Recently, we were in France and met
Elizabeth Neuman, granddaughter of Joseph Phelps, at a private wine
tasting in the famous wine region of Bordeaux. Elizabeth was kind enough to
arrange a private tasting for us at their newly renovated winery in St.
Helena. Their famous Insignia is one of my favorite wines. Her
legendary grandfather passed away earlier this year.
Famous wine critic Robert Parker
says, "Joseph Phelps was one of the great visionaries of Napa Valley. His
legacy is one of extraordinary quality. He was one of the first to see
the merit in blending,which his legendary Insignia, first debuted in 1974, has
proven year after year. It remains one of the world's finest Cabernet
Sauvignon-dominated blends. He also wasn't content just to stay at home in
Napa, but branched out with cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards on
the Sonoma Coast. Joe Phelps was a leader, and one of the greats of the wine
world."
Our private tasting
at Phelps was in the newly renovated Backus room. Our host Missy was very
personable and a wealth of wine information.
The tasting
began with the 2013 Sauvignon Blanc and 2013 Viognier that were both soft and
refreshing. Both were aged for 7 months in French oak puncheons.
Next was the 2012
Pinot Noir from their Pastorate vineyard and 2012 Pinot Noir Quarter Moon
Vineyard that are both located on the Sonoma coast and aged for 14 months in
French Oak barrels. Both were spectacular, but we preferred the Quarter Moon
vineyard.
2012 Cabernet
Sauvignon Napa Valley was the next selection. It was rich and flavorful with
91%Cabernet, 6%Merlot, 1%Petite Verdot, 1% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc from
100% estate grown vineyards. It is a full bodied wine with great value at a
price of 70 dollars per bottle.
The highlight of
the tasting was the famous 2012 Insignia and 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon from
Backus Vineyards.
Insignia is a
perfect blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petite Verdot, 10% Merlot, 3%
Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc from 100% estate grown vineyards and aged in
French oak for 24 months. This wine has always been a favorite of ours and as
usual lived up to it's regal reputation.
Finally, it was a
real treat to taste for the first time the 2012 Cabernet
Sauvignon from Backus Vineyard. This spectacular wine is 93% Cabernet
Sauvignon, 4% Malbec and 3% Petite Verdot from their estate vineyard in
Oakville and aged 2 years in 100% new French oak. This wine is sensational and
was so good that we made sure we took a bottle back to Danville to share with
our wine and foodie friends.
After this elegant
tasting, we had lunch at Auberge du Soliel located very close to the winery.
From the web site, "Auberge
du Soleil restaurant began in 1981 nestled on 33 acres overlooking the lush
vines of Napa Valley. The cuisine has evolved with a wine country theme where
innovative menus inspired by the bounty of the vine are paired with food in
ways that delight and inspire guests and long time devotees. The restaurant
presents luxury at its finest while overlooking some of Napa's most renowned
vineyards. Offering more than 40 of the Valleys finest wines by the glass and
boasting a cellar of nearly 17,000 wines, our guests can enjoy a full sensory
experience of the California wine country."
We ate on the terrace that had heavenly views of the peaceful and powerful Napa Valley. For the entree Linda ordered the stuffed squash blossom, ratatouille, ricotta, white corn, romano beans, and basil broth that was served picture perfect, light and lovely.
I began with the
white corn soup with Maine rock crab and chervil oil that was heated to
perfection and sensational. For my entree, I had the mushroom mille feuille,
slow cooked farm egg, snap peas and watercress purée that was unique and very
good. To cap off this meal, it was recommended by our attentive waiter to share
the garden mint ice cream, valrhona bahibe cremeux, devil's food cake and
peppermint meningue that was a fitting ending to a wonderful day in Napa.
In conclusion, we
would highly recommend this world class wine and food experience.
For more information
and to make reservations go to:
