2011 Joseph Phelps Insignia Auction Reserve

Menthol, tomato stalk, blackcurrant, cherry and liquorice. Very dry and savoury but with sleek structure and enough acid to refresh. (RH)

(from a very late growing season in which the harvest took place in October): Dark ruby. Cool aromas of blackberry, dried sage and thyme, Kona coffee, black olive and peppery herbs. Boasts good density and intensity to its cassis and cherry flavors but also a distinctly green element of mint, pepper and herbs. Finishes juicy and firmly tannic: will this expand in bottle? This was the first Insignia vintage since 2000 with all five Bordeaux varieties, as a bit of Cabernet Franc found its way back into the blend--in this case, from three-year-old vines in Suscol vineyard. Hepworth believes that the wine's green notes will diminish over time and that it will evolve gracefully.

The 2011 Insignia is impressive, no doubt about it. In this vintage, it is the wine's length and persistence that stand out most. This is a decidedly Old World style of Insignia with less raciness than is customary. Grilled herbs, smoke, dried rose petal, tobacco and cedar are some of the notes that add complexity. Readers should give the 2011 another few years in bottle for the tannins to soften. This is the first vintage of Insignia that incorporates both Cabernet Franc and Malbec.