10/3/2019 - PGB Likes this wine:

Three years on I think PeterChoy had it spot on. I can't improve on his review and I wouldn't alter a single word - very rare for me - so I will quote it verbatim again.
"Nose: Clean, with pronounced intensity aromas of black fruit such as cassis and blackberry, oak notes of vanilla, mineral notes of earth, pungent spice of licorice, kernel notes of dark chocolate, maturity notes of tobacco. The wine is developing.
Palate: Dry with medium acidity, high tannin but sweet and smooth, the wine has medium (+) alcohol, full body and medium (+) intensity flavors of black fruit such as blackberry and plum, oak notes of cedar, sweet spice of clove, animal notes of leather, maturity notes of tobacco. The wine has a medium (+) finish.
Conclusion: Very good quality Napa Cabernet with a very intense nose showing highly complex characters, the wine has a robust structure, yet at the same time a finesse that even the fruity notes are powerful the subtlety of the wine can be easily felt through. Good concentration on the palate, having sweet and smooth tannin, a superb balanced wine with a good long finish. It is ready to drink now though can further develop for another 8-10 years. "

9/25/2019 - PGB Likes this wine:

Needs three hours after decanting. (Note to Napa fans - not everything can be popNpour). Integrated, smooth, soft tannins with impeccable high notes of roasted fruits and vanilla. In a parallel universe Angelus would be a first growth.

8/23/2019 - PGB Likes this wine:

Terrific stuff. Soft tannins, lightly roasted herbs, oak, caramel. Warm finish with rich overtones of black fruit. Surprised this wine is not more acclaimed. Would love to see it blind tasted against more prestigious wineries.

5/17/2019 - PGB Likes this wine:

Cork was über dry but the wine has managed to hang on. A little dusty but still beautifully mellow, rich and balanced. A testimony to the longevity of Phelps Insignia. An American Icon.

4/28/2019 - PGB Likes this wine:

Finished off a great evening with Michael and Roz with this beautifully integrated and balanced Bordeaux from their cellar. Smooth with soft tannins, a perfect example of how good the 2000 vintage was and why some of the wines were drunk too young.

3/15/2019 - PGB wrote:

Too early but couldn’t resist trying a bottle of the anniversary release. That beautiful harmonious palate that just extends out like a California highway at sunset take your breath away. This is Napa micro terroir at its finest. As good as any wine in the world. This would be today’s winner of the Paris challenge

12/14/2018 - PGB Likes this wine:

From a cache long forgotten but recently retrieved. Pure Barossa barnyard, leather, oak with plenty of fruit and soft tannins to support it. Wish I had more but nice to remember from 2002.

12/13/2018 - PGB Likes this wine:

mellow and smooth. I prefer the Pax wines like this - was never a fan of the big fruity syrup.

12/13/2018 - PGB Likes this wine:

I agree with Pablopilot - not really my thing any more but am I glad I still have a couple of bottles lying around. Definitely has a Grange resemblance. Lots of everything with a long long finish. Great stuff on a winters night with your favorite piece of steak.

12/7/2018 - PGB Likes this wine:

Classic Bordeaux, classic Palmer. The one thing it never says to you is "too sweet", many of the best Napa wines whisper that to you. You try not to hear that whisper, but you know its true.

11/22/2018 - PGB Likes this wine:

Definitely on the back nine but soft subtle flavors with fine grained tannins. A little smoke with leather and vanilla. A nice wine for a winter's evening with someone who realizes you are getting old but still appreciates your finer points. Bravo the old guys!

11/22/2018 - PGB Likes this wine:

Bought on release - first time tasted from a deep cellar stash. Still dark with initial funk. Cherries, tobacco and chocolate with a subdued nose. Pleasant in the mouth with a hint of fine tannins. Medium bodied with a medium length finish. Good to see that it is holding up.

11/17/2018 - PGB Likes this wine:

Long story - moved house 9 years ago - finally went back and cleared the cellar out and came across this - the brightness and minerality is amazing - what a contrast to at least 30 bottles of faded Kistler I have poured down the sink since then.

9/15/2018 - PGB Likes this wine:

Despite Parker’s rating this is not a great wine. A well made wine but just nothing exceptional. Monolithic, with no glass development - in fact rather ordinary. My two bemchmarks for CDP are Rayas and Clos de Papes - this time this doesn’t come close

8/31/2018 - PGB Likes this wine:

As good as it was three years ago. Smooth vanilla integrated, small sweet tight tannins and overtones of chocolate, leather, and tobacco. For $30 dollars on release a great buy. One more after this. On the disparity of recent scores- who knows? Maybe after 18 years initial transport conditions and storage quality begins to show.

8/29/2018 - PGB Likes this wine:

This is dense closed and with fine tannins. Tried it over two hours and it didn't open up much. Concentrated fruit, not much sense of oak or caramel. We need to give it time to see whether its great - like the mothership Bryant, or permanently like this - more like Rudd

8/9/2018 - PGB Likes this wine:

Finally coming around. The 2000s are so varied in their maturity profiles. Great wine with food but needs two hours in the decanter to show its best. There is nothing quite like mature Lynch Bages - this one has at least a decade of fine drinking in front of it.

6/25/2018 - PGB Does not like this wine:

high in alcohol, no fruit, mono-dimensional cough syrup

6/6/2018 - PGB wrote:

This time the cork was fine. Wine still a little dusty and hot. But I note the decanting advice of the last few tasters so I am going to let it last at least that long and re-rate

6/6/2018 - PGB Does not like this wine:

Cork disintegrated and spoilt the wine - down the sink. Shame - last bottle

5/24/2018 - PGB Likes this wine:

My love hate relationship with Kistler is like a sine curve - up/down/up/down - I wasn't so optimistic when I open this 04 Catherine, but this really is Catherine the Great. 14 years old, integrated, evolving complexity through two to three hours drinking, more like a cross between the Rhone and Burgundy than pure Cote-d'Or. Too much sweetness to quite make old world status but pretty good - Bravo!

5/18/2018 - PGB Likes this wine:

Dried cork that split on opening. Heavy sediment. Had to filter it. Dry and astringent at the outset but developing caramel, coffee and hazelnut flavors with some semblance of richness and balance. Disappointing dry finish on the palate. Still believe this will never be great.

4/27/2018 - PGB Likes this wine:

Another great wine from the under-appreciated Andrew Will and Heaven Horse Hills. Integrated, balanced, nuanced - bravo

4/27/2018 - PGB Likes this wine:

Continuing to evolve nicely - only took an hour to come round. Very distinctive. Nothing from North America is comparable - notice that I didn't say better - just not comparable.

9/22/2017 - PGB Likes this wine:

A fine wine to complement fine food. Twenty years of aging has smoothed all the edges and produce a wine that can grace any table

5/26/2017 - PGB Likes this wine:

Just wonderful straight from the opening. Perfect harmony with beautiful fruit, complex taste overtones, and smooth tannins. Shame to share this with anyone you are not trying to impress

5/26/2017 - PGB Likes this wine:

Still dense and tannic, probably not one of its greatest vintages but will keep improving and come more into balance

5/18/2017 - PGB Likes this wine:

First of all this is not a wine that one can PnP - that would be like trying to wrestle with a gorilla.
Once decanted it begins to evolve, initially huge in every category it begins to mutate and change - isn't that the definition of complexity? The tannin, fruit, flavors, and darkness slowly come into balance. This time I am going to finish the bottle before the optimal point is reached, but that only leaves me excited about the next time. Without a doubt this is a great wine but it will leave tasters struggling as they grapple with its awesome facets trying to coalesce into immortality.

5/14/2017 - PGB Likes this wine:

Maturing nicely. Fruit still present but more harmonious. Like a premier-cru burgundy rather than the usual fruit oak heavy Californian version. Won't improve much from here but should still remain good to drink for 4-5 years yet. Should be drunk with food otherwise you miss the whole point, just like Burgundy.

5/13/2017 - PGB wrote:

Disappointing. Diminutive fruit and few flavors. This, at least this bottle, past its best.

5/7/2017 - PGB wrote:

Opened hot with dusty tannins. After two hours opens a little to reveal caramel and coffee flavors with muted fruit. Integrated but doesn't evolve into greatness, but much better than when I tasted it five years ago. I remain hopeful as no signs of deterioration but the pursuit of richness in this wine might be a lost cause.

5/5/2017 - PGB Does not like this wine:

Two flawed bottles. Both corks broke mid-extraction and wines were dusty and hot. Can't remember where I got these from. Post 2005 I have bought direct from the winery but these earlier wines came from elsewhere. Luck of the draw. Shame because the 2002 was recently great.

4/30/2017 - PGB wrote:

Someone had criticized my earlier (2015) suggestion that this was Bordeaux like. Given this recent tasting I think they are correct. The intense, pure blackcurrant core of this wonderful wine was very apparent, and could only be Napa. Showing few signs of age this remains a great wine

3/12/2017 - PGB Likes this wine:

Wow - a 2011?! Wish I'd bought more. Hopefully the 2012 will be even better

11/8/2016 - PGB Likes this wine:

Expect this score to improve but unlike the 2012 I don't think this will yield its pleasure for a while. Concentrated and tightly knit at this point but holds plenty of promise. Leave for a year before trying again while you continue to drink your 2012s

11/2/2016 - PGB Likes this wine:

This has got everything, and already shows signs of how integrated it will be when more mature. Tannins are soft, fruit is copious, oak is elevated but will recede. Drink one every year for the next twelve.

10/18/2016 - PGB Likes this wine:

Last bottle of many. Beautiful aging curve and near its best now. Wonder whether the modern Insignias will age so gracefully.

8/5/2016 - PGB wrote:

Didn't seem ready. A little green. Good finish with soft tannins. Couldn't drink the whole bottle. Needs time.

8/4/2016 - PGB Likes this wine:

Almost Chablis like in its steely structure and intensity. Nicely balanced with subtle fruit flavors. Would hold its own against many white burgundies. Worth exploring.

7/31/2016 - PGB Likes this wine:

This wine is a steal. Velvet lush fruit with mild tannic structure and nice finish. Whats not to like!!

1/23/2016 - PGB Likes this wine:

Matured nicely, settles down after an hour. Prominent but soft tannins. Sweet mellowed fruit with caramel overtones. Glad I kept it this long.

1/18/2016 - PGB Likes this wine:

I agree with the previous taster. Plenty to enjoy now but hopefully everything will be more imbalance in 3-5 years more. I suspect this will last for another 20 years.

1/9/2016 - PGB Likes this wine:

Yes the oak is heavy but everything mellows two hours after opening. No sign of its oak and fruit fading yet but the tannins are not obtrusive. Plenty of room for evolution here and a wonderful wine to track over the next five years.

12/27/2015 - PGB wrote:

Needs an hour or two in the decanter. Not as concentrated as the 2003 and doesn't deliver as much pleasure. Another false hope from the 2000 vintage.

12/27/2015 - PGB Likes this wine:

EDJDELRAY had it right in 2013. And its still correct in 2015
"This is drinking well after an hour or two in the decanter. Dark fruit predominates on the nose and the palate and the finish is medium in length. This has good acid unlike some of the 2003's from Bordeaux. It should last for a decade." A good 2003 and there are many of them.

12/22/2015 - PGB Likes this wine:

Classic mature Bordeaux. Fully integrated, smooth velvet, trace tannins. If only we had know when it was released. Serve it at dinner and watch the conversation flow.

12/22/2015 - PGB Likes this wine:

Way too early. All fantastic components and that beautiful ripe sweet Napa fruit. Will come together eventually and we will wish we had more. Don't open one yet - give it 12 more months at least.

11/7/2015 - PGB wrote:

Great pinot. Has matured nicely. More Burgundy than Californian. Wonderful with cheese.

5/25/2015 - PGB Does not like this wine:

Giving all my Dr Crane and To Kalon 2011 away. Yes its an off-year but not good enough. Tor and Carter for example made much better 2011s.

5/25/2015 - PGB wrote:

Flawed. Drink Kistler white in the first 5 years - after that it is a lottery. Do they care - who knows?