2015 Joseph Phelps "Insignia" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Deep garnet-purple colored, it opens with stunning black and red plums, cassis and mulberries scents with loads of redcurrant sparks and compelling wafts of lilacs, pencil shavings, black olives and tilled soil plus a hint of bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate explodes with red and black currant fireworks plus some exciting mineral nuances coming through, framed by firm, grainy tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing very long and beautifully layered. (LPB)

It is a rare vintage when Insignia does not impress, and, in 2015, it takes a place at the very head of the class in what is proving to be an outstanding year for Cabernet Sauvignon. It is, as usual, a wine of great crafting and polish with a refined sense of strength and as much finesse as fruity richness. It is so well-mannered that it is understandable that many will be tempted into drinking it in the very near future, but it is barely beginning to give voice to all that it is, and it is a keenly balanced composition that is certain to show more and more layering as it evolves over the next ten to twelve years.