St. Helena, Calif.—Joseph Phelps, who founded Joseph Phelps Vineyards in Napa Valley in 1973, died April 15 at the age of 87. He died at his home in St. Helena, Calif. surrounded by his loving family.

According to an obituary posted to the winery’s website, Joe Phelps was born to Nita and Hensel Phelps on the family farm in Maysville, Mo., on Nov. 12, 1927. His father would later move to Colorado and established a construction company. After serving in the Navy during the Korean conflict, Phelps returned to Greeley, Colo., in 1954 and joined his father in the family construction business. Within a few years, Hensel Phelps became the largest construction firm in Colorado, and began to expand throughout the United States.

Phelps became fascinated with wine at an early age, and began collecting wines from around the world while in Greeley. He established an office of the family firm in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1966 and his interests in construction and wine converged. Phelps was soon involved in winery construction projects in Napa and Sonoma counties.

In 1973 decided to found Joseph Phelps Vineyards. He purchased a cattle ranch located on Taplin Road, just off the Silverado Trail, in March of 1973 and worked with the winery's first winemaker Walter Schug planted the estate vineyard and started construction on the winery. 

Phelps' 1974 Insignia marked the creation, somewhat by chance, of an entirely new category of California wine: the proprietary Bordeaux-style blend. He thought of the name “Insignia” one morning while shaving. The 1974 Insignia was released in 1978 to resounding acclaim. Insignia has been produced in each year since.

With his first wife, Barbara Ann Phelps, Joe raised a family of four children, all of whom were at his side at his passing: Leslie Phelps, William Phelps (Andrea), Laurie Anderson (Todd) and Lynn Finch (Richard). He was proud grandfather to eight grandchildren, and, most recently, great-grandfather to two great-granddaughters.