The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia emerges from the Fisher family's vineyard in Calistoga. Dark cherry, blueberry, scorched earth, licorice and dried herbs open first, followed by a blast of fruit wrapped up in firm, potent tannins. This young Cabernet Sauvignon needs time to soften, but it is impressive.

The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia is packed with blue/purplish fruit, lavender, chocolate, licorice and spice. Medium in body and pliant, with good depth, the Coach Insignia is nicely balanced for the year. The tannins are a bit incisive, but that is the vintage.

Also outstanding, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia comes from a selection on the estate in Calistoga and was raised in 80% new French oak. Medium-bodied, balanced, and enjoyable, it has quality notes of chocolaty dark fruits, spice, and some floral, dried herb nuances.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia is incredibly tight today. Bright floral and savory top notes lend brightness to a core of red-toned fruit, but there is little of the raciness I saw from barrel last year. That will doubtless come, in time, once the 2019 recovers from bottling. Readers need to be patient with the 2019, as it does not offer the immediacy of so many other wines in this vintage.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia is fabulous. Rich, exotic and explosive, the 2018 captures all the best qualities of the year. Inky dark red/purplish fruit, licorice, spice, lavender and pencil shavings all run through the 2018. The Coach Insignia is one of the classiest and most classic Cabernets in Calistoga. Readers who like old-school Cabernets will flip over the 2018.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia comes all from Calistoga. This solid, balanced, nicely textured wine is very much in the style of the 2018 vintage with its nicely focused, structured profile. Loads of spiced red and black currants, cedar wood, candied violets, and dried herb-like notes as well as a touch of chocolate emerge from the glass, and it offers firm yet ripe tannins, solid overall balance, and outstanding length. It can be enjoyed today, but I suspect 2-3 years of bottle age will do it well, and it should keep for 10-15 years after that.

Another Napa Valley release, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia sports a deeper ruby/purple hue as well as classy notes of crème de cassis, damp earth, white flowers, and cedar pencil. It has the more savory, structured style of the vintage yet stays balanced, has ripe tannins, and outstanding length. I'd be happy to have bottles in the cellar, and it should evolve for 15-20 years with no issues.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia is a glorious wine. Ample and full-bodied, the 2017 possesses superb richness and intensity while retaining a super-classic sense of structure. Savory herbs, leather, cedar, licorice, red plum and tobacco add nuance to this explosive, somber Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2017 is supremely delicious; best of all, it will drink well with minimal cellaring. This is the most approachable of the top-tier 2017 Cabernets from Fisher.

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia is just as impressive today as it was from barrel last year. Dark, dense and explosive, the 2016 is a wine of real personality. A rush of black cherry, plum, chocolate, sage and licorice makes a strong opening statement, but there is plenty of underlying structure to back things up as well. Even with all of its obvious power and structure, the 2016 remains finessed and understated. I can't wait to see how it ages.

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia takes things up a notch and offers lots of currants, crème de cassis, tobacco, chocolate and earthy notes in a full-bodied, rounded, pure, and elegant package. It's impeccably balanced, has beautiful purity, and a great finish. There's enough structure here to warrant a year or three of bottle age and it will keep for 15-20 years. The blend is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 1.5% Cabernet Franc, and 1.5% Merlot, all aged 22 months in 92% new French oak.

Fisher's 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia packs a serious punch. Bold and explosive in the glass, the 2015 is going to need at least a few years in bottle to settle down. The flavors are dark, bold and incisive in this virile, brooding Cabernet Sauvignon. Readers will have to be especially patient here, as the 2015 is in no mood to show all of its cards. Hints of leather, smoke and scorched earth add complexity throughout.

Fisher's 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia is surprisingly dense and powerful. The flavors are dark, bold and incisive throughout. One of the more ample wines readers will come across, the 2014 Coach Insignia continues to develop nicely. A host of dark cherry, mocha, new leather, licorice and plum lead into the plush, inviting finish. The 2014 will drink well with minimal cellaring.

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia is deep, pliant and expressive, with striking mid-palate pliancy and terrific balance. Sweet cherry, plum, chocolate, savory herbs, tobacco and leather meld together effortlessly. Drink this succulent, forward Cabernet Sauvignon over the next decade or so. The 2013 Coach Insignia has turned out beautifully. It's a class act.

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia is pretty, open and expressive. Dark red cherry, plum, spice and leather are all laced together nicely in the glass. The 2012 has developed very well since I last tasted it, but it remains decidedly medium in body and feminine in style. This is the most accessible of the Fisher 2012s.

Black cherries, plums, spices, menthol and licorice are some of the many nuances that inform the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia. A dark, brooding wine, the 2010 is endowed with considerable gravitas and pure depth. The 2010 should be gorgeous starting in another year or two, once the tannins soften a touch. Today, it is the wine's serious depth and pure vibrancy that stand out most. The blend is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot.

Inky ruby. Cherry compote, cassis, vanilla and pipe tobacco on the deeply scented nose and palate. Broad and fleshy, with licorice and bitter chocolate qualities gaining strength with air. Shows serious power for the vintage, finishing chewy, sweet and very long, with mounting tannins and lingering smokiness.

Bright ruby-red. Slightly inky aromas of currant, licorice and menthol are complicated by herbal and tobacco leaf green notes. The medicinal quality carries through in the mouth, but the rather creamy flavors of black cherry, cassis and menthol also show good density, thickness and energy, especially with some aeration. Finishes with a hint of exotic flowers and fairly fine tannins that dust the front teeth. I wanted a bit more complexity.

Opaque ruby. Complex, intensely perfumed aromas of cassis, cherry-vanilla, violet and pipe tobacco. Lush, palate-coating dark fruit flavors show an attractive pliancy and pick up smokiness with air. Rich but lively cabernet, finishing with powerful thrust and persistent sweetness.

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia is a big, rich wine bursting with dark fruit. It shows quite a bit more density and power than the 2008. The expansive, voluptuous finish is captivating.

(14.7% alcohol): Dark red-ruby. Lovely licorice and spice cake lift to the slightly liqueur-like aromas of black raspberry, blackberry and violet. Densely packed, fine-grained and quite suave, with lovely savory minerality giving lift and definition to the middle palate. Black fruit, spice, mocha and mineral flavors are starting to evolve but slightly tart acidity limits the wine's sweetness. Finishes a bit aggressive and distinctly purple in its fruit character, with substantial dusty tannins that seem a bit dry. This wine actually became suppler, thicker and more harmonious with extended aeration, and I raised my score.

Deep ruby. Highly fragrant aromas of red- and blackcurrant, dried cherry, anise and herbs, with sexy oak spice and floral qualities adding complexity. Sappy and expansive in the mouth, offering sweet cherry and dark berry flavors. Turns spicier with air and finishes quite long, with fine-grained tannins and a late note of black cardamom. I find the fruit here more assertive than the the '07 at a similar stage. Definitely decant this if you plan on drinking it any time soon.

The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia is a gorgeous, refined wine laced with expressive red fruit, flowers, mint and licorice. The elegant, feminine side of Cabernet comes through, along with a hint of mocha and spice from the presence of 8% Cabernet Franc in the blend. Hints of sweet herbs and licorice reappear on the finish. Today the 2008 looks to be a fairly early-maturing wine, but I don't think that will be much of an issue based on how delicious it is.

(14.7% alcohol): Good medium ruby. Deep, rich plum and spicy oak aromas are complicated by violet, mocha and leather nuances. Plush and very smooth, with sweet berry, leather and soil flavors spreading out to saturate the palate without any leaving any impression of heaviness. Brisk acidity and a faint green element give this wine good inner-mouth lift. The tannins are a bit dusty but this is a nicely balanced, rich wine with a reasonably light touch.

(includes 7% malbec and 3% cabernet franc) Saturated ruby. Complex, expressive scents of red- and blackcurrant, mocha and rose, plus a suave hint of smoky minerals. With air this offers more spice and floral character, which carries onto the palate and complements gently sweet dark berry and cherry compote flavors. Silky tannins lend structure and give the wine a shapely quality. Finishes with lingering cherry and smoky mineral notes and noteworthy persistence. Quite expressive now but I've no doubt that this will reward at least a decade of patience.

This venerable winery has produced a beautiful 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia. Its deep ruby/purple color is accompanied by notes of charcoal, background wood smoke, black currants, and a hint of graphite. Elegant and medium to full-bodied with sweet tannin, a seductive texture, and surprising opulence, it should drink nicely for 10-15 years.

(includes just under 2% malbec) Bright red. Sharply focused redcurrant and cherry scents are complemented by tobacco and brown spices. Deeper cassis and bitter cherry on the palate, along with spicecake and succulent herb qualities. Combines power and depth smoothly, finishing with slow-building sweetness and excellent clarity.

Deep ruby. Exotic, youthfully energetic black raspberry, cherry compote, licorice candy and mocha scents, with bright minerality. Deep and suave, with sweet red and dark fruit flavors, fully enveloped tannins and an utterly captivating, sexy Asian spice quality. Finishes with outstanding persistence and lush, sweet dark berry flavors. If this is priced like it has been in the past, it will be a steal.

Red-ruby. Aromas of black cherry, mocha, exotic spices and chocolatey oak. Juicy, intense and rather high-pitched, with a fine grain to the raspberry, redcurrant, mineral and spice flavors. Youthfully tight and serious cabernet, finishing with a lovely subtle lingering sweetness and an attractive light touch. The tannins dust the front teeth.

The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia offers a deep ruby/purple color along with aromas of blueberries, black raspberries, and a touch of chocolate. This complex, full-bodied, opulently-styled Cabernet possesses silky tannin, decent acidity, and a round, generous, friendly personality. There is excellent harmony among all its elements. Drink this delicious, suave wine over the next 10-12 years.

The Coach Insignia Cabernet is usually blended with a small amount of Cabernet Franc or Merlot. The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia is softer and more up-front than the 2005 with oodles of black and red fruits intermixed with crushed rocks, flowers, and subtle spicy wood. The overall impression is one of elegance yet authoritative flavors. Drink it over the next 10-12 years.

Deep ruby-red. Cassis, licorice, tobacco leaf and mocha on the nose. Lush, silky and pliant, with noteworthy depth to the flavors of currant, chocolate and tobacco; nicely round thanks to harmonious, ripe acidity. Finishes with broad, fine tannins and lingering sweetness. Very cabernet in style. This has turned out well.

(an approximation of the final blend) Good full, saturated ruby-red. Aromas of redcurrant, tobacco and leather, with a light leafy component. Sweet and supple, but less exuberant today than the 2002 bottling. A very restrained wine with sound acidity and a distinctly leafy quality. Finishes with substantial ripe tannins and subtle length.

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.

(includes 10% cabernet franc) Good red-ruby color. Black fruits and flowers on the captivating nose. Sweet and silky on entry, then concentrated in the middle, with slightly roasted dark fruit flavors given shape by juicy acidity. This offers considerable early appeal but has plenty of broad, ripe tannins to support aging. Incidentally, the Fishers are in the process of replanting the Wedding Vineyard behind the house and will have their first crop from the new vines in 2005.

The 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia offers up scents of spice box, black currants, and subtle oak. Medium to full-bodied and opulent, it begs for consumption over the next 10-12 years.

Bright ruby-red. Currant, black cherry, graphite, licorice and fresh herbs on the nose. Then sweet, rich and suave in the mouth, with creamy flavors of red fruits, tobacco and herbs nicely shaped by harmonious acidity. Finishes with sweet tannins and very good but not outstanding length.

Good bright ruby-red. Dusty aromas of cherry, blackberry and leather. Chewy, sappy and sweet, with impressive concentration of bright berries and black cherry. Layered and sophisticated cabernet. Finishes with big, dusty, even tannins and excellent persistence.

Good ruby-red. Expressive, sweet aromas of raspberry, black cherry, tobacco leaf, game and milk chocolate. Juicy and nicely delineated, with ripe, pliant flavors of redcurrant and tobacco. Not a huge wine, but sweet, sappy and nicely balanced, with no excess weight. Finishes with dusty, building, ripe tannins and lingering flavors of blackcurrant, leather and tobacco.

Medium ruby. Vibrant aromas of cassis, black raspberry, licorice, minerals and graphite. Lush and sweet but fresh and delineated, with broad flavors of black fruits and minerals. This boasts excellent breadth and depth of flavor. Finishes quite long, with fine, tongue-dusting tannins.

Bright, dark red. Musky, lightly herbaceous nose combines redcurrant, licorice, menthol, tobacco, cedar and sexy brown spices. Mellow, shapely and sweet, with sound acidity giving definition to the flavors of redcurrant, spices, leather and earth. Not the last word in nuance but fruity, spicy, sweet and delicious, with just enough savory gamey complexity to make it stand out. In a supple Saint-Julien style and perfect right now. Finishes with a fine-dusting of tannins. (14.6% alcohol)

Full medium ruby. Reticent nose hints at dark berries and lead pencil. Sweet, dense and expansive in the mouth; easygoing and thoroughly ripe. Finishes with big but lush tannins and slow-mounting, very persistent flavor. This highly promising wine should offer considerable early appeal.

Medium ruby. Aromas of cassis, bitter chocolate, chicory and fresh herbs. Rich, dense, concentrated flavors of black raspberry, cassis, chocolate and licorice; sappy but tightly wound today, thanks to firm acids. Quite tactile, even powerful, on the sweetly oaky, long aftertaste. Built to age.

The deep ruby/purple-colored 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia (a 2,370-case blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc) exhibits a creamy nose of chocolate, smoke, cassis, and licorice, an up-front, rich, fleshy, elegant style, medium body, and a sweet finish. Drink it over the next 8-10 years.

Deep red-ruby color. Fruit-driven aromas of cassis, red and black cherry, mint, oak spice and tobacco. Lush, dense and smooth; not a huge wine but one with noteworthy balance and concentration. Finishes with very good persistence and nicely ripe tannins.

The 1997 Coach Insignia (77% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the rest Merlot and Cabernet Franc) is powerful, with a seamless personality. The wine is moderately tannic and full-bodied, with loads of chocolatey, black cherry, and cassis fruit. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2014.

Very good deep ruby. Syrupy, raw fruit aromas of black cherry and cassis. Fresh and perfumed in the mouth, with strong dark fruit flavors complicated by slightly rustic leather and meat notes. Finishes with very good grip and length.

The 1996 Coach Insignia (1,380 cases) offers classic cassis, coffee, chocolate, and oaky aromas that are followed by deep, concentrated, spicy, rich, berry fruit flavors. A blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 11% Cabernet Franc, it offers abundant power, purity, and richness. It should drink well for 10-15+ years.

The 1993 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia is marked by an intense, chocolatey, blackcurrant-scented nose intermingled with aromas of toasty oak. The attack is all sweet, ripe, fresh fruit that is tannic, unevolved, and extremely young. This rich, powerful wine requires 2-4 years of cellaring; it will keep for two decades or more. It was interesting to see how crisp, restrained, and less concentrated Fisher's 1994s were when compared to the extremely rich and successful 1993s.

The 1992 Coach Insignia Cabernet Sauvignon has obviously benefitted from a long maceration. Aged in 100% French oak (of which 50% is new), the wine is bottled without fining or filtering. Its opaque purple color, intense fragrance of minerals, cassis, and vanillin, sweet, multi-layered richness, full-body, and admirable purity merit high marks. There is tannin present, but there is more than enough fruit and flesh to cover it up. Drink it between 1998-2015.

The Coach Insignia is an exceptional wine. It is one of the finest of the outstanding 1991 vintage. The opaque ruby/purple-colored wine offers a powerful, pungent nose of cassis, black fruits, chocolate, vanillin, and licorice. It oozes with super richness, full body, glycerin, and nicely hidden alcohol and moderate tannin in the finish. While the quantity produced (1,600 cases) will not make it the most widely available Cabernet Sauvignon, shrewd readers should be able to find a few bottles before it is scarfed up by Cabernet lovers. Approachable now, it has the potential to last for 15+ years.