February 14, 2014 – Wine: 2003 Joseph Phelps Insignia

I had two reasons to celebrate tonight, so I figured the wine needed to be twice as good as usual.  First off was Valentine’s Day, as good a reason as any to celebrate.  Secondly, I received a bit of good news at work, adding to the celebration.  So, I grabbed the nicest half-bottle from my “ready” box.  (I stock this about once a month with bottles that are ready to open, hoping to save time looking up wines each time.)  And what a nice bottle this turned out to be, especially for pairing with dark chocolate (which I highly recommend).  If you are looking for fruits in this wine, you need to wait 90 minutes.  Otherwise, you only get to enjoy the dark flavors.  After decanting, I noted a very complex palette featuring dark chocolate, tar, incense, tobacco, blackberry, dark cherry, and minerals.

2003 Joseph Phelps Insignia Red Wine