Joseph Phelps Vineyards was established in 1973 by its namesake, a successful construction executive from Colorado who saw the untapped potential of a 600-acre cattle ranch in the Spring Valley area of St. Helena. Phelps became a true pioneer of the Napa Valley “renaissance” when he debuted Insignia with the 1974 vintage, marking it as California’s first proprietary red Bordeaux-style blend. By choosing a brand name rather than a varietal label, Phelps granted his winemakers the creative freedom to select only the finest lots from each vintage, regardless of the specific grape percentages. Over the decades, Insignia evolved from a wine primarily sourced from independent growers—including legendary sites like the Eisele Vineyard—to an entirely estate-grown production beginning with the 2004 vintage. This commitment to quality has cemented Insignia as a global benchmark, a legacy that entered a new chapter in 2022 when the estate was acquired by the LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) portfolio.

The 2022 vintage in Napa Valley will be remembered for its dramatic and challenging finish, following a year that had initially promised tranquility. The season began with a mild, dry spring and early budbreak, leading into a temperate summer that allowed for steady, balanced canopy growth and fruit development. However, the trajectory shifted abruptly during a historic and punishing heatwave over the Labor Day weekend, which saw temperatures soar into the triple digits for several days. At Joseph Phelps, this required intensive vineyard management—including the use of shade cloths and precision irrigation—to protect the fruit from desiccation. Because Insignia is drawn from a “tapestry” of estate vineyards across multiple AVAs, the winemaking team relied heavily on cooler, more shaded blocks from the west side of the valley to maintain freshness. Harvest for the 2022 Insignia commenced on September 9th as the heat subsided, and through the use of advanced optical sorting, the estate was able to select only the most resilient berries, producing a wine that emphasizes approachability and vibrance despite the intensity of the growing season.