| |
All Wines from Joseph Phelps
Inventory updated: Sat, Oct 25, 2025 11:02 AM cst
Our vintages of Joseph Phelps wine currently include: 1989, 2001, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021
Flickinger Fine Wines' inventory of Joseph Phelps wine is listed below. We have an excellent and vast assortment of fine wines to choose from. If you do not see what you are looking for, give us a call and we can suggest another Joseph Phelps vintage or even another producer that we are sure you will enjoy.
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | USA Red |
| Joseph Phelps |
2013 |
Backus Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon  |
$209 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 96 (10/2016): The impressive site of Backus Vineyard, right across from the Oakville Crossroads and the Screaming Eagle vineyard, is an extremely steep but magnificent site in Napa Valley. Production for this wine ranges from 1,200 to 1,600 cases. The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard has 90% Cabernet and the rest Petit Verdot and Malbec. This wine is also aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak. The 2013 is a big, strong, powerful, muscular, even masculine style of wine, with high extract, loads of blackberry and cassis, some loamy soil undertones, sweet but noticeable tannins, and a long finish of close to 50+ seconds. It is a wine meant for the long haul, so I wouldn’t touch a bottle of the 2013 for another 5-6 years and drink it over the following 30+. |
|
|
2021 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$89.99 |
12 |
|
| |
|
|
1989 |
Eisele Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$185 |
4 |
|
| |
|
|
1989 |
Eisele Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon Depressed Cork |
$165 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
1989 |
Eisele Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon Signs of Old Seepage |
$185 |
5 |
|
| |
|
|
2001 |
Insignia Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$505.75 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 98+ (11/2013): Still a young wine at age 12, the 2001 Insignia exhibits a dense purple color along with a sweet bouquet of camphor, blackberries, cassis, incense and spring flowers. Full-bodied, rich and heady with sweet tannin, stunning concentration and a fabulous finish, this remarkable Insignia has 25 or more years of life ahead of it.
VM 95+ (4/2016): (from an early harvest, like 2015; the first vintage of a ten-year spell without any Cabernet Franc): Dark red with ruby highlights. The aromas of currant, graphite minerality and dark chocolate convey an inviting warmth. Wonderfully suave, fleshy and sweet, especially for its 13.9% alcohol. Deep, broad flavors of raspberry, sandalwood and soy are energized by a subtle mineral quality and harmonious acidity. Outstanding intensity and tight grain here. Finishes with serious but integrated tannins that spread out horizontally on the very long finish. This wonderfully balanced, still-young wine has clearly benefited from the firming influence of its 8% Petit Verdot element, the highest to this point. Incidentally, this was the last vintage of the Insignia with measurable brettanomyces--but it works for me!
WS 88 (6/2011): Enticing aromas of mixed berries, mocha, cedar and tobacco. Full-bodied, focused and intense, with touches of mature flavors that turn simpler and fade on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Drink now. 18,000 cases made. |
|
|
2011 |
Insignia Proprietary Blend |
$205 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 91+ (4/2016): (from a very late growing season in which the harvest took place in October): Dark ruby. Cool aromas of blackberry, dried sage and thyme, Kona coffee, black olive and peppery herbs. Boasts good density and intensity to its cassis and cherry flavors but also a distinctly green element of mint, pepper and herbs. Finishes juicy and firmly tannic: will this expand in bottle? This was the first Insignia vintage since 2000 with all five Bordeaux varieties, as a bit of Cabernet Franc found its way back into the blend--in this case, from three-year-old vines in Suscol vineyard. Hepworth believes that the wine's green notes will diminish over time and that it will evolve gracefully. Stephen Tanzer.
JS 92 (5/2014): A balanced, delicious Insignia for early drinking. Aromas of currants, blueberries and licorice follow through to a full to medium body, fine tannins and a clean finish. Yummy. Drink or hold.
WA 90-93 (11/2013): The 2011’s deep ruby/purple color is followed by sweet aromas of bouquet garni, mint, red and black currants, tobacco leaf and licorice, and a surprisingly intense, full-bodied mouthfeel with more richness and intensity than I would have expected from this vintage. It is also precocious and can be drunk upon release or cellared for 15 or more years. Although it has not yet been bottled, the 2011 Insignia is composed of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot and the rest Malbec, Merlot and a dollop of Cabernet Franc, and represents 13,000 cases. It achieved a slightly lower alcohol of 14.1%. |
|
|
2015 |
Insignia Proprietary Blend Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$249 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97-100 (10/2017): A barrel sample blended of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec coming from six vineyards and reared in 100% new French oak, the 2015 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine has a very deep inky-purple color and nose of crushed red and black currants, blackberry pie and plums with hints of dried herbs, sandalwood, spice box and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers a knock-out core of intense, energetic fruit with chewy tannins and a lively backbone, finishing with epic length and freshness. 12,500 cases are expected to be bottled.
JS 96 (5/2018): The subtlety and brightness to this one. Blackcurrants, fresh mint and sage undertones. Full-bodied, yet so tight and reserved. Linear and very racy with fantastic blackberries, crush stones and lead pencil. Love the finish. This is a wine that needs three to four years of bottle age. Try in 2022.
WS 91 (11/2018): This red offers lots of spice, cedar, gravel and lead pencil flavors, with the woodiness overshadowing the trim fruit. A Bordeaux-style version that begs for cellaring. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Best from 2022 through 2032. 12,500 cases made.
VM 91-94 (3/2018): The 2015 Insignia is an especially ripe, sumptuous wine, but it is developing nicely. Readers can look forward to an opulent, flamboyant wine built on racy fruit and juiciness. Crème de cassis, chocolate, lavender and cloves add to the wine's dark personality. In 2015, Insignia is quite exotic in feel. Because of the challenges of the growing season, winemaker Ashley Hepworth omitted Merlot from the blend. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2016 |
Insignia Proprietary Blend Very Lightly Scuffed Label; Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$249 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 99 (10/2019): Bottled in January 2019, the 2016 Insignia is a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec, aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose is a little reticent to begin, needing a fair bit of coaxing to reveal beautifully beguiling notions of wild blueberries, warm blackberries, black currant cordial, cloves and cedar chest with nuances of camphor, yeast extract, charcuterie and candied violets. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastic elegance and depth, revealing loads of subtle floral, black fruit and earthy layers with a firm, very finely grained texture and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length. 13,400 cases were made.
JS 98 (3/2019): Lovely density and intensity with dark berries, blueberries and inky undertones with hints of spice, chocolate and walnuts. Medium to full body, fine tannins and a flavorful finish. The texture and length are fantastic here. Complex. Hints of smoky wood at the end. This needs three to five years more in bottle age. Exciting wine. Try after 2022.
JD 97 (1/2020): Is the 2016 Insignia the next 1997? Coming mostly from the Stags Leap region, with the rest from the Home Ranch, this deep purple-colored beauty offers a magical bouquet of crème de cassis, fruitcake, forest floor, tobacco leaf, and toasted spices. It shows even more complexity with time in the glass and is a full-bodied, powerful, ageworthy example of this cuvee that’s going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 25+ years or more.
VM 97 (1/2020): The 2016 Insignia has turned out beautifully. Silky, layered and positively striking, the 2016 is magnificent. In this vintage, Insignia is especially silky, refined and understated, which is unusual for this wine that has often been more bombastic. Readers will have to be patient with the 2016, as it needs at least several years in bottle to be at its very best, but this is all finesse and class. Antonio Galloni.
WS 95 (10/2019): This is laden with flavors of dark currant, blackberry and black cherry preserves, infused gently with alder, incense and black tea notes, all carried by a long swath of fine-grained tannins. Hints of warm stone and tobacco gild the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Best from 2021 through 2035. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 13,500 cases made. |
|
|
2017 |
Insignia Proprietary Blend (1.5 L) |
$479 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 96 (10/2020): The 2017 Insignia is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc coming from: 46% Las Rocas vineayrd (Stags Leap District), 22% Barboza vineyard (Stags Leap District), 13% Suscol vineyard (South Napa Valley), 10% Yountville vineyard (Oak Knoll District) and 9% Home Ranch (St. Helena). It was aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant scents of Black Forest cake, preserved plums and blueberry pie plus touches of redcurrant jelly, potpourri, clove oil and dark chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has gained weight from it's in-barrel offering, boasting rich, decadently perfumed black fruit preserves flavors with a racy backbone and velvety tannins, finishing long and spicy. 7,400 cases were made. |
|
|
2009 |
Larry Hyde and Sons Vyd. Carneros Syrah |
$35 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 89 (12/2011): The 2009 Syrah Hyde Vineyard needs quite a bit of air to show its true personality. It is a dark, powerful wine loaded with dark fruit, smoke, licorice and tobacco. Today the tannins are quite firm, so this needs another 6-12 months in bottle. It comes across as tight, compact and unyielding, especially next to the straight Syrah. It shows good focus, but neither a ton of richness nor varietal character. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017. |
|
|
2009 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon |
$69 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 91 (12/2011): The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon is a big, rich wine bursting with dark fruit. This is a fairly immediate style, some serious tannins notwithstanding. Smoke, tobacco and licorice develop in the glass, adding complexity and nuance. The powerful, fruit-driven finish is totally rewarding, but this will be even better in a few years’ time. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2024. |
|
|
2014 |
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon |
$79 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 92 (10/2016): Phelps is now producing three cuvées of Cabernet Sauvignon – their Napa Valley, their flagship proprietary red Bordeaux blend called Insignia (which they debuted in 1974), and their Oakville steep hillside vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon called Backus. The basic Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. It saw 18 months in a combination of both French and American casks. This is their biggest cuvée (27,000 cases) and it is a beauty. The 2014 is supple, with silky tannins, dark plum, blackcurrant and licorice-infused fruit with a touch of spice, a lushness on the attack and mid-palate, and a silky finish. This wine was meant for early drinking, but there is no doubt it has the concentration and overall balance to age nicely for 15-20 years. |
|
|
2009 |
Napa Valley Syrah |
$30 |
1 |
|
| |
| WS 91 (2/2012): Well-structured, intense and minerally, tightly wound, with dried berry, sage, roasted herb and cedar; a classy effort that is best cellared or given a long decant, as it is just beginning to ease into approachability. Drink now through 2022. 1,200 cases made. |
|
|