NapaCabs – Rated 95 Points – Joseph Phelps Insignia Red Blend 1999

VinoUS Media Review
Rated 95+
(the first vintage of Insignia made with some Malbec; from a late harvest providing long hang time): Dark red-ruby. Dark nose offers inviting notes of cassis, black cherry, cocoa powder, leather and game; the first of these wines to show a strong floral element. Juicy, gripping and extremely complex, with a beautiful sugar/acid balance contributing to the impression of inner-mouth spine and energy. A wonderfully elegant, European-styled Insignia that conveys outstanding flavor intensity and depth without any impression of weight. Finishes with suave tannins and terrific length. This still-youthful wine should continue to gain in complexity. (Stephen Tanzer)