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Joseph Phelps VineyardsCalifornia

€374.80
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TECH SHEET

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Vintage
2018
Country
United StatesUnited States
Region
California
Type
Red
Producer
Joseph Phelps Vineyards
Winemaker
Joseph Phelps
Grapes
Cabernet SauvignonPetit VerdotMerlotMalbec
Alcohol
14.5% vol.
Bottle
750 ml

Wine profile

Red · purple

Body
Tannin
Acidity
Alcohol14.5% vol
Intensity

Tap or hover a scale

Wine profile · Red

Body

Level 4 of 5 — Full and broad – like single cream

In line with typical (3.8) · Typical: average of 711 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Body is the weight and texture of the wine in your mouth. It comes mainly from alcohol, extract (everything dissolved apart from water), glycerol and, in sweet wines, sugar.

Where you feel it

Across the whole tongue: how much the wine fills your mouth. Think skimmed milk, whole milk and cream.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: Vinogrande's tasting notes and wine description.

There is no single number for body. Labs measure dry extract (many wines are between 18 and 30 g/L) and alcohol, which WSET says has the biggest effect on body. Our scale rates the weight in the mouth.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Light: fluid and delicate
  2. 2Medium−: light-ish
  3. 3Medium: rounded
  4. 4Medium+: broad This wine
  5. 5Full: dense and rich

In practice, for this wine

Wants dishes with structure: red meat, roasts, mushrooms, aged cheese.

Wine profile · Red

Tannin

Level 3 of 5 — Present – a gentle grip on the gums

In line with typical (3.2) · Typical: average of 708 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Tannins come from grape skins, seeds and oak. They give red wines structure and ageing potential, and soften with time.

Where you feel it

On your gums, inside your cheeks and on your teeth: that rough, drying feel, like after strong black tea.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: Vinogrande's tasting notes and wine description.

Labs measure total polyphenols (the TPI index), but that figure is rarely published. Our scale rates the amount and texture of the tannins in the mouth.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Low: silky
  2. 2Medium−: soft
  3. 3Medium: present This wine
  4. 4Medium+: firm
  5. 5High: robust

In practice, for this wine

At ease with grilled meat and hard cheese.

Wine profile · Red

Acidity

Level 4 of 5 — Lively and mouth-watering – like grapefruit

In line with typical (3.6) · Typical: average of 702 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Acidity is the wine's freshness: it gives energy, makes your mouth water and helps the wine age. Too little and it tastes flat; too much and it feels sharp.

Where you feel it

On the sides of your tongue, and in how much your mouth waters after you swallow. The more you salivate, the higher the acidity.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the typical profile of the grapes (Wine Folly / WSET), as we have no specific data. Estimate

Labs measure total acidity (grams of tartaric acid per litre; most wines sit between 4.5 and 8 g/L) and pH (usually 3.0 to 3.8; the lower, the more acidic). Our scale turns that into how it feels in the mouth.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Low: soft, little freshness
  2. 2Medium−: gentle
  3. 3Medium: fresh and balanced
  4. 4Medium+: lively, mouth-watering This wine
  5. 5High: crisp, racy

In practice, for this wine

Cuts through fat and salt: oily fish, fried food, goat's cheese, lemony dishes. Serve well chilled.

Wine profile · Red

Alcohol 14.5% vol

Level 5 of 5 — Warm and intense – a lingering heat

Above typical (4.2) · Typical: average of 716 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Alcohol is made when yeast ferments the grape's sugar. It brings warmth, adds to the body and carries the aromas.

Where you feel it

As warmth in your throat and chest when you swallow, and a slight burn on the nose when it is high.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the alcohol stated on the label — On the label: 14.5% vol.

It is the one axis that is always measured: it comes from the % vol on the label. Still and sparkling wines: under 11% = 1, up to 12.4% = 2, up to 13.4% = 3, up to 14.4% = 4, 14.5% or more = 5. Fortified wines (Port, Madeira…) have their own scale: under 16.5% = 2, up to 18.4% = 3, up to 19.9% = 4, 20% or more = 5.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Low: under 11% vol
  2. 2Medium−: 11–12.4% vol
  3. 3Medium: 12.5–13.4% vol
  4. 4Medium+: 13.5–14.4% vol
  5. 5High: 14.5% vol or more This wine

In practice, for this wine

Wants rich dishes, served a little cooler to tame the heat. Small glasses, no rush.

Wine profile · Red

Intensity

Level 2 of 5 — Delicate – fine, restrained aromas

Below typical (3.9) · Typical: average of 84 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Aromatic intensity is how strongly the aromas come through: fruit, flowers, spice, oak, notes of age.

Where you feel it

On the nose, before you sip: how strongly the aromas rise from the glass. Swirling releases them.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: Vinogrande's tasting notes and wine description.

It is a sensory judgement, with no lab figure. We only show it when the wine's description or a review mentions it.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Subtle: you have to look for it
  2. 2Delicate This wine
  3. 3Medium: clear aromas
  4. 4Expressive
  5. 5Pronounced: fills the glass

In practice, for this wine

Delicate dishes that won't mask the aromas.

Critics & awards

Serve & enjoy

Temperature 16–18 °CIf the room is above 20 °C, 15 min in the fridge
GlassBordeaux glass
Open ahead 15 min · No decanting

Not sure? Ask our AI Sommelier NEW

Pairings, alternatives and advice in seconds

Description

James Suckling: Blackberries and dark chocolate with mint, conifer and clove. Sweet tobacco, violets and flowers too. A hint of graphite. Fresh and complex. Full-bodied, with ultra-fine, dusty tannins and a wonderful, extremely long finish. Savoury and refined. A 2018 classic. Needs time, but it's so approachable and beautiful. One of the best Insignias ever. Alive and constantly evolving. 40% Stags Leap AVA. 87% cabernet sauvignon, 8% petit verdot, 3% malbec and 2% cabernet franc. Let it age five or six years, but it's already wonderful now.

Falstaff: Dark ruby, purple reflections. Fine, slightly restrained wild-berry confit, delicate raspberry and cherry aromas, fresh orange zest, an attractive bouquet, a touch of cassis in the background. Complex, full-bodied, highly elegant, sweet cherry fruit, integrated tannins, a fine touch of nougat on the finish, great length, minerality on the finish, with ageing potential for decades. PM.

Wine Enthusiast: This impressive blend combines 87% cabernet sauvignon with 8% petit verdot, 3% malbec and 2% cabernet franc, all aged 24 months in 100% new French oak. Elements of cedar, sage, dried herbs and underbrush meet rich red fruit and chalky tannins, with a touch of cocoa throughout. Enjoy 2028–2038. Virginie Boone.

: The 2018 Insignia is 87% cabernet sauvignon, 8% petit verdot, 3% malbec and the rest cabernet franc, from a mix of vineyards (mostly in the southern part of the valley), aged two years in new French oak. It has an incredible bouquet of cassis, currants, dark chocolate, graphite pencil and tobacco. While unmistakably Napa, it has a regal, structured, almost Bordeaux-like vibe. Full-bodied, perfectly balanced and layered, with silky tannins, this quintessential Insignia is among the best vintages of this cuvée I've tasted and is on a par with 1997 (the first vintage I bought for my personal cellar), 2001, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016. Production: 17,000 cases.

The Wine Advocate: The 2018 Insignia is a blend of 87% cabernet sauvignon, 8% petit verdot, 3% malbec and 2% cabernet franc. Vineyard sources this year include: 30% Las Rocas (Stags Leap District), 18% Yountville (Oak Knoll District), 13% Banca Dorada (Rutherford), 18% Suscol (South Napa Valley), 14% Home Ranch (St. Helena), 12% Las Rocas (Stags Leap District), 7% Barboza (Stags Leap District). It was aged 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels. Deep garnet with purple glints, it gives off powerful notes of cassis, stewed black plums and blackberries, plus hints of cedar chest, graphite, menthol and wet slate with a perfume of clove oil. The medium- to full-bodied palate already shows remarkable balance at this young stage, with a firm backbone of fine tannins and marked freshness to support the crunchy, intense black fruit, finishing long and spicy. Production: 17,000 cases.

What to serve with this wine

Dishes calculated from this wine’s profile, grapes and region.