Joseph Phelps Vineyards - SAINT HELENA

Had a wine dinner back home at our club and the regional manager facilitated a visit for me. I could only do the standard canned tasting of selected wines but it did include quarter Moon PN which turned out to be my fave, despite a heavy stewed fruit note it was very enjoyable. Backus was really tannic , undrinkable young(5-7 compared with the too smooth and truly unremarkable Insignia made in huge lots for $300, not my style, but I admit very consistent style, just not mine, much prefer highs and lows more daring wines. I arrived early, but the tasting was extremely orchestrated. Facilities and site are just lovely.Nothing I could do to get into a culinary event or blending as I think insignia suffers from its lack of highs and lows already technically only a CS not a heritage, the other of the cinq cépages are trivial additions. Because the cab is never less than 82% and is up to 87 or more, little if their character come out. I really wanted to try the components and blend as recently having that dinner, the style is monolithic if medium long and versatile, many wines fill that bill.So all my years living in NorCal and 150+ Napa visits, just this year I first had Joe Phelps wines. They’ve always been a bit too much of a restaurant-client sort of wine and very expensive especially considering 16,000 cases a year.The standard tasting is a bit canned and probably fine for someone already a fan, I was disappointed that I didn’t get access to the other choices, there’s a lot of very good wines in Napa, I didn’t as a wine geek get much out of this visit, nothing to make me single out much past the beautiful architecture and a previously unknown to me RRV PN that was lovely, but iconic Insignia just isn’t my palate.

Beautiful winery. definitiw loves the test experience.

We were too late for the traffic. the front deck told us that they cut the experience short, and we totally understand. we thought, however, that “short cut” would only apply to the tour, not to the wein. the sommelier poured only 3/6 weine on the list, and we had to drink it quickly because they always come and try to pour another (only 1 riedel glass available for each person lol). when we go, there are many empty tables inside and outside, and the guests who started before us are still sitting there.

If you are in Napa, you must come here. Do a private tasting and ask for Dave. He is just as amazing as the wine! This was the best experience by far!!! Please do yourself the favor and experience it. I will come back here every time I am in Napa.

The entrance is shrouded by a beautifully re-purposed ex-Sonoma County bridge. That theme is followed throughout.