Range: 1 to 9 (9 is best, 5 is average)
Outdoor tasting during construction. Red and white wines. Reservations required.www.josephphelps.com
After a quick lunch in Yountville, it was onto Joseph Phelps Vineyards where I was eager to taste their 2012 Cabernets. I had not yet visited Joseph Phelps, and I probably picked the wrong time to visit. The tasting room has been closed for several months while it undergoes extensive remodeling, so I will still have no idea how nice the tasting experience is there. The other problem was that after so much mine from my prior two stops that day, the last thing I needed was another six-wine tasting flight, but that’s what we faced here. I had surrendered my driving role to my friend after lunch because I was already starting to feel the extra alcohol in my system and felt it would be irresponsible to be driving. Why did I choose to come to Joseph Phelps Vineyards then? It was at my friend’s request that we visit here. The good news is that the 2012 Cabernet was well worth the visit. (Too bad that they were still pouring the 2011 Insignia.)
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| The temporary visitor center set up at Joseph Phelps Vineyards |
Because of the renovation work
underway on the main tasting room, Joseph Phelps has set up a small complex of
temporary buildings for their visitors’ center.
And, because the weather was spectacular for mid-January (even for May),
we enjoyed our wines outside on the patio under the filtered sunlight. The visitor center is set up for check-in and
making purchases. An array of tables has
been set up outside for tasting and education, while a few rooms are also
available (for inclement weather?). The
tables all look across and empty field toward the hillside where the future
tasting facilities will open. Because
Joseph Phelps Vineyards is off the main roads, you should plan an extra fifteen
minutes for your visit (75 instead of 60) to allow for the extra travel,
check-in, and extensive tasting flight.
You will also need to make reservations ahead of your visit.
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| The vineyard view at Joseph Phelps Vineyards |
Our tasting flight started off with
two white wines: a 2013 Sauvignon Blanc and a 2012 Chardonnay (which was the
better of the two). Then we moved onto
the red wines. Two 2012 Freestone Pinot
Noirs where poured, with the second being a single-vineyard (Quarter Moon)
offering. Next came the anticipated 2012
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, followed by the 2011 Insignia proprietary
blend. The Cabernet Sauvignon outshone
the Insignia, but this has more to do with the two vintages offered (2011 was a
challenging year, while 2012 was wildly successful) than the production quality
of these wines.
Based on this experience, I would rate the winery as a 4 and the wines offered as a 7. Look for the renovated tasting room to open in June.
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