Joseph Phelps Insignia 1999
Vintage 1999 | 750mL | Napa Valley Bordeaux-style red blend — Joseph Phelps Insignia 1999 is the flagship bottling of the winery that created California's first proprietary Bordeaux-style blend in 1974: 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Malbec, drawn largely from Rutherford-grown fruit and aged 26 months in 100% new French oak. Wine Advocate called it "elegant, stylish... made in a more French-like, finesse style" than the blockbuster 1990s Insignias — the connoisseur's vintage of the decade. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
At 27 years old this is a fully mature, collector-grade Napa red: roasted black fruit, licorice, cedar and spice on the nose (per the winery's own notes), with Wine Spectator's 94-point review praising its "dark, rich and intensely concentrated" core of currant, black cherry, mineral, anise, sage and mocha-laced oak. Among Napa red wines, Insignia is the benchmark — and the 1999 rewards the patient: Vinous's 2019 re-taste found blackcurrant, crushed-rock minerality, licorice and violet, still "densely packed and seriously concentrated." Decant before serving; provenance and ideal storage matter at this age.
Tasting notes
Nose: incense, spice box, black fruits, vanilla (Wine Advocate, 2002). Palate: currant, black cherry, graphite and mineral, anise, sage, mocha-laced oak (Wine Spectator). Finish: long, elegant, French-like finesse rather than blockbuster power.
Why buy it from Del Mesa Liquor
- Vintage 1999 — 750mL; California's first proprietary Bordeaux-style blend (Insignia, est. 1974)
- 94 Wine Spectator, 93+ Stephen Tanzer, 91 Wine Advocate, 95 Vinous (2019 re-taste)
- 71/21/6/1/1 Cabernet/Merlot/Petit Verdot/Cab Franc/Malbec; 26 months in 100% new French oak
- The "finesse vintage" of the 1990s — elegant, stylish, fully mature collector bottle
- Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor
How to serve it
Decant 1–2 hours before serving at cellar temperature (60–65°F). A mature Napa red for a quiet dinner — roast lamb, dry-aged ribeye, or hard aged cheeses.
Frequently asked questions
What is Joseph Phelps Insignia?
The flagship Napa Valley red of Joseph Phelps Vineyards — the first proprietary Bordeaux-style blend ever produced in California, made every vintage since 1974.
How is the 1999 vintage rated?
94 points from Wine Spectator, 93+ from Stephen Tanzer, 91 from Wine Advocate, and 95 from Vinous on a 2019 re-taste.
Is the 1999 Insignia still drinking well?
Yes — the 2019 Vinous re-taste found it still densely packed and concentrated; it is a mature collector bottle, so good provenance and storage matter.
What is the blend of the 1999?
71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec, aged 26 months in new French oak.