From Newsgroup: alt.food.wine

Our Bordeaux group veered to Napa for a Phelps dinner, we gathered at Balvanera for bacalao croquettes,cauliflower arancini, octopus, provoleta, beef empanadas, blood sausage, skirt steak, and fries.
NV Marteaux Guillaume Essential Champagne
New producer to me, and I quite liked. Fresh, peachy, hint of almond and pastry dough. B+
2010 Marguet Ambonnay Champagne
(dg 2017) Toasty, touch of vanilla, bright, long. B+/A-
This was originally a general Phelps dinner, but those with Backus had to back out, so ended up all Insignia (one auction)
1976 Phelps Insignia
Lovely and long, elegant cassis fruit accented with coffee, leather, and herbs. Supple, balanced. A-
1978 Phelps Insignia
Black berries and currants, minty herbs, smoke. Good acidic balance, a little smoked meat note with time. A-/B+
1985 Phelps Insignia Auction Reserve
Black plums and some cedar, but dominated by eucalyptus. So much we were wondering if this was spiked by Heitz MartharCOs. :) But I love MartharCOs and loved this wine. Long and strong. A-
1992 Phelps Insignia
Rich black plum and cassis, some mocha, velvety finish. B+
1994 Phelps Insignia
Very ripe, blackberries and blueberries, pushing envelope for me but likable. B 1995 Phelps Insignia
Showing some heat, cassis fruit with a touch of kirsch, but good finish B-
1996 Phelps Insignia
Ripe but balanced,rich cassis and mocha, big and long. B+
1997 Phelps Insignia
Uberripe, fruit has a bit of a roasted edge, a little volatility, pruney notes on finish, C+
A clear stylistic shift in the 90s, though I still enjoyed some of them. The rCy97 not so much. EfOe
Fun and informatic night.
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.
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From Newsgroup: alt.food.wine

On 2/14/23 11:57 AM, dalewilli...@gmail.com wrote:

1985 Phelps Insignia Auction Reserve
Black plums and some cedar, but dominated by eucalyptus. So much we were wondering if this was spiked by Heitz MartharCOs. :) But I love MartharCOs and loved this wine. Long and strong. A-

Nice notes, Dale. I used to like the Phelps Insignia, moreso than their straight Cabs as a rule, but haven't bought one in decades. As you
note, the style changed in the '90s along with almost everyone else in Napa.

I never heard of an Auction Reserve bottling. Do you know the back
story here?

Mark Lipton

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From Newsgroup: alt.food.wine

On Tuesday, February 14, 2023 at 1:30:21 PM UTC-5, Mark Lipton wrote:

On 2/14/23 11:57 AM, dalewilli...@gmail.com wrote:


I never heard of an Auction Reserve bottling. Do you know the back
story here?

Mark Lipton

I think they call the Napa Valley Wine Auction "Premiere Napa Valley" now, and that's how wines labelled.
Big charity auction, many of the major wineries donate wines - usually either big formats, or special cuvees.
I think Jon asked winery re this, they said usually just a selection from barrels, less than 10 cases per vintage.
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