Opus One

Wine Spectator Top 100 #13

1994 Vintage

Awarded: 1997

Wine Spectator Top 100 #6

1987 Vintage

Awarded: 1990

Wine Spectator Top 100 #42

1985 Vintage

Awarded: 1989

Wine Spectator Top 100 #53

1984 Vintage

Awarded: 1988

Situated immediately north of San Pablo Bay, the valley runs southeast to northwest for approximately 35 miles (60km) between the Vacas and Mayacamas mountain ranges. The scenic 40-minute...

About the Wine

Region

Napa Valley

More about this region

Style

Red - Bold and Structured

A typically New World style of wine characterized by ripe fruit, firm tannins and massive popularity. Characteristics Forest floor, tannin, acidity, blackcurrant, mint, eucalyptus. Key...

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Grape Variety / Blend

Bordeaux Blend Red

Far from being an officially defined or legal term, it is almost never used for wine-labeling purposes (although it occasionally appears on back labels). Its equivalent in the United States...

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Food Pairing

Beef and Venison

The general rule with all red meat is the leaner the meat, the lighter the wine – this also applies to different cuts of beef or steak, although side dishes and sauces also have to be...

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Suggested Dishes to Pair With This Wine

Beef stifado Starter Course: Beef braised with onions and cheese; Greek

Holstein wing rib Main Course: Dutch dairy cattle breed, aka Friesian; Western

Tandoori duck Main Course: Contains: tandoori marinade; Indian

Mimolette Cheese Course: French

Critics Scores & Reviews

(289)

All vintages

94 / 100

289 scores

95 - 100

90 - 94

174

85 - 89

80 - 84

75 - 79

0 - 74

PRO Jancis Robinson

2019 Vintage

See score for this and 9 more vintages with a PRO subscription.

About Jancis Robinson

98 / 100 Falstaff

2018 Vintage Tasted: Apr 2022

Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Reife schwarze Beerenfrucht, Creme de Cassis, Nougat, süße Gewürze und etwas Vanille, sehr einladendes Bukett. Kraftvoll, schwarze Frucht nach Brombeeren, Cassis und süßen Pflaumen, straffe, aber reife Tannine, finessenreiches Säuregerüst unterlegt, zeigt sehr gute Länge, schokoladiger Touch im Nachhall, wird mit Reife noch weiter zulegen. PM

98 / 100 Falstaff

2013 Vintage Tasted: Jul 2021

Deep ruby colour. Fully integrated ripe blackcurrant, blackberry, toast, cedar and tobacco aromas. Vibrant tannin and acid profile that brings a rich mouthfeel yet very structured. Opulent new world fruit with classic Bordeaux skeleton. The finish gives layers of coffee and cigar box nuances. Lots of cellaring potential.

96 / 100 Falstaff

2014 Vintage Tasted: Jun 2020

Dark ruby garnet with purple reﬂexes and a touch of edge brightening. Liquorice and cassis mark the somewhat restrained nose, with some cardamom, fresh orange zest and fine wood spice in the background - it will benefit from some air. Complex and very elegant on the palate, with a tightly woven structure that's pronounced in fruit texture and supported by fine acidity. A chocolaty aftertaste rounds off a full-bodied and persistent palate, with black cherries dominant on the long finish. Very promising.

96 / 100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

2015 Vintage Tasted: Dec 2019

Silky, lush, polished and rich, the concentrated, full-bodied wine delivers all of its chocolate covered dark cherries, blackberry, licorice, spice box and floral character with ease. With all the fruit, freshness, plush personality and balance, this is a gorgeous style of wine that will age quite nicely. The blend could easily come from the Left Bank of Bordeaux using 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec.

97 / 100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

2013 Vintage Tasted: Feb 2019

Opulent, ripe, fresh, silky, balanced and concentrated with a melange of black and red fruits, the wine feels great, as it loads you up on its layers of black cherry, smoke, blackberry, licorice and vanilla. Everything is in balance with this beauty, which promises to age gracefully for at least another 20-25 years with ease. 97 Points

95 / 100 Adrian van Velsen - vvWine.ch

2014 Vintage Tasted: Dec 2018

(Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Malbec): Dichtes Rubin, jugendlicher Glanz. Tiefe, ausserordentlich komplexe Nase, ein feiner Duft, ätherische Noten, dunkle Kirschen, Johannisbeere, Kräuter, ein Hauch Minze, blonder Tabak was für ein Nasenbild. Der Gaumen ist konzentriert, ein Mund voll Wein, ausgesprochen dicht, dabei aber nicht plump und schwerfällig sondern mit einer gewissen Eleganz, hoher Gerbstoffgehalt, die Tannine sind von höchster Güte, die Säure stimmt, der Wein zeigt eine grosse Komplexität und zieht sich im Abgang enorm in die Länge, endet würzig und auf eine reife, schwarze Johannisbeerfrucht. Ein grosser Wein, unbedingt noch reifen lassen. 2024-2040+. 19 vvPunkte, (95+/100)

About Adrian van Velsen - vvWine.ch

96 / 100 Falstaff

2007 Vintage Tasted: Nov 2018

Kräftiges Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, breitere Randaufhellung. Zart nach Bourbon-Vanille, schwarze Herzkirschen, feine Nuancen von Cassis und Orangenzesten im Hintergrund, ein Hauch von frischen Feigen unterlegt. Stoffig, extraktsüßes dunkles Beerenkonfit, runde, reife Tannine, feines Nougat, kraftvoll und lange anhaltend, süße Frucht im Nachhall, recht massiver Stil, schokoladig auch im Rückgeschmack, noch so gut wie unentwickelt, hat eine große Zukunft vor sich. Ein konzentrierter, bombastischer Stil für den Long Term. Peter Moser

94 / 100 Falstaff

2015 Vintage Tasted: Nov 2018

Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Angenehme schwarze Beerenfrucht, zart nach Cassis, ein Hauch von Feigen, dezente Kräuterwürze, reife Kirschen, feine Mineralität, Kokos und Orangenblüten im Hintergrund. Kraftvoll, engmaschig, extraktsüßer Kern, etwas präsente, fordernde Tannine, zarter Bitterschokolade-Touch im Abgang, es fehlt etwas an Länge im Moment, wirkt in der Jugend eher unkompliziert, verfügt über gutes Entwicklungspotenzial. Peter Moser

93 / 100 Falstaff

2005 Vintage Tasted: Nov 2018

Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Mit einem Hauch von Eukalyptus unterlegte feine Cassisnuancen, rotbeeriger Touch, feine Edelholzwürze, zart nach Nougat, ein Hauch von Sanddorn, frischer Kräutertouch, Orangenzesten klingen an. Saftig, elegant, feine Extraktsüße, präsente, gut integrierte Tannine, straff und dunkel mineralisch im Abgang, wirkt noch recht jugendlich, angenehme Säurestruktur, zeigt Länge und Würze, etwas Bitterschokolade im Nachhall, hat noch Jahre vor sich. Peter Moser

93 / 100 Falstaff

2010 Vintage Tasted: Nov 2018

Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Einladende dunkle Kirschnote, ein Hauch von Cassis und Edelholz, Orangenkonfit, zarter Nougat, zeugt von einem kühleren Jahrgang. Straff, hochelegant, feiner Schokotouch, süße schwarze Beerenfrucht, sehr komplex, engmaschig, Nougat im Abgang, mineralisch, dezente Frische unterlegt, wirkt bereits gut entwickelt, kann bereits angetrunken werden. Peter Moser

97 / 100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

2014 Vintage Tasted: Nov 2017

I love this style of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine combines concentration, purity of fruit, lush, silky tannins, freshness and length. You can drink it young, if you prefer, youthful, exuberant, fruit, or age it and enjoy the complexities of age. The wine was made from blending 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec, which is something you could easily find in the Left Bank of Bordeaux. 97 Points

93 / 100 Adrian van Velsen - vvWine.ch

2013 Vintage Tasted: Aug 2017

Sehr dichtes Rubin, im Kern fast Schwarz. Eigenwillige, fast etwas parfümiert wirkende Nase, getrocknete Blumen, dahinter konzentrierte dunkle Beerenfrucht, Anflüge von Minze, Nüsse, Rauch, ausgesprochen vielschichtig und komplex, braucht noch Zeit sich zu entwickeln. Weich und füllig im Auftakt, ungemein feine Tannine, poliert, präzis, die Frucht wirkt allerdings süss, südlich, warm, fast etwas gekocht, die Säure ist moderat, dunkle Schokolade, etwas Lakritz. Im Abgang von sehr guter Länge, ein Charmeur. Modern, definitiv top vinifiziert aber mit etwas wenig Seele. Jetzt bis 2035, 18.5 vvPunkte, (93/100)

About Adrian van Velsen - vvWine.ch

94 / 100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

2007 Vintage Tasted: May 2017

A perfect ringer for a Bordeaux blind tasting, the wine has freshness, refinement, soft tannins, and while the fruit is perfectly ripe, here, you find all the fresh, sweet, red and black fruits you could hope for, without any jammy, or overripe notes. Lots of cedar, tobacco and earthy, forest notes only add to the fun. Drink now, or hold... 94 Points

93 / 100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

2006 Vintage Tasted: Apr 2017

Drinking at a really nice place today, the wine meshes elegance with sweet, ripe, juicy, ripe, fruits. This is a good ringer to place in blind tasting with Bordeaux. 93 Points

94 / 100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

2002 Vintage Tasted: Mar 2017

Ripe, juicy, long, full bodied, and fruity, with depth, concentration and real, fruit and licorice in the finish. This is really in a great spot today. 94 Points

95 / 100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

95 / 100 Tom Cannavan

1992 Vintage Tasted: Jan 2017

(2017) Cellared by me since around 1998 or so, the first vintage of this joint project between Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild was in 1979, the blend here being 89% Cabernet Sauvignon with 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Merlot, aged for 17 months? in new French oak. It has a glorious fragrance still, a compote of red and black berries swirling with smoke, cedar and graphite, a finely honed touch of wild, gamy character well into the background. On the palate it is medium bodied, a pristine freshness with taut acidity and pure, fine-grained tannins, that wash of ripe but elegant fruit layered on top. This is drinking beautifully, but with no sign of any fading it surely has a decade ahead of it.

About Tom Cannavan

2010 Vintage Tasted: Nov 2016

Luscious, silky textures, forward in style, and creamy, ripe, sweet, blackberries galore are impossible not to notice. With its concentration of flavor, balance and sensuous style, this is a truly, sublime style of California Cabernet Sauvignon. 95 Points

96 / 100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

2012 Vintage Tasted: Mar 2016

This Left Bank Bordeaux lookalike has really been on fire since 2007. This elegant, ripe, sweet, lush, charmer is no exception. Silky tannins, solid concentration of ripe, dark fruits, great mouthfeel and long, fruit filled, stylish finish is another winner from Opus One. The wine was made from a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot and 2% Malbec. 96 Points

96 / 100 Falstaff

1999 Vintage Tasted: Nov 2015

Purple color with light garnet reflections. On the nose a savoury attack, ripe fruit, hints of dark berries, but also a touch of fresh raspberries; slightly ethereal notes and with good structure. On the palate powerful, savoury, with dense fruit and excellent length. A wine with certain ageing potential.

93 / 100 Falstaff

2011 Vintage Tasted: Oct 2015

Dark ruby. Fine noble oak nuances, aromas of ripe cassis, herbs and vanilla, plus a touch of pepper and graphite: a multi-faceted bouquet. Substantial, elegant texture of red cherry and nougat, firm, supporting tannins, pronounced fruit finish, mineral and persistent. Somewhat vegetal in the finish, but has definite ageing potential.

91 / 100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

1997 Vintage Tasted: Sep 2015

Elegant, soft and refined, it lacks the fruit and concentration found in many of the vintages top wines. That being said, the tobacco, cedar, earth, fresh cherry and forest aromas would make many tasters think of Bordeaux. This refined styled Napa wine requires drinking as there is not enough raw materials or structure, for a much longer evolution. 91 Points

91 / 100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

2011 Vintage Tasted: Apr 2015

Medium bodied, with earthy, herbal, black raspberry and currant character, the wine finishes with a smoky, dusty, red berry note. 91 Points

92 / 100 Falstaff

2008 Vintage Tasted: Mar 2013

Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. In der Nase zart tabakig unterlegte frische Kirschenfrucht, zart ätherisch, ein Hauch von Orangen, mit Cassisnoten unterlegt. Elegant, saftige Herzkirschen, präsente Tannine, mineralisch-salzige Nuancen, wirkt leichtfüßig und trinkanimierend, zitroniger Touch im Abgang, gutes Entwicklungspotenzial, Nougat und süße Frucht im Nachhall. (89 - 19. Rang)