Joseph Phelps "Insignia" Napa Valley Proprietary Red 2023 (Pre-Arrival)

Jeb Dunnuck : 99 Points

(9/12/2024) Including a splash of Backus Vineyard (8%), the 2023 Insignia is based on 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, aged 21 months in 100% new French oak. Inky purple-hued, it offers a pure, classic, focused perfume of crème de cassis, melted crayon, lead pencil, violets, and white flower notes. It's full-bodied and has the vintage's pure, focused, incredibly elegant style, with ripe tannins and a great finish. I love everything about this wine, which is pure, balanced, layered, and multi-dimensional. It can be drunk today with incredible pleasure yet should hit maturity in a decade and keep for 30 years thereafter. There are roughly 12,300 cases produced. Drink 2025-2055.

The Wine Palate : 99 Points

(5/2026) Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2023 Insignia shimmies out with energetic notes of freshly crushed black and red currants, wild blueberries, and black raspberries, leading to hints of red roses, pencil shavings, and fertile loam. The full-bodied palate is elegantly styled with bright, vivacious black, red, and blue fruit layers, framed by firm, fine-grained tannins and a lively backbone, finishing long and perfumed. The blend is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Drinking Window: 2028 - 2060.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni : 98 Points

(11/2025) The 2023 Insignia is a total stunner. Fresh, vibrant and explosive, the 2023 possesses mind-blowing purity and exceptional balance to match. Floral and spice notes meld into a core of blue/purplish fruit, licorice, plum and dried flowers, all finely sculpted. This is the first vintage of Insignia to incorporate some fruit from Backus (8%). Winemaker Ryan Knoth also reduced the oak imprint by using lower impact barrels and shortening time in wood to 20-21 months versus the 24 months that was once the norm. This is a new era for Insignia. Drinking Window: 2029 - 2053.

International Wine Report : 98 Points

(3/2026) The 2023 Insignia is a stand out in this vintage. It opens with an intricate bouquet of ripe black currant, blackberry, and blueberry, layered with notes of violet, graphite, mocha, fresh herbs, mint, cigar box, and hints of gravel. On the palate, it delivers a rich, full-bodied mouthfeel supported by finely integrated, polished tannins that lend a velvety, refined texture. The wine shows remarkable balance and depth, with waves of dark fruit, cocoa, and spice unfolding gracefully. The finish is long and elegant, leaving a lasting impression of harmony and concentration. While already captivating, the 2023 Insignia clearly possesses the structure and pedigree to evolve beautifully over many years. Drink 2026 - 2048.