The 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia is a great example of an under-the-radar Cabernet Sauvignon that offers very good value. Moreover, it has another decade of drinkability ahead of it. Composed of 99% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc from the Napa Valley holdings of Fred Fisher and family, this stunner offers a dense ruby/purple color along with a big, sweet bouquet of creme de cassis, licorice and a touch of lead pencil shavings. This velvety textured, opulent, full-bodied beauty (“Body by Fisher”) is luxurious, long and satisfying on both a hedonistic and intellectual level. I can’t think of a more recent Coach Insignia that performed this well. Perhaps they just need more time in the bottle. The 2003 is a sleeper of the vintage.
Robert Parker
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