Thanks for notes. Too bad about the '86 Backus (the '85 is still strutting). I
agree the '98 Insignia did far better than many of it's brethren in that
difficult year.
Dale

Dale Williams
Drop "damnspam" to reply

Richard Neidich wrote:
> I have almost a case each on Insignia going back almost 12 years....love
> that stuff. I think I need to start drinking it now.

No hurry, Dick. The older Insignias I've had were in great shape even
after 15-20 years. I'm not sure that the '93 or '98 will make it that
far, but I wouldn't bet against them either...

Mark Lipton

>> I have almost a case each on Insignia going back almost 12 years....love
>> that stuff. I think I need to start drinking it now.
>
>No hurry, Dick. The older Insignias I've had were in great shape even
>after 15-20 years. I'm not sure that the '93 or '98 will make it that
>far, but I wouldn't bet against them either...
>
>Mark Lipton
>

The '93 is still quite youthful with a preponderance of fruit at the front end
and smooth, well resolved tannins on the finish. It's well within it's drinking
window and should last for years to come.
Bi!!

>> I have almost a case each on Insignia going back almost 12 years....love
>> that stuff. I think I need to start drinking it now.
>
>No hurry, Dick. The older Insignias I've had were in great shape even
>after 15-20 years. I'm not sure that the '93 or '98 will make it that
>far, but I wouldn't bet against them either...
>
>Mark Lipton
>

The '93 is still quite youthful with a preponderance of fruit at the front end
and smooth, well resolved tannins on the finish. It's well within it's drinking
window and should last for years to come.
Bi!!

Mark Lipton wrote:
> Richard Neidich wrote:
>
>> I have almost a case each on Insignia going back almost 12
>> years....love that stuff. I think I need to start drinking it now.
>
>
> No hurry, Dick. The older Insignias I've had were in great shape even
> after 15-20 years. I'm not sure that the '93 or '98 will make it that
> far, but I wouldn't bet against them either...
>
> Mark Lipton

Anyone with thoughts on the '00? It's generally an earlier drinking
vintage for Cal Cabs, but I've held off on opening my only bottle of the
2000 Insignia.

--
To email me, remove the invalid word in my address and change net to com.

In article >,
says...
[SNIP wonderful TN's]
>Tom S

Phelps has been a favorite of ours for some years. Membership in their club
has been the reason that I have maintained a locker in Napa, since they cannot
yet ship to AZ - well Groth Red Stripe is another, but...

Even if I've just had the pleasure of doing a tasting there, I'll always stop
by on each trip, and recommend it to all. They do several different tastings,
so it depends a bit on who the host is, as to what you'll get. As I recall,
Claude is a Sommelier (maybe Master, but I forget), from Belgium and does a
wonderful, understated job. His are probably the best of the tastings, though
all are great.

Last time by, I was sorting out some errors in the wine in my locker back in
town, and ordering some of their Viognier and Marssane. While they looked over
the paperwork, and helped me out, they gave us some of the 2000 Insignia, for
our "wait." About that time, a tasting started, and they offered us admission,
though we had not planned on it, nor did we have reservations. As soon as it
finished, the office staff noted that they were about to do a new tasting,
hosted by a PhD who was doing his thesis on the "preception of taste." We were
asked to help him out by doing his tasting. No sooner than that had finished,
we were informed that one of the winemakers was hosting a tasting and we were
invited. When he finished, he asked that we remain behind, and brought out an
unmarked bottle of red. We tasted, and commented, amidst our palette fatigue.
I placed the Cab as a Rutherford, and asked if JP had acquired property there.
He smiled, and proclaimed that this was HIS first Cab for about 2 acres in
Rutherford! A fine, well-crafted CA Rutherford Cab. Unfortunately, he only had
three cases, and all were promised - or I'd have bought a case on the spot.
Well, we finally had to excuse ourselves, as we still had to drive back to SF
that night and it was getting late. I think they would have kept us there
until after closing :-}

Phelps is always about as good as it gets, when it comes to hospitality. And
the wine ain't bad either!

Thanks for the memories, and the TN's,
Hunt

In article >,
says...
[SNIP wonderful TN's]
>Tom S

Phelps has been a favorite of ours for some years. Membership in their club
has been the reason that I have maintained a locker in Napa, since they cannot
yet ship to AZ - well Groth Red Stripe is another, but...

Even if I've just had the pleasure of doing a tasting there, I'll always stop
by on each trip, and recommend it to all. They do several different tastings,
so it depends a bit on who the host is, as to what you'll get. As I recall,
Claude is a Sommelier (maybe Master, but I forget), from Belgium and does a
wonderful, understated job. His are probably the best of the tastings, though
all are great.

Last time by, I was sorting out some errors in the wine in my locker back in
town, and ordering some of their Viognier and Marssane. While they looked over
the paperwork, and helped me out, they gave us some of the 2000 Insignia, for
our "wait." About that time, a tasting started, and they offered us admission,
though we had not planned on it, nor did we have reservations. As soon as it
finished, the office staff noted that they were about to do a new tasting,
hosted by a PhD who was doing his thesis on the "preception of taste." We were
asked to help him out by doing his tasting. No sooner than that had finished,
we were informed that one of the winemakers was hosting a tasting and we were
invited. When he finished, he asked that we remain behind, and brought out an
unmarked bottle of red. We tasted, and commented, amidst our palette fatigue.
I placed the Cab as a Rutherford, and asked if JP had acquired property there.
He smiled, and proclaimed that this was HIS first Cab for about 2 acres in
Rutherford! A fine, well-crafted CA Rutherford Cab. Unfortunately, he only had
three cases, and all were promised - or I'd have bought a case on the spot.
Well, we finally had to excuse ourselves, as we still had to drive back to SF
that night and it was getting late. I think they would have kept us there
until after closing :-}

Phelps is always about as good as it gets, when it comes to hospitality. And
the wine ain't bad either!

Thanks for the memories, and the TN's,
Hunt

Hunt,
I have a few questions for you. Could you e-mail me at my Purdue
address at your convenience?

TIA,
Mark Lipton

Hunt,
I have a few questions for you. Could you e-mail me at my Purdue
address at your convenience?

TIA,
Mark Lipton

"larkin1734" > wrote in message
...
> Anyone with thoughts on the '00? It's generally an earlier drinking
> vintage for Cal Cabs, but I've held off on opening my only bottle of the
> 2000 Insignia.

Surely you aren't considering opening a topnotch California Cabernet blend
from a decent vintage that's a mere _four_ years old!

That pretty much defines oenopedophilia. Give it _ten_ years, at least.

Tom S

In article <kY9sd.436914$wV.298864@attbi_s54>, says...
>
>Hunt,
> I have a few questions for you. Could you e-mail me at my Purdue
>address at your convenience?
>
>TIA,
>Mark Lipton

Mark,

I'll be glad to. I assume that all I need is a "mirror," correct?

Hunt

Tom S wrote:
> "larkin1734" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Anyone with thoughts on the '00? It's generally an earlier drinking
>>vintage for Cal Cabs, but I've held off on opening my only bottle of the
>>2000 Insignia.
>
>
> Surely you aren't considering opening a topnotch California Cabernet blend
> from a decent vintage that's a mere _four_ years old!
>
> That pretty much defines oenopedophilia. Give it _ten_ years, at least.
>
> Tom S
>
>
I'm not even close to opening it yet. Just wanted to get some thoughts
about when it might be ready. This is, by far, the most age-worthy
bottle I have and I didn't want to make the mistake of wine infanticide.

--
To email me, remove the invalid word in my address and change net to com.