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. — 6 years ago

with Christina and James

Jon Simpson

9.3

Baking spices, savory herbs, blueberries, plum, lavender... A velvety finish. Enjoyed over conversations at Le Bernardin between courses. — 10 years ago

Elizabeth McCrone

8.9

Tried this 2009 we got as a holiday gift ... Nicely balanced in terms of structure and fruit. Great plum flavors, smokey finish. We liked it a lot! — 12 years ago

Kimberly Anderson

9.3

Beautiful scents of black plum and a little vanilla. On the feminine side for a Napa Cab. Precise flavors of black fruit, tobacco, leather with an under layer of smoke. Nice smooth finish — 7 years ago

with Chad

Deborah Parker Wong

10

Umami, tea leaves, leather, bright and focused mid palate of umeboshi plum, celery salt and sweet pipe tobacco. Looong and memorable. — 9 years ago

Lily Mirabelle Freedman

9.3

1978: plum caramel, eucalyptus, dusty gravel, tobacco, and morels — 11 years ago

Andrew Goldstein

9.8

Black berries, plum, light, chocolate, spicy finish. — 13 years ago

Al Shikoh

9.0

Ruby violet color. Blackberry, cassis, plum, cedar, and hints of green pepper on the nose. Although there is ripe, supple New World fruit on the palate, it drinks a bit like an Old World Bordeaux. Made from Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. — 9 years ago

with Lisa and Kelly

Peter Wassam

9.8

A softened ruby color. Beautiful balance, everything in harmony. Wet earth, raspberry, cinnamon, a whiff of truffle, intoxicating nose. So much ripe, fresh red fruit on the palate. Such soft tannins, damson plum, a mineral streak running through. Drinking a 15 year old wine for 15th anniversary of diabetes. This is splendid in the moment — 9 years ago

Jimmy Smith

Director, West and North London Wine School

9.2

2011: all varieties. Meaty, lavender, garden herbs, smoky, but still very vibrant red fruit. Lovely vibrancy of red fruit and all Mouvedre and Grenache aromatics. Sweet fruit, juicy acidity, hot indian spice and liquorice. Plum, cherry, spiced. Quite ready now. — 11 years ago