Robert Parker, Jr.-Wine Advocate:  Rated as An extraordinary wine of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes expected of a classic wine of its variety. Worth a special effort to find, purchase and consume.  The 2007 Insignia (a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot) looks to be one of the greatest wines yet produced at this historic winery. Beautiful aromas of creme de cassis and flowers jump from the glass of this dense purple-colored effort. Sweet oak is present, but it is pushed to the background by the wine’s extravagant wealth of fruit and full-bodied power. This is finesse and flavor authority put into a classic Napa Valley Cabernet with a seamless integration of all its component parts. Already complex and approachable, it should evolve for three decades or more, but who can resist it now? It is a staggering, complex expression of Napa viticulture. Anticipated maturity: now-2030. Another great success for Phelps, the 2007 and 2008 Insignias may be the best back-to-back vintages they have produced since 1995 and 1994. The 2008 has some tannins to resolve whereas the 2007 has already assimilated them.
Joseph Phelps’ flagship wine, which they have been making for 36 years, is the Insignia, which boasts a remarkable track record. Phelps, always a visionary, was the first to recognize that a blend of grapes could be better than a single varietal cuvee. Phelps produces a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Backus Vineyard situated on the eastern slopes of the Oakville Corridor overlooking Screaming Eagle and Rudd Estate." Dec 2010

Winery:  "The darkly pigmented 2007 Insignia is a perfect example of the amazing color this vintage produced. Rich aromatics of mineral, baking spices, dark chocolate, graphite, and opulent plum and blackberry lead to the concentrated and balanced mouthfeel. Silky, well structured tannins, core black fruit and sweet oak notes from our estate vineyards create length and weight that will allow this beautiful wine to age, as well as remain approachable in its youth."

Wired For Wine:  Forget the Jones' new Astin Martin, you will be the talk of the crowd if you trot one of these babies out at dinner Friday night...  Or, you could save it for a holiday feast, or your 25th anniversary 15 years from now.  We bring you red wine royalty in this Joseph Phelps Insignia Cabernet Blend Magnum! It is masterfully and intricately layered with opulent flavors ranging from lush, dark fruit to baking spices, dark chocolate, floral notes and sweet oak. Now add pedigreed, beautifully assimilated tannins and dense, full body and everything comes together to bang loudly on the door of perfection. This remarkable Joseph Phelps is approachable now, but we say make it a twinkling gem in your cellar which anchors an important celebration in the future (see Parker's homage to the longevity of this wine above). Your choice... When that day does come, we think that the gorgeous fruit and oak notes in this Insignia will be lovely with a first course of orrechiette pasta with grilled sweet sausage and sweet peppers with ricotta salata. Of course, the rich purity of this Phelps red is such that you might just want say hello to that first glass without the distraction of food. Once you've gotten acquainted, we think you'll need robust, hearty fare to go with this incredibly smooth Napa red. Lamb, beef, meat and game will be worthy pairings. A classic choice which will show off the staggeringly rich aromatics of this Cabernet blend would be thick cut lamb chops with rosemary, baby carrots, anchovy and fennel. We also recommend duck breast with spiced rhubarb, marcona almonds and duck confit. And finally, red wine braised short ribs with caramelized shallots and creamy polenta will pay homage to the serious reputation of this Phelps. You won't want to stop there, so we suggest that you have another glass with a wedge of dark chocolate ganache tart with a salted pretzel crust. Ridiculously, unforgettably, royally, crazy good!!

Size:  1500ml
Varietal: 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot
Ageing:   24 months in 100% new French oak
Region:  Napa Valley, California