1994 Joseph Phelps Insignia Red Wine Napa California RP--96

Robert Parker: 96 Points
The 1994 Insignia (a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc) is spectacular. I have had the wine a half-dozen or more times, and it is unquestionably opulent, sexy, flamboyant, explosively rich, concentrated, and a thrill to drink. Already gorgeous, it promises to evolve gracefully for two decades or more. The color is a healthy saturated dark purple. The spicy nose offers aromas of black currants, allspice, pain grille, and soy, with scents of a burning wood fire thrown in for additional complexity. This full-bodied, opulent, dazzling wine is exhilarating to drink. Joseph Phelps is doing a phenomenal job with their Insignia. The winery produces 10,000-12,000 cases of this proprietary red wine, all of it aged in 100% new oak. Vintages since 1991 have been superb. Perhaps the best back-to-back vintages ever produced of this wine are the 1994 and 1995, which rival the great Insignias made in 1974 and 1976.