1 | Wine | Red Bordeaux Blend, 2007

"On the nose, a complex blend of dark morello cherries, spice and dark mocha minerality comes together. The flavors of this wine are powerful and harmonious. Blackberry, black cherry and cassis tones are expressed within an integrated core of minerality. The tannins are firm yet integrated, with a long finish, driven by a firm core of acidity."

"The 2007 looks to be one of Quintessa's stronger efforts in a number of years. Dark ruby/purple, with sweet black currant, cherry, and loamy soil notes intermixed with some subtle spice box and background oak, this wine is rich and medium to full-bodied, with round, silky tannins, and an attractive set of aromatics." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"Firm, intense and concentrated. ...massive yet well-proportioned, with a dense, focused core of graphite, dried currant, blackberry, black tea, forest floor and blueberry flavors. Full-blown, finishing with rich, layered tannins that beg for cellaring. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot."

"Tremendous aromas of flowers, blue, red and black fruits, graphite and forest floor. Elegant yet powerful, rich, concentrated, pure and impeccably well-balanced, it reminds me of a hypothetical blend of a Bordeaux and a cool climate, Cabernet-based red from Napa." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"Col Solare has planted a beautifully situated estate vineyard but the fruit is not quite ready to be included. Medium purple-colored, if offers up an inviting perfume of pain grille, pencil lead, espresso, violets, black currant, and blackberry. Structured and dense on the palate, the wine has superb intensity, volume, and balance."

"Explodes onto the palate with masses of rich, opulent fruit that caress the palate with gorgeous length and a seamless beauty that is hard to fully capture. Dark wild cherries, plums, spices, minerals and herbs develop in the glass. This is an especially bold, perhaps slightly uncharacteristic Sassicaia in its extroverted personality, but it is beautiful all the same. The inner perfume and sweetness carries through the long finish, where the sheer weight and glycerol of the fruit leaves a lasting impression."

"Aromas of pain grille, dried herbs, exotic spices, violets, black currant, and blackberry inform the nose of a medium- to full-bodied wine that deftly combines elegance with power. Several more years of cellaring should add complexity to the mix."

"Explodes onto the palate with masses of rich, opulent fruit that caress the palate with gorgeous length and a seamless beauty that is hard to fully capture. Dark wild cherries, plums, spices, minerals and herbs develop in the glass. This is an especially bold, perhaps slightly uncharacteristic Sassicaia in its extroverted personality, but it is beautiful all the same. The inner perfume and sweetness carries through the long finish, where the sheer weight and glycerol of the fruit leaves a lasting impression."

"The 2007 Insignia...looks to be one of the greatest wines yet produced at this historic winery. Beautiful aromas of creme de cassis and flowers jump from the glass of this dense purple-colored effort. Sweet oak is present, but it is pushed to the background by the wine’s extravagant wealth of fruit and full-bodied power. This is finesse and flavor authority put into a classic Napa Valley Cabernet with a seamless integration of all its component parts. Already complex and approachable, it should evolve for three decades or more, but who can resist it now? It is a staggering, complex expression of Napa viticulture. Anticipated maturity: now-2030. Another great success for Phelps, the 2007 and 2008 Insignias may be the best back-to-back vintages they have produced since 1995 and 1994. The 2008 has some tannins to resolve whereas the 2007 has already assimilated them."-Robert Parker