Joseph Phelps Vineyards: 1995 Delice du Semillon

Wines

Current Joseph Phelps Vintages
Current Freestone Vintages
Past Phelps Vintages
Rhône-Style Wines
Library Wines

BLEND & GRAPE SOURCES:
100% Semillon from our Spring Valley ranch.

HARVEST DATE:
November 29, 1995

WINEMAKING DATA:
Grapes were harvested on November 29, 1995 at an average 42.2 degrees Brix, cold-fermented to 18.3% residual sugar and 12.4% alcohol, then aged in 60-gallon French oak barrels for 18 months before being bottled in May, 1997.

Beginning with the inaugural 1983 vintage, this is the fourth time we have produced Delice du Semillon, and its limited production and potential longevity (we anticipate it will age for up to 10 years), is sure to make it a favorite with dessert wines fanciers.

Although intermittent storms in 1995 tantalized us with the possibility of a larger crop of botrytised fruit, by the end of November the "noble mold" had appeared only sporadically in our Semillon vineyard, and the harvested grapes yielded less than 10 barrels of botrytised juice. After barrel fermentation and aging, however, the result is a delicate, sweet, Sauternes-style dessert wine with good acidity, ripe flavors of melon and tropical fruit, and a smooth, lush finish. Availability is restricted primarily to the winery's retail room.

THE NEW LABEL:
The similarity between the Delice du Semillon and Insignia labels is intended to point out the relationship between the two wines. Both utilize the traditional grape varieties of Bordeaux, with late harvest Semillon (the key ingredient in a Sauternes), being the dessert wine companion to the renowned Cabernet/Merlot blends of that region.