2008 Joseph Phelps Insignia

(14.7% alcohol): Saturated medium ruby. Aromas of cassis, black cherry, chocolate, menthol, herbs and truffle convey a suggestion of musky superripeness but also a faint green character. Then more harmonious in the mouth, offering thick yet lively flavors of dark berries and chocolate, with none of the overripe/underripe quality shown by the nose. Wonderfully pliant, broad, tactile wine with terrific richness and depth, but still in need of time to absorb its ripe, rather suave tannins. This wine was much tighter and more penetrating upon release but is softening nicely. Most impressive today on the very long, mounting finish.

(from a vintage featuring a long, cold spring and damaging April frost; a series of heat spikes; and a drawn-out harvest under good conditions): Bright full ruby. Aromas of blackberry pie, flowers, mocha and truffley earth, along with a sexy leesy nuance. Juicy and intense; quite closed in on itself in spite of its sweetness. The wine's thickness of dark berry fruit is leavened by bright acidity and floral lift. This impressively dense, slowly evolving wine finishes with a powerful spine of toothcoating tannins. Built for a long life in bottle.

The 2008 reveals an opaque purple color in addition to blueberry and blackberry fruit notes intermixed with incense and violets. Barely approaching adolescence, it is still a grapy, primary, full-bodied beauty that will benefit from another 4-5 years of cellaring. It should drink well for 20-25 years. The weather in May was unusually hot, and the grape bunches seemed relatively irregular and loose, with lighter than normal clusters. However, this proved to be an advantage with good air flow promoted by the loose clusters. The summer was warm, but never terribly hot, and the Indian Summer Napa enjoyed allowed for a stress-free harvest. The 2008 (16,650 cases produced), which achieved 14.7% natural alcohol, is composed of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot, all from estate fruit.