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Spring 2001 Newsletter
General Winery News Special Report Uncorked! Phelps Preferred New Releases Awards and Reviews |
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New Releases:
Spring Release Wines Include 1998 Insignia
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Grapes for the 2000 Sauvignon Blanc were harvested from our Spring Valley ranch at an average 23.0º Brix, with 30% of the blend fermented in small oak barrels and given three months lees contact. The remaining 70% was fermented in stainless steel tanks and held five months in German oak ovals. After blending with 5% Spring Valley Semillon, the wine was bottled in March, 2001.
CRAIG WILLIAMS’ WINEMAKER NOTES The long, 2000 growing season was a roller coaster ride of temperature highs and lows, with many vintners picking from August to November, a time span causing both mental and physical fatigue on the part of vineyard and production crews. Nevertheless, overall fruit quality was extremely high despite a heat spell in June, a mid-September cold snap, more heat at the end of September and showers in mid-October. (And we're not even counting the 5.2 earthquake in September!) A warming trend finally allowed the harvest to conclude at the end of October. Don Wallace of Dry Creek Vineyard summed it up perfectly: "If I had to say one thing about this year, it would be that this harvest was a lot harder on us than it was on the grapes!" Sauvignon Blanc, an early ripener, escaped most of the meteorological ups and downs, with sugar and acid levels developing under near-ideal conditions. The resulting wine is crisp and fruity, with refreshing aromas and flavors and excellent acidity. It is a classic example of this versatile, pungent varietal. |
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The 1998 Insignia is a blend of 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.
CRAIG WILLIAMS’ WINEMAKER NOTES 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 is a rhetorical one, of course, 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. (And Robert Parker gave it a great review.) 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. |
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