The 2015 growing season for Napa Valley was the warmest since 2008 and dry, and yields were very low as the drought affecting the vines continued for the fourth consecutive year. Opus One was harvested between 1 September and 8 October. The bottled wine is a Bordeaux blend led by 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 2% Malbec.
This wine is the first in the lineup to undergo fermentation with indigenous yeasts, meaning it used the yeasts already present on the grapes rather than externally added yeast. It was aged for 18 months in new French oak barrels. Michael Silacci is the head winemaker.
While not a great vintage, it was a very good year. It will be at its best for drinking through 2050; since the tannins are still quite firm, decanting is recommended if opened while the wine is young.
Robert Parker (97)
Composed of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot and 2% Malbec, Opus One's 2015 Proprietary Red Wine is truly an iron fist in a velvet glove, delivering a powerhouse of flavors and structure with a seductively plush texture. It opens with a deep garnet-purple color and wonderfully spicy notes of cinnamon stick, cloves and fenugreek with a core of cherry preserves, redcurrant jelly, blackberry pie and warm plums plus hints of camphor, lavender and cigar box. Full-bodied, rich and bold in the mouth, it fills the palate with exotic spice-laced black and red fruits, framed by firm, beautifully ripe, grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing with epic persistence. Although it is already approachable, allow it another 3-5 years in bottle for its myriad of subtle accents to fully blossom and then drink it over the next 30+ years.
James Suckling (98)
Purity and brilliance on the nose with so much currant and flower character. Roses, currant bush and fresh leaves, too. Brightness is the word that comes to mind. Full-bodied and broad-shouldered. Juicy and so gorgeous now. Balance is so wonderful here. All about harmonious fruit and tannin balance. I like it slightly better than the excellent 2014. 81% cabernet sauvignon, 4% petit verdot, 7% cabernet franc, 6% merlot and 2% malbec.
Jancis Robinson (18)
81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot and 2% Malbec. 21 days’ skin contact. 18 months in new French oak. Warmest year since 2008. Dry. Harvest started on 1 September and finished 8 October. Released to Bordeaux négociants in September 2018.
Bright deep crimson. Really quite restrained and haunting on the nose. In this particular line-up (the previous wine was 2011), this was the first wine to incorporate some of the indigenous-yeast ferment. Pretty complex nose but much more richness on the palate. Lots of tannin. Not unlike a bordeaux 2015. A tad thick. (JR)
BOW (9)
Owen Bargreen (98)
The 2015 Opus One is a monumental wine that is up there with the best that they have produced. Head winemaker Michael Silacci has deftly blended Cabernet Sauvignon (81%) with Cabernet Franc (7%), Merlot (6%), Petit Verdot (4%) and Malbec (2%) to create a stunning Opus One red wine. The nose is highly complex and downright intoxicating showing off creme de cassis, mocha, tar, and shades of Turkish coffee that all build in the glass. There is a seamless quality to the wine that really impresses. Soft and round across the mid-palate, the wine reveals Asian spices. The palate is silky and spumous as the wine shows off an exotic edge with Turkish coffee, black tea, anise and creme de cassis that all impress. The wine finishes strong with minerals and black fruits. Enjoy this beautiful wine over the next twenty years.
