1978 | Joseph Phelps | Insignia

Introduction

Red Wine: 1978 | Joseph Phelps | Insignia

Complex, with an intriguing array of flavors ranging from ripe, stewed plum to herb, sage, tobacco, cedar and spice. Turns elegant on the finish, where the tannins are soft and mellow.

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Producer: Joseph Phelps

Ratings: WA | 95 JG | 94

Vintage: 1978

Size: 750ml

ABV: 13.5%

Varietal: Bordeaux Blend Red

Country/Region: United States, California

Complex, with an intriguing array of flavors ranging from ripe, stewed plum to herb, sage, tobacco, cedar and spice. Turns elegant on the finish, where the tannins are soft and mellow.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: The fabulous 1978 appears to be even stronger than I remember. A dense plum/garnet color is accompanied by an exceptional bouquet of espresso beans, sweet red and black currants, licorice, lead pencil shavings and cedar. Deep, ripe, full-bodied and opulent with oodles of fruit and glycerin, this beauty is fresh and lively. Although fully mature, it appears capable of lasting another decade or more. In 1978, heavy rains finally returned to Napa Valley, replenishing drought-stricken soils and helping to fill the reservoirs. The summer growing season was relatively warm with some heat spikes during the last two weeks of September, which forced growers to harvest earlier than expected. The 1978’s final blend was 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, with 32% from estate vineyards and 68% from growers. Fifty-five percent of the fruit came from Oakville vineyards, 20% from the Spring Valley Vineyard in St. Helena, 13% from the Eisele Vineyard and 12% from their new Backus Vineyard in Oakville. Total production was 1,200 cases, and the natural alcohol came in at 13.5%. The wines time in barrel was extended dramatically to 24 months in French oak.

• John Gilman: Drinking Joseph Phelps reds from the decade of the 1970s is one of the great treats in the world of wine. 1978 was one of the earliest iterations for this Bordeaux-inspired blend from the winery, which was composed of a blend of fifty percent cabernet sauvignon, thirty percent merlot and twenty percent cabernet franc. The wine was fully mature when I last saw a bottle in 2007, but time has not touched it and today it is every bit as vibrant and expressive. The bouquet is deep, complex and very classy, wafting from the glass in a mix of cassis, sweet blackberries, dark soil tones, a bit of tariness, cigar smoke, a dollop of fresh herbs and a beautiful topnote of mint. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and vibrant, with a superb core, impressive focus and balance, fine-grained and now quite modest tannins, good acids and lovely balance on the long, complex and velvety finish. A beautiful wine at its apogee and one where I clearly underestimated its potential longevity the last time I had a chance to drink it.

Producer Information

Joseph Phelps is one of Napa Valley’s most prominent wine producers. As is the case with many of Napa’s most famous producers, the key grape variety here is Cabernet Sauvignon. The iconic redwood winery is located just outside of St Helena. The company owns vineyards across Napa, notably in Stags Leap, Oak Knoll, Rutherford and Oakville. The estate was established in 1973 with a first release of three wines. Joseph Phelps was running a construction company in Colorado and had come to Napa for a project and had fallen in love with the wine industry there. After importing grapes back to Denver for vinification for a time, he bought a cattle ranch in the valley and began planting vineyards. Joseph Phelps’ flagship wine is Insignia, which made its debut in 1974. This is a blend based on Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller amounts of other Bordeaux varieties. The precise components vary with each vintage. Current options are Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. The company hopes to replant some Merlot for future vintages. Phelps’ aim was to move away from varietal labeling and create a wine that could be different every year, depending on what the vintage called for. It is one of Napa’s so called cult Cabernets, and several vintages have been awarded 100 points by noted wine critic Robert Parker. From 2004 Insignia is made entirely from estate grown fruit. Outside of Insignia, Joseph Phelps makes a large portfolio of wines. Fruit for these is sourced both from estate vineyards and partner growers. The line up ranges from single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon wines to more approachable varietal wines made from classic California varieties. These include Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc. Fruit for some of these comes from vineyards along the Sonoma Coast. Older wines may feature other AVAs.