2001 & 2003 Joseph Phelps "Backus" Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

“From a steep eastern hillside vineyard in Oakville, the excruciatingly youthful, intense 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard possesses an opaque purple color (that resembles a barrel sample rather than a 10-year old wine) as well as an extraordinary perfume of raspberry jam, creme de cassis, acacia flowers and crushed rocks. Full-bodied with magnificent concentration, purity and texture, this modern day legend should still be drinking beautifully in 2035. (RP) 97+” (06/2011)

“Tasted alongside a bevy of Oakville Cabs, this beauty was the star of the show. It’s a huge, masculine wine, authoritative and ageable. Pours dark and drinks tannic and oaky, with a massive core of cassis, cherry and chocolate fruit encased in perfect tannins. What grace and power, what balance. *Cellar Selection*” (12/2005)

“Where the Insignia strives for and achieves a careful balance of refinement and richness, its deep, big-bodied sibling leans more to the latter. Loaded with oak and even more generous in the curranty qualities of classic Napa Valley Cabernet, it teases with touches of olive and loam and dusty earth spice. Big in almost every dimension save for excessive ripeness and alcohol, it ends with a flourish of full and sturdy young tannins that will need ten or more years to fully resolve.” (12/2004)

“Deep ruby. Wild aromas of black fruits, leather, violet, meat, fruit cake and pungent oak, with the liqueur-like ripeness displayed by the 2001 Insignia. Superripe, fat and sweet, with slightly roasted aromas of black fruits, leather, meat and fruit cake. (ST)” (05/2004)

“The 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard, from the red soils of the Oakville Corridor and eastern hillsides overlooking Screaming Eagle and Rudd Estate, is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Blackberry, blueberry, crushed rock and white flower aromas soar from the glass of this stunningly rich, full-bodied wine. One of the most concentrated and potentially long-lived wines of the vintage, it is unquestionably a candidate for wine of the vintage. It is richer and more backward than the Insignia, but stunningly multidimensional, built like a skyscraper, and staggeringly profound. Wow! What an amazing wine. Forget it for another 4-5 years and drink it over the following quarter century. (RP) 98+” (06/2013)

“Medium ruby-red. Cassis, bitter chocolate and a hint of eucalyptus on the nose. Juicy, intensely flavored and focused, with a lovely spine of acidity giving definition to the purple fruit flavors. Showing more cut than fat today, but this wine is hiding its underlying density of material and opulence. The tannins seem a bit rough today, but this was bottled just two months prior to my tasting. (ST) 92+” (05/2006)