Tasting report from Joseph Phelps Winery

Tasting report from Joseph Phelps Winery - St. Helena, Napa Valley, CA $Free This is the first winery tasting report from the southern wine report, I couldn't talk about just one of the damn good wines I had at this incredible winery. Joseph Phelps in one of the best wineries in Napa Valley (and therefore the world), they are most famous for Bordeaux style wines, and Cabernet Sauvignon, with the most famous wine being Joseph Phelps Insignia. Because I am now a cellar rat working in a winery in Napa, I am able to taste for free at any winery in Napa, it is called being in the trade. So I am trying to go to as many wineries as possible and Joseph Phelps Winery and the wines live up to the hype. The '07 Sauvignon Blanc "St. Helena" is 100% Sauvignon Blanc with the grapes coming from the vineyards right there at the winery in St. Helena. It is an excellent S.B., it is a bit creamier than an average S.B., which I like because I often find S.B.'s to be too tart. The creaminess comes from 10 months in oak barrels in which the lees are stirred often. That basically means while the wine is in barrel it gets stirred often. The lees are the sediment that falls to the bottom of the barrel, when the sediment (lees) are stirred the wine extracts more flavors from it, and the barrel itself also lends to the creamy taste. I was impressed by the wine and I liked it very much except for the price, which is $32. The next wine I tried was the '06 Napa Valley Merlot. They usually don't make Merlot, the last vintage they made was 2002. They made Merlot in '06 because the Merlot grapes didn't go into the blend that makes up the Insignia that vintage, so they made a Merlot. The Merlot is 76% merlot and 24% cabernet. It is a big, dark, silky Merlot. I aint a fan of merlots mostly but this one I liked, definitely recommend it, it's the rare good American merlot. At $40 while not cheap, it was the cheapest red wine they sell, and it was good. Next up was the '06 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, 2% Merlot, and 2% Malbec, a true Bordeaux blend. This wine was excellent and my style of wine, a mostly Cabernet Bordeaux blend, Napa style. The wine has an excellent nose, and silky tannins, at $54 it is cheaper than most of the Napa Valley wineries Reserve wine, and it is better, so you can call it a bargain, I suggest picking up a bottle. The Grand Finale was the Joseph Phelps Insignia, one of the most famous wines in the world and one I have wanted to taste for many years. The 2006 Insignia was just released by the winery yesterday, so you heard it hear first, or maybe second. The blend of the wine changes every year due to what the winemaker feels will make the best blend that is why it is not called cabernet, or merlot, it is simply called Insignia red wine. The '06 is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. The wine is ultra smooth, and the finish goes on and on. This wine is one to write about, it's damn good. And it should be, it does get an extraordinary amount of press, and it should it's great and it cost's $200 upon release, and often more. It's a great wine, but don't think it's 4 times better than the '06 Cabernet. If you are big on wine and you visit the Napa Valley you need to check out Joseph Phelps.


www.jpvwines.com