Joseph Phelps
About Joseph Phelps
Joseph Phelps is one of Napa Valley’s most prominent and best known producers. Establishing his winery ed in 1973, Phelps conceived an idea to create a separate cuvée each year, one that would represent the finest wine he could make without any limitation on grape varietals or site selection. So without realising its significance, in 1974 he created and launched the first Napa ‘proprietary red’ - called Joseph Phelps ‘Insignia’. This moment of inspiration has spawned countless emulations – and today ‘proprietary reds’ are the stable expression of most of the top Napa estates.
Joseph Phelps remains one of the few family-run wineries in Napa, encompassing nine estate vineyards. ‘Insignia’ remains the estate’s flagship and the ultimate expression of what these vineyards can produce.
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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California | 3 | 97 (VN) | HK$11,710.00 | |||||
Vinous (97)The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard is a total turn-on. Deep, plush and exotic, the 2013 is also remarkably polished for a wine of its considerable size. There is a real sense of depth and gravitas that runs through the 2013. I would prefer to cellar the 2013 for at least a few years to allow the intense, dark fruit to be at its most expressive. |
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California | 2 | 97+ (VN) | HK$7,000.00 | |||||
Vinous (97+)The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard is going to need time to recover from its recent bottling. Dense, powerful and explosive, the 2015 has so much to offer. The density and resonance of the fruit is striking. Even so, the 2015 has never been more expressive than the first time I tasted it, which makes me think that the relatively long élevage favored by Phelps may be robbing the wine of some of its freshness and adding a sheen of mocha/torrefaction notes that the wine does not really need. Admittedly, these are small critiques at this level, but I am not sure Backus is quite reaching its full potential. |