insignia, a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec (the first vintage of Insignia with no Merlot included). Seventy-three percent came from the estate vineyards and 27% from growers. The 2001 spent 23 months in new French oak, and the alcohol came in at 13%. The year began impressively, with warm weather early-on followed by heat spikes in May that continued off and on through July. Both August and September were cooler than normal, but in early October, Napa Valley experienced temperatures in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit for seven straight days. As I have written previously, 2001 has turned out to be a great vintage, and the heat spikes that can be so devastating did not have much of a deleterious effect on the grapes, perhaps because many had already been or were in the process of being harvested.

(89% cabernet sauvignon, with 8% petit verdot and bits of merlot and malbec) Saturated ruby. Wild but pure aromas of crushed black fruits, bitter chocolate, minerals and game; slightly reduced and raw at this stage. Then lush and silky, with outstanding concentration and depth and a sweet, gamey element. At once layered and vibrant, with terrific energy in the middle palate. The strong but thoroughly ripe tannins coat the front teeth. A potentially great wine in the making.