When you hear "Phelps" there are usually two wines that immediately come to mind, Insignia and Eisele. Since Eisele vineyard was purchased by the Araujo family in 1990, Phelps no longer produces this Cabernet. Insignia, traditionally one of the  great Napa Valley Cabs, is a proprietary red blend whose first vintage was 1974. Cabernet Sauvignon is the centerpiece of the wine that also contains Merlot and a small amount of Petit Verdot. Phelps also produces a Vin Du Mistral family of Rhone-style wines that include Syrah, Viognier, Grenache Rose, Le Mistral, and Muscat Marsanne.

Over the years Phelps has acquired vineyard land throughout Napa Valley to bolster their estate wine position and become less dependent on grape purchases. Their vineyards include Las Rocas in Stag’s Leap District, Banca Dorada on Manley Lane in the Rutherford Bench, Los Carneros Negros in the Carneros District, and El Renacimiento in the Oak Knoll area. Phelps has a long-term lease on Backus Vineyard which produces highly acclaimed vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon. Backus is a small parcel located southeast of the intersection of Silverado Trail and Oakville Crossroad in the Napa Valley. The vineyard is steeply terraced and western facing receiving almost ten hours of sunlight per day.

Spring Valley Vineyard (Home Ranch, St. Helena) on Taplin Road is the 600-acre estate where the winery and visitor center are located. Purchased in March 1973 in a pastureland state, it was quickly transformed into vineyard, and a redwood winery was completed in 1974. The inaugural year for the Phelps label was 1973 with Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Johannisberg Riesling.

Key people are founder Joseph Phelps, Chairman; Tom Shelton, appointed President in 1995; winemaker (since 1983) Craig Williams, a UC, Davis fermentation science graduate, and Damian Parker, Vice President of production.

My tasting notes follow. All are barrel samples tasted in January 1999.

1997 Le Mistral, 84-88 pts, C4-F3T4E3?: This Rhone-style blend is composed of about 40% Grenache from Monterey. It exhibits zest and finesse. Well-constructed and early drinking, this wine will improve with a little time in the bottle.

1997 Syrah, Napa Valley, 88-92 pts, C4+N4-F3+?E3?: From the Yountville and Carneros areas, this wine is medium bodied with good structure. One tastes slightly sweet fruit in a tannic background. Needs time for components to equilibrate.

1997 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 90-94 pts, C4+F4-T4E4-: Lots of sweet cab fruit with good concentration; chalky tannic finish with intense flavors; excellent potential if tannins soften; aging program includes 20% new American and 10% new French oak.

Four Insignia Components follow:

1997 Insignia #4, 94-98 pts, C5-N4+T4E4?: Sweet fruit; tannic; big extraction; loads of potential.

1997 Insignia A, 96-100 pts, C5-N5F4+T4E5: Very purple; super fragrant nose; very, very rich; a powerful wine; a real bruiser!

1997 Insignia B, 94-98 pts, C5-N3?T4E4?: Thicker in mouth than Insignia A; very structural; excellent tannic composition; good mouthfeel.

1997 Insignia PV, 92-96 pts, C4+N?F4-?E3+?: blended with some Petite Verdot; slightly muted flavors compared with other components.