Movie <Story of Wine> introduces this wine in the second episode. It represents a sad farewell.
Today, one of the world's best wine, also called as luxury goods.
The 2004 vintage marks the first time Insignia has been blended entirely from estate-grown fruit - the fulfillment of a dream that has taken many years to realize. The low-yield vintage produced a wine with syrupy blackberry and blueberry aromas married with seductive spice, followed by velvety tannins, roundness in the finish and outstanding texture, all of which are superbly integrated.
RELEASE DATE: Fall, 2007.
2004 VINTAGE NOTES:
High quality and reduced yields characterized the 2004 vintage, which started out quite warm in early spring, then settled into a balmy weather pattern through July and most of August where mornings were cool and afternoon temperatures stayed in the low to mid-90's. However, on August 27th a three-week heat spell began with many days measuring over 100 degrees. As a result, some of the ripening fruit became dehydrated and had to be removed from the vines prior to harvesting. Depending on location, crop yields were reduced ten to forty percent. Our job in crafting the 2004 wines was to moderate over-ripe characteristics, but from the very beginning the aromas and flavors drifting out of the fermenters signaled outstanding quality. Color and extract were high. In barrel, reds appeared rich and forward in structure -- characteristics that have continued to evolve and develop with bottle age.
BLEND & GRAPE SOURCES:
72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 12% Petite Verdot, and 2% Malbec from estate-owned vineyards in St. Helena (27%), Stag's Leap (24%), Yountville (22%), Rutherford (19%) and Oakville (8%).
WINEMAKING DATA:
Grapes were harvested between Sept. 8 - Oct. 1 at an average 25.0º Brix, fermented in stainless steel tanks then aged 24 months in new 60-gallon French oak barrels by a variety of French coopers including Taransaud, Dargaud Jaegle, Nadalie, Demptos and Vicard. The wine was blended and bottled in December, 2006.
