Insignia 2017
Case of 6 x 75cl
Joseph Phelps
£1270.06
Joseph Phelps, Freestone Vineyards Pinot Noir
Joseph Phelps
Joseph Phelps Vineyards is a family-owned and operated wine estate with vineyards and wineries in Napa Valley and on the western Sonoma Coast. The winery was founded in 1973 by Joseph Phelps, a successful construction executive and entrepreneur whose early interest in wine led him to establish vineyards on a 670-acre former cattle ranch in Napa Valley. Over the next 42 years Joe became one of the most respected figures in the California wine industry, building Joseph Phelps Vineyards into a critically-acclaimed winery internationally known for its iconic wines and unwavering commitment to quality.
In a nutshell:
A rich and complex Californian Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast region north of San Francisco.
The lowdown:
While well known for their Napa Valley Cabernets in the late 1990s Joseph Phelps planted new vineyards near Freestone some distance away on the Sonoma Coast in an effort to make Pinot Noirs to the same exalted standards as their other wines. They've certainly succeeded in this. The 2017 is made from roughly equal quanitities of fruit from their Quarter Moon and Pastorale vineyards which was aged for 13 months in a mix of new and used French oak barrels. The resulting wine has an expressive mix of jammy red fruit and fresh strawberry aromas followed by tangy cherry, raspberry and soft spice on the palate. Beautifully well balanced the tannins are silky and the subtle oakiness very well integrated. It finishes with a touch of white pepper and pleasing hint of orange peel.
When to drink:
A lovely wine from a good vintage, it's drinking well now and will do so until well into the late 2020s.
Delivery
Items are expected to be delivered within 4 weeks
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Region
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Alcohol-abv
14
Bottle Format:
75cl
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Napa Valley
Situated immediately north of San Pablo Bay, Napa Valley runs extends for approximately 35 miles (60km) between the Vacas and Mayacamas mountain ranges (to the east and west respectively). The scenic 40-minute drive between the Napa and Calistoga townships passes through some of the most valuable viticultural real estate on Earth.
Napa Valley is one of the most famous and prestigious wine region of the world. Although a number of grape varieties are grown in the valley's vineyards, the area is particularly known for its Cabernet Sauvignon. The classic "Napa Cab", the archetypal Napa Valley wine, is a rich, oak-aged red with aromas of blackcurrant, boysenberry, licorice, vanilla and smoky, bittersweet chocolate.
The range of grape varieties grown in the Napa Valley has evolved steadily over the 150 years since Yount planted his first vines. Cabernet Sauvignon has risen confidently to become Napa's star performer, and is the most widely planted grape in almost all of the valley's sub-regions. The notable exception to this rule is Carneros, whose cool, breezy mesoclimate is better suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Merlot is also prominent, although since its fall from favor in the 1990s it is now used mostly as a blending component.
Climate, geology and topography are three essential components in what makes Napa Valley such a first-rate viticultural area. The combined influences of San Pablo Bay and the hills of the North Coast Ranges are responsible for the valley's very particular mesoclimate. The bay generates morning fog, and the hills channel it inland, up into the valley. Without this fog that comes rolling in from the bays, the valley's climate would be substantially warmer than it is, making it difficult to achieve structure and balance in the wines. The fog doesn't reach the higher parts of the valley, however, leaving these to rely on the cooling effects of altitude to keep their vines in balance.
