Joseph Phelps Vineyards Legacy
It is our purpose through producing the finest wines to create unforgettable moments to reconnect profoundly with ourselves and with nature.
An icon begins with a relentless pursuit for excellence. Boundaries are meant to be broken. New adventures come from the road less traveled. Join us as we continue to honor our past while building an exciting future.
It began with a vision. A belief in the possibility of something bigger and better – something that didn’t quite exist yet. In the early 1970s, Napa Valley was a sleepy agricultural town on the brink of a fine-wine awakening. Drawing on his construction experience, Joe set about establishing the building blocks of winemaking excellence.
Joe had the kind of attitude we encourage all wine lovers to have: there is no wrong or right when it comes to wine, only instinct.
1973-1974
By embedding his no-compromise philosophy deep into the bedrock of the winery, Joe set the framework to push for greatness. In 1974, he had the idea to make a unique blend each year, one that would represent the finest wine he could make from each vintage. He didn’t necessarily think it would always be a Cabernet Sauvignon either. His only thought was to make one wine that represented the best of Joseph Phelps Vineyards. Today, Insignia is widely regarded as a qualitative benchmark for Californian winemaking that has earned Joseph Phelps its longstanding reputation for excellence.
Present Day
For half a century and three generations, the Joseph Phelps Vineyards team has followed in Joe’s trailblazing footsteps for winemaking excellence, gracious hospitality, and sustainability efforts in our vineyards and wineries to preserve and enhance the cherished region we call home.
A Napa Valley Wine Icon
Over the years, Joseph Phelps Vineyards has become practically synonymous with ‘Insignia.’ A true visionary, Joe was one of the first American winemakers to see the merit in blending. He proved this when he debuted ‘Insignia’ in 1974. As California’s first proprietary red Bordeaux-style blend, Insignia firmly positioned the winery as a premier Napa Valley producer. Joe chose the name Insignia to represent the finest lots available from each vintage and emphasize the importance of blending as a determinant of quality over varietal designation. At its very essence, Insignia is an emblem of Joe’s foundational philosophy that you have to give your best to craft the best. Almost fifty years later, Insignia is recognized as one of the world’s most iconic wines. The 2002 vintage was awarded “Wine of the Year” by Wine Spectator magazine in 2005, and Wine Advocate has awarded an unprecedented four perfect 100-point scores to the 1991, 1997, 2002, and 2007 vintages. According to Robert Parker, “Insignia remains one of the world’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon dominated blends.”
Note: HTML is not translated!