![]() ![]() We’re thrilled to have earned the opportunity to bring this singular wine to your cellar. It was released to the public in 1984, but had already attracted attention, as a single case of the wine had sold for 24,000 at the first Napa Valley Wine. After spending 17 months in new French oak and a year in bottle, it’s one of the premier editions the winery has produced in the 40+ years since the Bedroom Summit. The 2018 vintage contains all five Bordeaux varieties, dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (84%). From vineyard to tank, the journey rarely takes more than 12 hours. At harvest, the fruit goes directly into the immaculate winery. Opus One grows on four celebrated vineyard plots in the choicest section of Oakville: the Ballestra and River Parcels, which flank the winery itself, and To Kalon North and South, located across Highway 29. The wine is broad and beautifully balanced, with chewy tannins that will help it age for decades. Showing a brooding shade of purple, it’s got powerful and forward aromas of black currant, blueberry, violets, cocoa powder, dried herbs, licorice, and cinnamon rising from the glass. It only takes one sip to realize that this wine is something special. Wine Advocate gave it 98-matching bottles from the legendary 20 seasons-calling it “a triumph.” Grown in one of the top vintages of the past decade, the wine earned a near-perfect 99-point score from James Suckling and. This deep purple-hued effort leans to lively, fresher side of the vintage but has a brilliant, utterly classic style in its crème de cassis and blue-tinged fruit as well as notes of lead pencil, candied violets, damp earth, and chocolate-like nuances. There’s no doubt that we are currently in Opus One’s Golden Age, and with the 2018 winemaker Michael Silacci has given us one of the finest bottles of all time. The 2018 Opus One is a blend of 84 Cabernet Sauvignon, 6 Petit Verdot, and the rest Merlot and Cabernet Franc. 2018 was cooler with a little bit more acidity."īoth vintages are a triumph at Opus One and a testament to the subtle changes that Silacci and his team have been conducting in the vineyards and winery over the last 15+ years. I like the intensity of the 2018s-2019 is a bit above it. 2018 is elegant, and that's not an excuse for being lighter. Comparing the 2018 vintage with 2019, winemaker Michael Silacci commented, "There’s a little more richness to 2019. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with tightly wound layers of crunchy black fruits, supported by firm, grainy tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing with lifted fruitiness and on a lingering mineral note.ĭuring my recent visit to Opus One, I tasted five vintages of the "grand vin," including a barrel sample of the 2019, which will be published separately in a dedicated report. Very deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Opus One soars out of the glass with bright, bold boysenberries, warm cassis and ripe, juicy black plums notes, plus emerging nuances of lilacs, oolong tea, cinnamon stick, tilled soil and black truffles.
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