• 1974 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 95 pts.
  This is 94% Cabernet and 6% Merlot, aged in redwood barrels, the inaugural release of Phelps Insignia. Out of 22 vintages tasted in a vertical tasting, this was one of the clear highlights. The highly expressive nose shows cedar, mint and a lightly floral element. It reminded me of a sauna! Oh my goodness, the palate is VERY much alive, very vibrant and full of fruit. Long, pure and sweet, this is a delicious and elegant wine, what a treat!
  
• 1978 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 88 pts.
  This is a blend of 50% Cabernet, 30% Merlot, and 20% Cab Franc. The note shows raw meat and mint. If my notes are correct, this is the first vintage of Insignia to see French oak instead of redwood barrels. At first this was minty and lively on the palate, but it dried out very quickly and showed a lot less fruit than the 1974.
  
• 1977 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 89 pts.
  Wow, this one shows a lot more Brett than other Phelps of the 1970's, apparently due to somewhat dirty barrels. The nose is stinky with cabbage, cedar and very distinct barnyard that takes over with more air. However, the palate is much better than the nose. The finish is drying and somewhat astringent.
  
• 1979 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 90 pts.
  70% Cab and 30% Merlot. Very youthful color. The nose on this is very expressive with cedar, cocoa, and cassis. The palate shows more structure than the other 1970's Insignias. The palate is stunning and vibrant with cooling mint. However, there are somewhat coarse tannins on the finish which holds this back a bit.
  

• 1987 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 90 pts.
  70% Cab Sauv, 20% Cab Franc and 10% Merlot. The nose shows iron and cedar. On the palate this has a nice attack of sweet cassis and finishes with a hint of astrignency but also beautiful, dusty tannins that really coat your palate. Surprisingly silky, this definitely had that iron fist in a velvet glove character.
  
• 1984 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 92 pts.
  60% Cab Sauv, 30% Merlot and 10% Cab Franc. This is very minty on the nose with a hint of Brett. The vibrant palate shows a blast of mint and very pretty sweetness. The finish is slightly drying, but this is a particularly elegant Insignia.
  
• 1985 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 87 pts.
  60% Cab Sauv, 25% Merlot and 15% Cab Franc. The consensus was that this bottle was somewhat oxidized. I thought it was drinkable but somewhat off with vanilla and a slightly roasted character on the nose. The palate showed less purity than the other Insignia with a 'muddy' feel.
  
• 1986 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA]
  60% Cab Sauv, 30% Merlot, 10% Cab Franc. This bottle was clearly oxidized showing vinegar and dill on the nose. The palate was shot. Not rated.
  
• 1989 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 89 pts.
  80% Cab Sauv, 10% Merlot, and 10% Cab Franc. Really impressive color. Post-phylloxera, this shows a very different personality from the earlier Insignia with no more mint on the nose, now showing more cranberry. On the palate this shows a lot of structure and tart acidity, cherries and cranberry, much more red and citric. This wine seemed a bit underripe.
  

• 1991 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 94 pts.
  This wine shows a knockout nose of cassis, mint, mineral and gunflint. Wow, this is quite powerful with incredible structure and balance, just impeccable, a truly beautiful wine.
  
• 1992 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 91 pts.
  The nose was a little more earthy with black cherry. The palate is beautifully soft and approachable with lots of plum. This is somewhat tighter and less giving than the 1992.
  
• 1998 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 88 pts.
  The somewhat high-toned nose shows bell pepper, cola, vanilla and caramel. On the palate this is quite herbal and fairly tight. It is approachable but a bit simple and not really at the same level as other modern Insignia.
  
• 1993 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 89 pts.
  The nose is pretty with mint and black cherry. The medium weight palate is fairly vibrant with a tight finish. A number of folks thought this was slightly corked, but I didn't detect it.
  
• 1990 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 87 pts.
  Iron and cranberry on the nose. Wow, this was quite less ripe than other vintages, tart. It does show reasonable structure, but the fruit is unimpressive.
  

• 1994 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 96 pts.
  This was my favorite Insignia. The nose is soaring and piercing showing mint, plum, and gunflint. The palate is fat, plummy, deeply layered and luscious. This is really dark in character, very long, yet so balanced and poised. This just screams Napa, I LOVE this wine!
  
• 1996 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 94 pts.
  The nose on this is somewhat high-toned with violet. Wow, this has a lush palate, really pretty and very piercing and high-pitched with a chambord like element, very much more like a Quilceda than an Insignia. Lovely!
  
• 1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 95 pts.
  The nose shows oak and chocolate. Oh my goodness, the palate is so ripe, almost clumsy like a puppy, but it pulls it off. This shows chocolate and very ripe cassis. This is just so lush!
  
• 1995 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 95 pts.
  On the nose there is a hint of VA with a very mineral rich character. Wow, the palate is very pure with screaming cassis and a very black, brooding element behind the fruit. This is very nicely balanced with stunning, tooth-coating tannins, so dusty, silky and persistent. Amidst the 1994, 1996 and 1997 this stood out for having the best structure.
  

• 1999 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 95 pts.
  This has a very pretty nose of cassis, mineral and a little gunpowder. This has stunning balance, almost unreal. I was really very surprised and impressed by this wine and the poise it showed, as I have read so much about the 1999 vintage being overly tannic. Not this wine!
  
• 2000 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 90 pts.
  This is somewhat herbal with some caramel. The wood really lays on top of this wine right now. It does haev very nice cassis with lovely structure, but the finish is somewhat astringent. This is not integrated like the 1999 or the 2001.
  
• 2001 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 96 pts.
  Oh my God! The cassis, mineral and earth here are amazing. There is so much depth to the nose. On the palate this is vibrant and structured, very complex and expressive for such a young wine, surprisingly approachable. This is going to be a legend, perhaps the finest Insignia ever.
  
• 2002 Joseph Phelps Insignia [Napa Valley, California, USA] 93 pts.
  This was a cask sample. This still has lots of wood showing with a sweet oaky character and lots of raspberry on the nose. On the palate this shows crushing, tannic depth. This needs a lot of time to knit, but the raw materials makes for an exciting wine. 93++
  

• 1985 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Rosé Réserve [Champagne, Reims, Champagne, France]
  Served from magnum. This has very dark color, well beyond the usual pale salmon. Stunning acid and mineral character, almost bracing. I wish I had more time to spend with this.
  
• 1990 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Vintage Réserve [Champagne, Reims, Champagne, France]
  Very pretty with a yeasty, creamy character and a long mouthful of minerals. Lovely!
  
• 1996 Bouchard Père & Fils Chevalier-Montrachet [Puligny-Montrachet, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France] 91 pts.
  The nose shows toast and charcoal. On the palate this is remarkably intense and driven with remarkable minerality. Wowza!
  

• 1999 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée [Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhône, Rhône, France] 93 pts.
  Tasted from magnum. The nose is gorgeous and high-pitched with lots of pine resin showing. This is so pure and approachable, very pretty and earthy with a gorgeous mouthful of provencale herbs.
  
• 2001 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée [Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhône, Rhône, France] 93 pts.
  This is piercing with stunning garrigue, wow! The palate is dry and structured and seems to be shutting down pretty hard compared to my last taste of this wine.
  
• 1998 Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee de la Reine des Bois [Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhône, Rhône, France] 93 pts.
  Wow, the nose shows a serious blast of raspberry with very right Grenache character. The palate is massively layered yet quite structured. Lots of wood in a very slutty style, very pretty and approachable. This has a ton of upside.
  
• 1995 Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape [Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhône, Rhône, France] 91 pts.
  On opening this wine I was blown away by the horse stink when I put my nose to the bottle. However this blew off and shows much more pine resin and roasted meat. On the palate this is VERY tight and dry, not giving up much right now. Tough to evaluate and far too early to drink this monster.
  

• 1996 Abreu Cabernet Sauvignon Madrona Ranch [Napa Valley, California, USA] 97 pts.
  The lavish nose shows mint and caramel, explosive. On the palate this is deeply concentrated. OMG, what a simply unreal expression of Napa Cabernet with mind-blowing cassis. My favorite wine of the night that rendered me speechless.
  
• 1992 Cain Five [Napa Valley, California, USA] 87 pts.
  The nose is spicy with bell pepper, quite herbal in character. On the palate this is more subtle and somewhat angular and lean, showing a bit of alcohol. I did mote that the balance was nice, and this was a pleasant wine in tough company tonight.
  
• 1995 Château Monbousquet [St. Emilion, Bordeaux, France] 89 pts.
  Minerals, graphite and ripe fruit on the nose. The palate is very structured and mineral driven. The finish is drying and still tannic. This is a nice Bordeaux.
  

• 1986 Château Lynch-Bages [Pauillac, Bordeaux, France] 93 pts.
  The nose shows cigar box and tobacco. On the palate this is quite tight and tannic with sweet cranberry. This is pretty restrained right now and still needs a long time to resolve, but it is fairly pretty.
  
• 1990 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron [Pauillac, Bordeaux, France] 92 pts.
  The nose shows vanilla and violet. On the palate this screaming of raspberry and mineral with massive structure. This is very hard to approach right now, still a baby. Lots of potential here.
  
• 1996 Château Léoville Barton [St. Julien, Bordeaux, France] 92 pts.
  Very black in color and personality. Wow, this wine rocks, but it is still stunningly tight (to be expected) with cranberry, cherry and mineral. There is so much more for thus wine to give yet, but it is locked away by crushing structure. Awesome, this will only get better.
  
• 1998 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière [St. Emilion, Bordeaux, France] 89 pts.
  The nose shows ripe raspberry but with a weird citric edge. On the palate this is very plush with load of structure, but right now it shows a lot of acidity with an odd hint of orange juice. A little strange.
  

• 1994 D'Arenberg The Ironstone Pressings [McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia] 86 pts.
  Very sweet and approachable with a fruit-pumch personality, almost like alcoholic HI-C. On its own this might be OK, but after a night of elegant wines this clashes terribly and is too sweet and cloying.
  
• 1997 Kanonkop Paul Sauer [Stellenbosch District, Coastal Region, South Africa]
  70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot. Tart cranberry, underripe fruit. Ouch, this is a very rough transition from all of the other wines. Not rated.
  

• 1995 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Sélection de Grains Nobles Heimbourg [Turckheim, Haut Rhin, Alsace, France] 95 pts.
  Deep color, almost rusty. Thick with botrytis on the nose. Oh my goodness, this is very near the wine of the night. The palate is stunning with laser-focused acid and unctuous ripeness. This wine has everything. Awesome, thanks Dave Browning for bringing this one!
  
• 2002 Joseph Phelps Esirebe White Table Wine [St. Helena, Napa Valley, California, USA] 85 pts.
  The nose on this is cloying but the palate is nice, quite fresh with orange zest.
  

Quote:

---

eric-i am a little surprised with the the showing of the 93 insignia and the 95 monbousquet. the last time i had the 93 insignia it was almost on par with the 94. the 95 monbousquet usually shows better at blind tastings, although the last bottle i opened a few months ago was corked.

---

Quote:

---

what a great tasting that has to be. how did you keep going

---

Quote:

---

eric,

i haven't had 2 tasting like that in my life. can you sense a little jealousy

---

I am very fortunate to have found a knowledgeable, well-connected, generous and eager set of tasters in Seattle, and that has helped my wine education dramatically over the past year.

All I can say is that I hope you get the chance, and it you do ever make it to Seattle I'll open some nice things from my cellar.