92pts Vinous

The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is terrific, especially for a wine of its level and production. Aromatic, medium in body and impeccably balanced, the 2022 is seriously impressive. It is perhaps a bit more floral and lighter than most years, but its balance and overall harmony are beyond reproach. This is a strong showing. New oak is 45%, 27% French and 18% American.

91pts Jeb Dunnuck

The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is based on 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Merlot brought up in French and American oak. Classy red and black fruits, vanilla oak, tobacco, and graphite notes all define the aromatics, and it's ripe, rounded, and nicely textured, with good mid-palate density and a good finish.

90pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The Joseph Phelps 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon is dominated by fruit from Yountville and Suscol; only 21% of the blend is from growers, as there's a push toward estate fruit. As always, there's some American oak in the mix, but that proportion is evolving downward. Redcurrants and cherries are joined by gentle dusty earth notes and hints of vanilla and cedar on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is a bit more dusty and drying than the 2021, yet it remains soft and approachable.

Winemaker's Notes

Our Cabernet Sauvignon opens with an enticing bouquet of black and red fruits - juicy black cherry intertwined with fresh pomegranate and bright cassis. Notes of cedar spice and toasted coconut add intrigue and sophistication to the aromatic profile. On the palate, layers of raspberry compote and dried wild berries unfold across a full-bodied frame. The wine shows impressive density while maintaining elegance, supported by well integrated tannins that provide structure without overwhelming. This is a wine of both power and finesse.

About the Winery

Joseph Phelps Vineyards is a family-owned winery committed to crafting world class, estate-grown wines. Founded in 1973 when Joe Phelps purchased a former cattle ranch near St. Helena in the Napa Valley, the winery now controls and farms nearly 375 acres of vines on eight estate vineyards in St. Helena, the Stags Leap District, Oakville, Rutherford, Oak Knoll District, Carneros and South Napa Valley. In 1999, the Phelps family added 100 acres of vineyard property near the town of Freestone on the Sonoma Coast, where Phelps now grows Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Phelps is best known for its flagship Napa Valley blend of red Bordeaux varietals, Insignia, first produced in 1974. Awarded Wine Spectator's "Wine of the Year" in 2005, Insignia is widely regarded as a qualitative benchmark for California winemaking.

Blend: 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec, 1% Merlot