Joseph Phelps Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Description

About Joseph Phelps

Over the years, Joseph Phelps Vineyards has become practically synonymous with ‘Insignia.’ A true visionary, Joe was one of the first American winemakers to see the merit in blending. He proved this when he debuted ‘Insignia’ in 1974. As California’s first proprietary red Bordeaux-style blend, Insignia firmly positioned the winery as a premier Napa Valley producer. Joe chose the name Insignia to represent the finest lots available from each vintage and emphasize the importance of blending as a determinant of quality over varietal designation. At its very essence, Insignia is an emblem of Joe’s foundational philosophy that you have to give your best to craft the best. Almost fifty years later, Insignia is recognized as one of the world’s most iconic wines. The 2002 vintage was awarded “Wine of the Year” by Wine Spectator magazine in 2005, and Wine Advocate has awarded an unprecedented four perfect 100-point scores to the 1991, 1997, 2002, and 2007 vintages. According to Robert Parker, “Insignia remains one of the world’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon dominated blends.”

Wines from Napa Valley

Napa Valley is considered one of the premier wine regions in the world. Records of commercial wine production in the region date back to the nineteenth century, but premium wine production dates back only to the 1960s.

The combination of Mediterranean climate, geography and geology of the region are conducive to growing quality wine grapes. John Patchett established the Napa Valley’s first commercial vineyard in 1858. In 1861 Charles Krug established another of Napa Valley’s first commercial wineries in St. Helena. Viticulture in Napa suffered several setbacks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including an outbreak of the vine disease phylloxera, the institution of Prohibition, and the Great Depression. The wine industry in Napa Valley recovered, and helped by the results of the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, came to be seen as capable of producing the best quality wine – equal to that of Old World wine regions. Napa Valley is now a major enotourism destination.

California Wines

California wine production has a rich viticulture history since 1680 when Spanish Jesuit missionaries planted Vitis vinifera vines native to the Mediterranean region in their established missions to produce wine for religious services. In the 1770s, Spanish missionaries continued the practice under the direction of the Father Junípero Serra planted California’s first vineyard at Mission San Juan Capistrano.

The state produces about ninety percent of the American wine supply and is the fourth largest wine producer among the world’s independent nations. It has more than 1,200 wineries ranging from home-grown and small boutiques to large corporations with international distribution.