California
California is one of the most renowned wine regions in the world, known for producing exceptional wines that reflect the unique character of the region.
One of the most famous vineyards in California is the Napa Valley's Robert Mondavi Winery, which produces a range of high-quality red and white wines, including the Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, the Fumé Blanc Reserve, and the Chardonnay Reserve. The estate is committed to sustainable farming practices and is known for its focus on traditional winemaking techniques.
In California, there is also a strong focus on producing organic and biodynamic wines, with vineyards such as the Frog's Leap Winery and the Benziger Family Winery using these practices to produce exceptional wines that reflect the unique terroir of the region.
Overall, California is a region known for producing exceptional wines, with famous vineyards such as Harlan Estate, Dominus, Opus One, Screaming Eagle, Robert Mondavi and many others. With a focus on sustainable and organic farming practices, and a commitment to traditional winemaking techniques, wines from California are gaining increasing recognition and popularity among wine enthusiasts worldwide.
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Wine Advocate (100)
Sporting an opaque garnet-purple color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan Vineyard needs a fair bit of coaxing to unlock fabulously evocative notions of pure cassis, ripe, juicy black plums and wild blueberries, plus suggestions of candied violets, cinnamon stick and fenugreek, with a touch of fallen leaves. The medium to full-bodied palate is packed with poise and sophistication, shimmering with energetic black and blue fruit layers and a perfectly plush texture, finishing with a dazzling display of minerals and floral fireworks. A hands-down, jaw-dropping beauty!Inc. VAT£4,111.06 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Ark Vineyard is largely cut from the same cloth and reveals a purple/ruby hue as well as a deep, profound bouquet of blue fruits, cassis, dried violets, Asian spices, vanilla-laced coffee, and a whiff of new leather. Complex, full-bodied, and magically textured, it packs loads of fruit and opulence yet stays flawlessly balanced, has silky tannins, no hard edges and a majestic, singular personality. As with the 2015, drink this thrilling wine any time over the coming 30+ years.Inc. VAT£4,754.26 -
Wine Advocate (99+)
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Ark Vineyard delivers powerful scents of blackberry preserves, chocolate-covered cherries and stewed plums, giving way to red and black currant jelly, beef drippings and wild fungi. Full-bodied, tightly wound and shimmering with tension in the mouth, it has a solid frame of firm, grainy tannins supporting the reticent fruit, finishing savory and with lots of latent energy. All the signs say that this baby is holding back right now and has more to give with considerable cellaring. Tuck it away for at least 5-6 years and then enjoy it over the next 40 years+.Inc. VAT£4,111.82 -
Wine Advocate (100)
Deep garnet-purple, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Wraith drifts effortlessly out of the glass with compelling scents of Morello cherries, boysenberry preserves and blackcurrant pastilles, plus hints of unsmoked cigars, wild sage, underbrush and pencil shavings. The taut, tightly packed, muscular, full-bodied palate quakes with energy, supported by beautifully ripe, grainy tannins, finishing incredibly long and provocatively perfumed. So lively and layered, this Wraith perfectly captures the captivating vibrancy of this great, great vintage!Inc. VAT£3,563.86 -
Vinous (95)
A dense, succulent wine, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon captures all the raw power and density of the year. The 2015 is just starting to soften, but ideally it needs another few years in bottle to be at its finest. Readers should expect an especially opulent style, and yet the 2015 has more than enough depth to drink well for another 15+ years or more.Inc. VAT£634.24 -
Jeb Dunnuck (94)
The base cuvée is the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, which is 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec sourced all from Rutherford. It has a classic, Saint Julien-like bouquet of crème de cassis, tobacco lead, damp earth, and spice that gives way to a full-bodied, concentrated, textured Cabernet that hits all the right marks. The top Rubicon release has a touch more elegant and precision, but this isn't far off. Drink this stunner any time over the coming 20 years or more.Inc. VAT£508.24 -
Decanter (96)
One would be hard-pressed to find a more definitive showing of Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon. Just enough oak-treatment apparent on the nose to add complexity, melting perfectly into the brooding, dark black fruits underneath. The palate is plush, forward and dusty with a subtle, snappy quality to the finish. It has become rare that the premier (and most expensive) wine from a Napa producer is not simply a bigger and riper iteration of other wines in the lineup. Such is not the case with InglenookInc. VAT£570.04 -
James Suckling (95)
This shows notes of ripe blackberries and blackcurrants with hints of licorice, cloves, walnuts and chocolate. It has full body and a velvety tannin structure. Juicy and vibrant fruit on the palate with a touch of earthiness. Smooth and delicious. Long, fruity finish. Very pure fruit. Try after 2024.Inc. VAT£738.04 -
Wine Advocate (93+)
There have been a number of changes of late at Inglenook, so I was anxious to taste the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Cask. This wine was first created in 1949 and during that era, through the 50s and early 60s, was considered one of the finest wines of California. This is the best, young Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon I have tasted during my professional career of 35 years. Dense ruby/purple with classic crème de cassis, but underlying minerality and spice box. The wine is full-bodied, but not over-the-top, yet nevertheless authoritative, rich and quite long. There is a thickness and concentration I haven’t seen from this estate in many a year and this wine should age beautifully for 20-25 years at the very minimum.Inc. VAT£814.84 -
Vinous (97)
The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon emerges from the back part of the property, which lies on the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains. Here the wines are dense, powerful and structured. That is exactly what comes through in the 2013. Layers of dark fruit built into a crescendo of aromas, flavors and textures laced with mocha, espresso, gravel and dark spice overtones. The new oak that was so prominent at the outset has begun to integrate and in so doing is allowing the fruit to come through to a greater degree than in the past. This is a tremendous showing for the 2013 Rubicon.Inc. VAT£897.64 -
Wine Advocate (95+)
The proprietary red, the 2014 Rubicon (96% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot) has a saturated black/purple color and a nose of blackberry and cassis with some camphor and charcoal. Chewy, rich and full-bodied, with exceptional precision and personality, this is a stunningly delicious and complex wine with a good 25-30 years of further potential. It is the antithesis of the rustic, somewhat coarse reds that were made under the Rubicon moniker when Francis Ford Coppola first acquired the Inglenook estate. Kudos to him for making dramatic improvements. Approachable already, this wine won’t hit its stride for another decade and will last 30 or more years.Inc. VAT£888.04 -
James Suckling (97)
This is a powerful and structured red with full body, focused and polished tannins and a long and flavorful finish. It’s very close to the great 2013. A blend of 93 per cent cabernet sauvignon and seven per cent cabernet franc. Needs three or four years to come around.Inc. VAT£912.64 -
Decanter (97)
A lovely enticing nose filled with rich plum, fig and blackcurrant fruits - heady and opulent. The palate is precise with a distinct texture, certainly dense and ripe but the flavours just settle on the tongue giving spiced touches of liquorice but allowing the freshness and acidity to underpin the overall taste. It feels very carefully constructed with everything in place allowing power and generality but neatly packaged and not overdone. A blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Wines are aged for 18 months in 100% French oak, 76% new.Inc. VAT£1,058.44 -
Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)
A storrming, stonking Napa wine, playing at the top of its game in 2019. Somehow takes the power and concentration of Napa but makes it full of texture, life, light and shade. Espresso, liqourice root, cocoa bean, cassis, cranberry, black cherry, cold ash and crayon. Hard not to fall in love with, nothing overdone, everything in its place. Winemaker Todd DeVincezi, consultant winemaker Philippe Bascaules. All aged in French oak barrels, 75% new.Inc. VAT£970.84 -
Vinous (92)
(93% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot and 2% petit verdot) Opaque ruby. Pungent cherry and blackcurrant aromas are complicated by exotic floral and Indian spice qualities. Bitter cherry and dark chocolate flavors gain sweetness with air, fleshing out and carrying through a long, sappy finish. Manages to be lush and sweet but also poised, offering an impressive balancing act of tannins and ripeness. This has excellent hang time. This, too, is much more impressive than the maiden 2004 release.Inc. VAT£1,062.29 -
Vinous (92)
(84% cabernet sauvignon, 9% cabernet franc, 6% petit verdot and 1% merlot) Deep ruby color. Musky cherry and cassis scents are complemented by tobacco, cedar and smoky herbs; this really smells like Bordeaux. Supple red berry, cherry and dark chocolate flavors combine intensity and depth, with fine-grained tannins adding structure. A very elegant and understated wine with excellent finishing clarity and persistence.Inc. VAT£1,135.49 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97)
The Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated cuvée is the 2017 El Desafio De Jonata, which includes 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. It's another inky colored wine from this team and offers a brilliant bouquet of crème de cassis, tobacco leaf, cedar, bay leaf, and crushed rocks. Beautifully concentrated and balanced, with a Bordeaux-like structure and regal style, it's a magical Cabernet Sauvignon that's going to benefit from 7-8 years of bottle age yet keep for 20-30 years.Inc. VAT£1,095.64 -
Inc. VAT£551.09 -
Wine Advocate (91)
Blended of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc, sourced from six vineyards, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon reveals a medium to deep garnet-purple color and nose of red and black currants, black raspberries and mulberries with hints of pencil shavings, cinnamon stick, cloves and vanilla pod. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has great freshness, with the vibrant, open-for-business fruit well supported by ripe, grainy tannins, finishing with good length. 23,000 cases were made.Inc. VAT£529.24 -
James Suckling (94)
This has very bright and juicy, brambly dark berries with a wealth of attractive and juicy dark-fruit presence. This has depth, detail and long, layered dark-fruit flavors. Impressively chiseled finish. Drink or hold.Inc. VAT£648.64 -
James Suckling (96)
Very pretty blackberry, blackcurrant, walnut, forest-flower and dark-walnut aromas follow through to a full body with round, juicy tannins that are fine-grained and beautiful. Lovely length and generosity, but reserved at the finish to give it tension. Mostly from the Soscol vineyard. 97% cabernet sauvignon. Drink or hold.Inc. VAT£509.44 -
Decanter (94)
Ripe and concentrated on the nose, smells full. Gorgeous texture and overall impression in the mouth. I love the sticky liquorice aspect to the black cherries, blackcurrants and plum fruit, it's not spicy so much as in piquant but the hints of cinnamon and tobacco leaf give that added complexity and edge to the concentrated fruit. It's a bold style, but I like the sweetness and the acidity keeping it lifted. It's a joyful expression, easy to drink. Rich and round but not heavy, there really is nothing not to like here. Amazing for the price! 1% Malbec completes the blend. Ageing 18 months in 48% new oak (58% French, 42% American) and 52% older French and American oak barrels before bottling.Inc. VAT£606.04 -
Wine Enthusiast (96)
One of the first, if not the first, of the proprietarily named Napa Bordeaux blends, Phelps Insignia has been one of California's greatest Cabs for decades. This is their 30th anniversary bottling, and it's worthy of the tradition. Ultrarich and smooth, with a mouthfeel that's pure velvet, it's fairly thick in tannins now, suggesting cellaring. But it's huge in blackberry, dark unsweetened chocolate and spicy plum fruit, and will easily hold for a very long time. Best now, if carefully decanted, and through 2020.Inc. VAT£1,881.60 -
Vinous (95)
(14.7% alcohol; a very small crop due to to heat during bloom; the average yield was 1.7 tons per acre; a three-week heat spell from late August into September resulted in some shriveled fruit): Bright, dark ruby-red. Deep, ripe, expressive nose offers plum, graphite, mocha and violet aromas, plus hints of dried fruits and nutmeg. Wonderfully plush, superconcentrated wine; fleshy and sweet, conveying a small-berry character and outstanding early appeal. Its lavish ripeness is supported by firm acidity, underlying minerality and big, late-arriving tannins. As sexy as this wine is today, it's not yet near its peak. Beginning with this vintage, the Insignia has been made with 100% estate fruit.Inc. VAT£1,640.40 -
Wine Advocate (97+)
Composed of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc coming from six vineyards and reared for 24 months in 100% new French oak, the 2014 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of crushed blackberries and fresh blackcurrants with touches of cigar box, sandalwood, dried lavender, beef drippings and mocha plus a waft of wild thyme. Medium to full-bodied and incredibly elegant and fine in the mouth, the lively fruit is well structured by grainy tannins and seamless acid, finishing long and earthy. 14,500 cases were made.Inc. VAT£1,357.24 -
Wine Advocate (98)
The 2015 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine is blended of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak. 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. 12,400 cases produced.Inc. VAT£1,425.64 -
Wine Advocate (99)
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.Inc. VAT£1,375.24 -
Decanter (96)
This has a real sense of freshness and grip. A pure expression of Cabernet with a shot of eucalyptus and menthol, extremely concentrated but with elegance and power. The tannins just grip on to your palate and don't let go leading to a lovely chewy finish. This is great stuff, with a discernibly finessed style that shows a fine tannic balance magnified through the lens of Californian heat and laced through with cassis, espresso and chocolate block. Great structure, this will take a few decades of ageing in its stride. 100% new oak, from five vineyards around Napa Valley, mainly in Stags Leap and Oak Knoll.Inc. VAT£1,305.64 -
James Suckling (99)
Blackberry and black chocolate with mint, conifer and clove. Sweet tobacco, violets and flowers, too. Some graphite. Cool and complex. Full-bodied with ultra fine, dusty tannins and a wonderful, extremely long finish. Savory and refined. A classic-styled 2018. This needs time, but is so approachable and gorgeous. One of the best Insignias ever. Alive and changing all the time. 40% Stags Leap AVA. 87% cabernet sauvignon, 8% petit verdot, 3% malbec and 2% cabernet franc. Leave this for five or six years, but so wonderful now.Inc. VAT£1,321.24 -
Jeb Dunnuck (99)
Another beautiful wine from this team, the 2019 Insignia is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon but includes smaller amounts of Merlot and Malbec, brought up all in new barrels, sourced from seven estate vineyards. It has a classic varietal and incredibly complex nose of crème de cassis, freshly sharpened pencils, green tobacco, and damp earth, with a kiss of background sappy spring flowers. Seemingly from a cooler year with its freshness, vibrancy, and herbal, floral character on the nose, it's nevertheless full-bodied and beautifully concentrated on the palate, with ultra-fine tannins, a seamless, layered mouthfeel, and a gorgeous finish. Unquestionably up with the finest vintages of this cuvée, this is legit awesome juice that’s going to offer incredible pleasure over the coming 20-25 years. Hats off to winemaker Ashley Hepworth.Inc. VAT£1,476.04
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Wine Advocate (100)
Sporting an opaque garnet-purple color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan Vineyard needs a fair bit of coaxing to unlock fabulously evocative notions of pure cassis, ripe, juicy black plums and wild blueberries, plus suggestions of candied violets, cinnamon stick and fenugreek, with a touch of fallen leaves. The medium to full-bodied palate is packed with poise and sophistication, shimmering with energetic black and blue fruit layers and a perfectly plush texture, finishing with a dazzling display of minerals and floral fireworks. A hands-down, jaw-dropping beauty!In Bond£3,406.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Ark Vineyard is largely cut from the same cloth and reveals a purple/ruby hue as well as a deep, profound bouquet of blue fruits, cassis, dried violets, Asian spices, vanilla-laced coffee, and a whiff of new leather. Complex, full-bodied, and magically textured, it packs loads of fruit and opulence yet stays flawlessly balanced, has silky tannins, no hard edges and a majestic, singular personality. As with the 2015, drink this thrilling wine any time over the coming 30+ years.In Bond£3,942.00 -
Wine Advocate (99+)
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Ark Vineyard delivers powerful scents of blackberry preserves, chocolate-covered cherries and stewed plums, giving way to red and black currant jelly, beef drippings and wild fungi. Full-bodied, tightly wound and shimmering with tension in the mouth, it has a solid frame of firm, grainy tannins supporting the reticent fruit, finishing savory and with lots of latent energy. All the signs say that this baby is holding back right now and has more to give with considerable cellaring. Tuck it away for at least 5-6 years and then enjoy it over the next 40 years+.In Bond£3,406.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
Deep garnet-purple, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Wraith drifts effortlessly out of the glass with compelling scents of Morello cherries, boysenberry preserves and blackcurrant pastilles, plus hints of unsmoked cigars, wild sage, underbrush and pencil shavings. The taut, tightly packed, muscular, full-bodied palate quakes with energy, supported by beautifully ripe, grainy tannins, finishing incredibly long and provocatively perfumed. So lively and layered, this Wraith perfectly captures the captivating vibrancy of this great, great vintage!In Bond£2,950.00 -
Vinous (95)
A dense, succulent wine, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon captures all the raw power and density of the year. The 2015 is just starting to soften, but ideally it needs another few years in bottle to be at its finest. Readers should expect an especially opulent style, and yet the 2015 has more than enough depth to drink well for another 15+ years or more.In Bond£512.50 -
Jeb Dunnuck (94)
The base cuvée is the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, which is 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec sourced all from Rutherford. It has a classic, Saint Julien-like bouquet of crème de cassis, tobacco lead, damp earth, and spice that gives way to a full-bodied, concentrated, textured Cabernet that hits all the right marks. The top Rubicon release has a touch more elegant and precision, but this isn't far off. Drink this stunner any time over the coming 20 years or more.In Bond£407.50 -
Decanter (96)
One would be hard-pressed to find a more definitive showing of Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon. Just enough oak-treatment apparent on the nose to add complexity, melting perfectly into the brooding, dark black fruits underneath. The palate is plush, forward and dusty with a subtle, snappy quality to the finish. It has become rare that the premier (and most expensive) wine from a Napa producer is not simply a bigger and riper iteration of other wines in the lineup. Such is not the case with InglenookIn Bond£459.00 -
James Suckling (95)
This shows notes of ripe blackberries and blackcurrants with hints of licorice, cloves, walnuts and chocolate. It has full body and a velvety tannin structure. Juicy and vibrant fruit on the palate with a touch of earthiness. Smooth and delicious. Long, fruity finish. Very pure fruit. Try after 2024.In Bond£599.00 -
Wine Advocate (93+)
There have been a number of changes of late at Inglenook, so I was anxious to taste the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Cask. This wine was first created in 1949 and during that era, through the 50s and early 60s, was considered one of the finest wines of California. This is the best, young Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon I have tasted during my professional career of 35 years. Dense ruby/purple with classic crème de cassis, but underlying minerality and spice box. The wine is full-bodied, but not over-the-top, yet nevertheless authoritative, rich and quite long. There is a thickness and concentration I haven’t seen from this estate in many a year and this wine should age beautifully for 20-25 years at the very minimum.In Bond£663.00 -
Vinous (97)
The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon emerges from the back part of the property, which lies on the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains. Here the wines are dense, powerful and structured. That is exactly what comes through in the 2013. Layers of dark fruit built into a crescendo of aromas, flavors and textures laced with mocha, espresso, gravel and dark spice overtones. The new oak that was so prominent at the outset has begun to integrate and in so doing is allowing the fruit to come through to a greater degree than in the past. This is a tremendous showing for the 2013 Rubicon.In Bond£732.00 -
Wine Advocate (95+)
The proprietary red, the 2014 Rubicon (96% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot) has a saturated black/purple color and a nose of blackberry and cassis with some camphor and charcoal. Chewy, rich and full-bodied, with exceptional precision and personality, this is a stunningly delicious and complex wine with a good 25-30 years of further potential. It is the antithesis of the rustic, somewhat coarse reds that were made under the Rubicon moniker when Francis Ford Coppola first acquired the Inglenook estate. Kudos to him for making dramatic improvements. Approachable already, this wine won’t hit its stride for another decade and will last 30 or more years.In Bond£724.00 -
James Suckling (97)
This is a powerful and structured red with full body, focused and polished tannins and a long and flavorful finish. It’s very close to the great 2013. A blend of 93 per cent cabernet sauvignon and seven per cent cabernet franc. Needs three or four years to come around.In Bond£744.50 -
Decanter (97)
A lovely enticing nose filled with rich plum, fig and blackcurrant fruits - heady and opulent. The palate is precise with a distinct texture, certainly dense and ripe but the flavours just settle on the tongue giving spiced touches of liquorice but allowing the freshness and acidity to underpin the overall taste. It feels very carefully constructed with everything in place allowing power and generality but neatly packaged and not overdone. A blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Wines are aged for 18 months in 100% French oak, 76% new.In Bond£866.00 -
Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)
A storrming, stonking Napa wine, playing at the top of its game in 2019. Somehow takes the power and concentration of Napa but makes it full of texture, life, light and shade. Espresso, liqourice root, cocoa bean, cassis, cranberry, black cherry, cold ash and crayon. Hard not to fall in love with, nothing overdone, everything in its place. Winemaker Todd DeVincezi, consultant winemaker Philippe Bascaules. All aged in French oak barrels, 75% new.In Bond£793.00 -
Vinous (92)
(93% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot and 2% petit verdot) Opaque ruby. Pungent cherry and blackcurrant aromas are complicated by exotic floral and Indian spice qualities. Bitter cherry and dark chocolate flavors gain sweetness with air, fleshing out and carrying through a long, sappy finish. Manages to be lush and sweet but also poised, offering an impressive balancing act of tannins and ripeness. This has excellent hang time. This, too, is much more impressive than the maiden 2004 release.In Bond£866.00 -
Vinous (92)
(84% cabernet sauvignon, 9% cabernet franc, 6% petit verdot and 1% merlot) Deep ruby color. Musky cherry and cassis scents are complemented by tobacco, cedar and smoky herbs; this really smells like Bordeaux. Supple red berry, cherry and dark chocolate flavors combine intensity and depth, with fine-grained tannins adding structure. A very elegant and understated wine with excellent finishing clarity and persistence.In Bond£927.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97)
The Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated cuvée is the 2017 El Desafio De Jonata, which includes 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. It's another inky colored wine from this team and offers a brilliant bouquet of crème de cassis, tobacco leaf, cedar, bay leaf, and crushed rocks. Beautifully concentrated and balanced, with a Bordeaux-like structure and regal style, it's a magical Cabernet Sauvignon that's going to benefit from 7-8 years of bottle age yet keep for 20-30 years.In Bond£897.00 -
In Bond£440.00
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Wine Advocate (91)
Blended of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc, sourced from six vineyards, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon reveals a medium to deep garnet-purple color and nose of red and black currants, black raspberries and mulberries with hints of pencil shavings, cinnamon stick, cloves and vanilla pod. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has great freshness, with the vibrant, open-for-business fruit well supported by ripe, grainy tannins, finishing with good length. 23,000 cases were made.In Bond£425.00 -
James Suckling (94)
This has very bright and juicy, brambly dark berries with a wealth of attractive and juicy dark-fruit presence. This has depth, detail and long, layered dark-fruit flavors. Impressively chiseled finish. Drink or hold.In Bond£524.50 -
James Suckling (96)
Very pretty blackberry, blackcurrant, walnut, forest-flower and dark-walnut aromas follow through to a full body with round, juicy tannins that are fine-grained and beautiful. Lovely length and generosity, but reserved at the finish to give it tension. Mostly from the Soscol vineyard. 97% cabernet sauvignon. Drink or hold.In Bond£408.50 -
Decanter (94)
Ripe and concentrated on the nose, smells full. Gorgeous texture and overall impression in the mouth. I love the sticky liquorice aspect to the black cherries, blackcurrants and plum fruit, it's not spicy so much as in piquant but the hints of cinnamon and tobacco leaf give that added complexity and edge to the concentrated fruit. It's a bold style, but I like the sweetness and the acidity keeping it lifted. It's a joyful expression, easy to drink. Rich and round but not heavy, there really is nothing not to like here. Amazing for the price! 1% Malbec completes the blend. Ageing 18 months in 48% new oak (58% French, 42% American) and 52% older French and American oak barrels before bottling.In Bond£489.00 -
Wine Enthusiast (96)
One of the first, if not the first, of the proprietarily named Napa Bordeaux blends, Phelps Insignia has been one of California's greatest Cabs for decades. This is their 30th anniversary bottling, and it's worthy of the tradition. Ultrarich and smooth, with a mouthfeel that's pure velvet, it's fairly thick in tannins now, suggesting cellaring. But it's huge in blackberry, dark unsweetened chocolate and spicy plum fruit, and will easily hold for a very long time. Best now, if carefully decanted, and through 2020.Inc. VAT£1,881.60 -
Vinous (95)
(14.7% alcohol; a very small crop due to to heat during bloom; the average yield was 1.7 tons per acre; a three-week heat spell from late August into September resulted in some shriveled fruit): Bright, dark ruby-red. Deep, ripe, expressive nose offers plum, graphite, mocha and violet aromas, plus hints of dried fruits and nutmeg. Wonderfully plush, superconcentrated wine; fleshy and sweet, conveying a small-berry character and outstanding early appeal. Its lavish ripeness is supported by firm acidity, underlying minerality and big, late-arriving tannins. As sexy as this wine is today, it's not yet near its peak. Beginning with this vintage, the Insignia has been made with 100% estate fruit.Inc. VAT£1,640.40 -
Wine Advocate (97+)
Composed of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc coming from six vineyards and reared for 24 months in 100% new French oak, the 2014 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of crushed blackberries and fresh blackcurrants with touches of cigar box, sandalwood, dried lavender, beef drippings and mocha plus a waft of wild thyme. Medium to full-bodied and incredibly elegant and fine in the mouth, the lively fruit is well structured by grainy tannins and seamless acid, finishing long and earthy. 14,500 cases were made.In Bond£1,115.00 -
Wine Advocate (98)
The 2015 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine is blended of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak. 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. 12,400 cases produced.In Bond£1,172.00 -
Wine Advocate (99)
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.In Bond£1,130.00 -
Decanter (96)
This has a real sense of freshness and grip. A pure expression of Cabernet with a shot of eucalyptus and menthol, extremely concentrated but with elegance and power. The tannins just grip on to your palate and don't let go leading to a lovely chewy finish. This is great stuff, with a discernibly finessed style that shows a fine tannic balance magnified through the lens of Californian heat and laced through with cassis, espresso and chocolate block. Great structure, this will take a few decades of ageing in its stride. 100% new oak, from five vineyards around Napa Valley, mainly in Stags Leap and Oak Knoll.In Bond£1,072.00 -
James Suckling (99)
Blackberry and black chocolate with mint, conifer and clove. Sweet tobacco, violets and flowers, too. Some graphite. Cool and complex. Full-bodied with ultra fine, dusty tannins and a wonderful, extremely long finish. Savory and refined. A classic-styled 2018. This needs time, but is so approachable and gorgeous. One of the best Insignias ever. Alive and changing all the time. 40% Stags Leap AVA. 87% cabernet sauvignon, 8% petit verdot, 3% malbec and 2% cabernet franc. Leave this for five or six years, but so wonderful now.In Bond£1,085.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (99)
Another beautiful wine from this team, the 2019 Insignia is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon but includes smaller amounts of Merlot and Malbec, brought up all in new barrels, sourced from seven estate vineyards. It has a classic varietal and incredibly complex nose of crème de cassis, freshly sharpened pencils, green tobacco, and damp earth, with a kiss of background sappy spring flowers. Seemingly from a cooler year with its freshness, vibrancy, and herbal, floral character on the nose, it's nevertheless full-bodied and beautifully concentrated on the palate, with ultra-fine tannins, a seamless, layered mouthfeel, and a gorgeous finish. Unquestionably up with the finest vintages of this cuvée, this is legit awesome juice that’s going to offer incredible pleasure over the coming 20-25 years. Hats off to winemaker Ashley Hepworth.In Bond£1,214.00
