Knoth joined the team in 2022 and oversees the production of all wines sourced from Joseph Phelps Vineyards’ Napa Valley estate vineyards. A biochemist by training, Knoth brings a scientist’s attention to detail to the art of winemaking, with a specific expertise in blending remarkable wines, the company says. With 15 years of winemaking and viticulture experience under his belt, he honors the legacy of Joseph Phelps Vineyards while bringing a fresh, dynamic perspective to the winery, it adds.

“It’s an incredible honor to carry forward the tradition of Insignia, and I couldn’t be more proud of the 2023 vintage. The blend represents seven estate vineyards from Oak Knoll up to St. Helena, resulting in a true expression of Napa Valley from a truly incredible growing season,” Knoth said in a statement. “I was inspired by Joseph Phelps Vineyard's first winemaker Walter Schug when creating this blend, bringing forward freshness and tension that offers both immediate appeal and the promise of graceful aging.

The 2023 vintage is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. The vintage pulls fruit from seven estate vineyards across six Napa Valley American Viticulture Areas (AVAs), it notes.

This vintage of Insignia also represents the first vintage for Moët Hennessy, which acquired Joseph Phelps Vineyards in 2022. With the support of Moët Hennessy, Joseph Phelps Vineyards is undergoing a multi-year effort to adopt agroecology across the winery’s estate vineyards, both in Napa Valley and in Freestone, on the West Sonoma Coast, the company says.

“Joseph Phelps himself set the early standard of responsible farming in Napa Valley — after acquiring the Home Ranch that became Joseph Phelps Vineyards, he donated 480 acres to be protected under the Napa Valley Land Trust. He truly understood that a healthy ecosystem would only improve well-being and yields of the vineyards he planted,” said David Pearson, president of Joseph Phelps Vineyards, in a statement. “Today, we are honoring his legacy and the future of this land by implementing holistic farming practices that will restore and maintain the vineyards, including minimal tillage to support the soil, the reintroduction of native plants in and around the vineyards to foster biodiversity, and inviting nature back in. None of this would have been possible without our partnership with Moët Hennessy, which is helping us preserve and protect Joseph Phelps' vision for generations to come.”

The 2023 Insignia is available in select restaurants and fine wine retailers across the United States at a suggested retail price of $365 a bottle.

 www.josephphelps.com