This flagship wine from Joseph Phelps is always one of Napa Valley's very best Cabernet blends, consistent vintage after vintage and this 2015 is one of the best, ever. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec from estate-grown Napa Valley vineyards: 21% Las Rocas Vineyard (Stags Leap District), 20% Home Ranch Vineyard (St. Helena), 19% Yountville Vineyard (Oak Knoll District) 15% Suscol Vineyard (South Napa Valley), 15% Barboza Vineyard (Stags Leap District) and 10% Banca Dorada Vineyard (Rutherford). The wine aged 24 months in 100% new French oak from coopers Taransaud, Dargaud Jaegle, Demptos, Marcel Cadet and Sylvain before bottling in January 2017.
Scores are in for this and they're all high. James Suckling scored it 96 saying "The subtlety and brightness to this one. Blackcurrants, fresh mint and sage undertones. Full-bodied, yet so tight and reserved. Linear and very racy with fantastic blackberries, crush stones and lead pencil. Love the finish. This is a wine that needs three to four years of bottle age. Try in 2022." and
Wine Enthusiast scored it 97 saying "This vintage of the perennial knockout is exceptional—a concentrated blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec. Pencil shavings, red currant and red plum are complemented by hints of crushed rock and cocoa, with persistent acidity maintaining balance. Like so many of its forebears, this is a wine well worth cellaring; enjoy 2025–2035."
Robert Parker scored this 98 points saying "The 2015 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine is blended of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple colored, it opens with stunning black and red plums, cassis and mulberries scents with loads of redcurrant sparks and compelling wafts of lilacs, pencil shavings, black olives and tilled soil plus a hint of bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate explodes with red and black currant fireworks plus some exciting mineral nuances coming through, framed by firm, grainy tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing very long and beautifully layered."
