78%
Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot, primarily from estate-owned vineyards in
Stag's Leap and Rutherford, with additional fruit coming from independent
growers in Rutherford, Carneros and Coombsville.
Sep. 30 - Oct. 20, 1998. |
|
Grapes
were harvested at an average 24.0°
- 25.0° Brix, fermented in stainless steel tanks,
then aged 20 months in new
French oak barrels before being blended and bottled in September, 2000.
Joesph Phelps 1998 Insignia. A luscious, multi-layered wine containing flovors of spice, oak and cassis, and sweet tannins framing a layered finish. |
When
a wine is as successful as the 1997 Insignia, how do you compare the subsequent
vintage to it? What are the chances of two consecutive wines scoring 96 in
both the Wine Spectator and the Wine Advocate, and of being rated the No.
5 Wine of the Year in the
Wine Spectator?
The question, of course, is a rhetorical one. As of this writing the 1998
Insignia has not yet been released nor has it been reviewed. But we can say
this. In a vintage that was characterized by problematical weather conditions
and low crop yields, there was no compromise in the quality of the 1998 Insignia.
After careful crop thinning in the vineyard and barrel aging in the cellar,
small, flavorful lots displaying only the highest aroma and flavor profiles
were combined and repeatedly tasted to determine the final blend. This rigorous
selection process reduced case production 20% from the previous year, but
the result is a wine of remarkable quality especially for a vintage that provided
much less in raw materials. With dark, saturated purple color and aromas of
spice, oak and cassis, the 1998 Insignia is full-bodied and well-balanced,
with sweet tannins framing a layered finish. It is a generous, compelling
wine which will almost certainly take its place among the best reds of the
vintage. |
|
