Bottled in January 2019, the 2016 Insignia is a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec, aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose is a little reticent to begin, needing a fair bit of coaxing to reveal beautifully beguiling notions of wild blueberries, warm blackberries, black currant cordial, cloves and cedar chest with nuances of camphor, yeast extract, charcuterie and candied violets. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastic elegance and depth, revealing loads of subtle floral, black fruit and earthy layers with a firm, very finely grained texture and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length.
A barrel sample, the 2018 Insignia is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec, to be aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels. Very deep garnet-purple in color, 2018 Insignia sings of fragrant lilacs, chocolate covered cherries, underbrush and charcuterie with a core of crushed black currants, black raspberries, chocolate box and red currant jelly. Medium bodied, the-palate is an exercise in finesse, with a wonderful showing of restrained black fruit and mineral flavors layers and wonderfully ripe, fine-grained tannins, finishing long and uplifting.