Joseph Phelps Insignia 2020
Joseph Phelps Vineyards (LVMH Moët Hennessy) · Joseph Phelps Vineyards, St. Helena, Napa Valley
Insignia is one of America's great wines — not merely because it is prestigious or expensive, but because it consistently delivers what the greatest Bordeaux delivers: extraordinary complexity that evolves across decades. The 2020 vintage was grown in a challenging year that produced remarkably concentrated, structured fruit.
Nose
Extraordinarily complex: cassis and blackberry fruit leading into cedar, fresh violet, graphite, mocha, and the characteristic lifted floral quality of great Napa Cabernet.
Palate
Full-bodied and perfectly structured, with impeccably resolved tannins providing architecture for layers of blackberry, cassis, chocolate, cedar, and espresso.
Finish
Exceptionally long and evolving, with persistent cassis, cedar, vanilla, and graphite minerals — a finish measured in minutes.
- Varietal
- Cabernet Sauvignon (approximately 88% in the 2020 vintage)
- Blend
- Approximately 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc — blend varies by vintage
- Vineyards
- Sourced from 14 estate vineyards across Napa Valley's finest appellations: Oakville, Stags Leap, Rutherford, and St. Helena
Cocktail Suggestion
Cocktail — Insignia Sangria (use a younger vintage for cocktails): 1 bottle Napa Cabernet · 2 oz brandy · 1 oz orange liqueur · 2 oz fresh orange juice · 1 orange and 1 lemon sliced. Combine all ingredients. Chill overnight. Serve over ice.
Food Pairing
Pair with: Prime dry-aged ribeye with black truffle butter — the weight and tannin structure of Insignia demands equally substantial, umami-rich food.
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