garry post

9.1

Wonderful with chocolate cake after steak and Cab Sauvignon dinner. — 3 years ago

Jay Eagan

9.6

Nothing better than this wine with a wagyu steak at Spago! So happy to be out for dinner enjoying this wine. — 5 years ago

with Kristine

Ron Siegel

9.3

One of my favorite go to wines for a grilled steak & a great vintage for GL that is drinking beautifully. Perfectly stored btls match my more than 2 dozen tasting notes listed below. — 5 years ago

Greg Helmer

9.0

Opened this and it filled the whole pool deck with aroma, vanilla, earth, grapes. Very smooth taste and not too grapey. A nice drink to savor or pair with steak or pasta. — 6 years ago

Michael Seely

9.5

Wine of the week on the lake. Big, rich, flank steak support, nice and unfiltered — 7 years ago

with Joe

Sandie Harris

9.8

Perfect with steak. — 8 years ago

with Jessica

Brooke Tobey

9.0

So nice. Very jammy and full bodied. Plum, blackberry, herb flavors. I'm having it with herb roasted crispy potatoes; real tasty together. — 9 years ago

Turd Ferguson

9.2

Ardanza is always so great for the price. 2015 has beautiful fruit and concentration. Tobacco. Needs 3-4 years but ready now if you like ‘em young like Dylon. Pair with still quivering rare Chuleton rib steak in San Sebastián. — 3 years ago

Jen

9.5

Wow. Opened our only bottle at swift and sons to go w steak. Really superb nose and even better taste! Classic aged Bordeaux with fruit and leather and just a bit of funk. Wish we had more! — 5 years ago

Lisa Fried

9.3

Was just perfect with short ribs and sweet potatoes. Still young but smooth with lots of sour cherry. — 6 years ago

Nic Anderson

9.2

We really liked this cab. Perfect setting with NY Strip Steaks and Sweet Potatoes. Full of cherry and blackberry. — 6 years ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.3

Big and fruity! Great pairing with a Porterhouse Steak! Dark cherry, baking spice and a hint of bourbon on the nose. Big black fruit and cassis flavors with a touch of vanilla, graphite and dried herbs. Creamy and silky finish that goes on for a while. 15.1% Alcohol but it does not seem that “hot.” Soft and powerful at the same time! Should improve with age and I’m giving the next bottle a few years to sleep. — 6 years ago

Ken Rogers

9.2

Showing beautifully right now. Nose shows dark berries and cocoa, along with some earthiness (maybe some mushroom); palate is rich, supple, filled with dark cherry, semi-sweet chocolate, great depth and acidity balance. Delicious, and paired well with skirt steak and sweet potato salad. — 7 years ago

with Michael

Jamie Franklin

9.2

Delicious cab! Lots of black berry and dark bramble fruit up front with herb notes mid palate and firm well integrated tannins on a medium length finish. Great with steak, or even on it's own! — 9 years ago

Tom Heckert

9.0

Steak and duck. Nice fruit. Solid finish. — 4 years ago

Leslie Fort

9.0

Interesting and fun with a good steak and brussel sprouts. Dark dark dark. Smooth in the sip and light in the swallow. — 4 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Been awhile since I pulled out an Insigna.

The 03 Pichon Lalande is the better wine and steak pairing. However, Napa Cabernet is the choice to finish steak and enjoy on its own after. You never want to do Napa before Bordeaux IMHO. It’s much harder to adjust from sweeter to something more earthy.

Enjoyed the 05 as my score reflects. I don’t remember it being as sweet as it was in previous tastings. Still quite good. It just tipped my sweet scale a little too much.

The body is, rich, lush & round. It’s achieved good evolution after 13 years in bottle and will continue to improve over the next 6-8 years and last another 15 years. As I mentioned, the fruit was ripe & sweet. Blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, plums, hints of blueberries and strawberries haunting the backend. Rich, dark earth, Rutherford dusty tannins and dry soils, purple cola, touch of fresh tobacco & graphite, light baking spices of; cinnamon, dash of clove, nutmeg and vanillin, anise to black licorice, saddle-wood, used leather, dry stems, some dry, crushed rocks/limestone with red, dark, purple and blue florals. The acidity round and nicely executed. The finish was similar wire to wire. It’s, lush, rich, elegant, touch too sweet, polished, well balanced & knitted with a soft, persistent, dark spice on the long set. Very enjoyable second bottle.

Photos of; Joseph Phelps Winery & sloping estate vines, inside lounge are with views of the back side, tasting terrace and front lobby/salon area upon entering past check in. — 5 years ago

with Christina and James

Lauren Ruvolo

9.1

Steakhouse dinner at home. Was the star of the show. Held up nicely to some hefty meats and buttery potatoes. — 6 years ago

with John

Rick Heilbrunn

9.3

Drinking nicely. Lots of dark fruit. Blackberry and black cherry. Perfect with the steak. — 7 years ago

Adriana Fabbro

9.3

Can't believe I've held on to this treasure for so long! Cedar and sandalwood on the nose. Silky with a bright and savory--almost vegetal--finish. Perfect with filet and steak-house style garlicky creamed spinach. These grapes were picked when I was still in high school! — 9 years ago