This is Opus One's 2019 vintage Proprietary Red Wine, a Napa Valley Bordeaux blend primarily based on Cabernet Sauvignon (78%), combined with 8% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Malbec.
In the spring of 2019, abundant rainfall fell, nearly double the annual average; a damp winter and cool spring weather delayed the budding period. The weather thereafter was warm and stable. Harvesting began on the 10th of September and lasted for four weeks, giving winemaker Michael Silacci a long, unhurried harvest to work with. Decanter awarded this vintage 4.5 stars.
In the wine cellar, the wine underwent 22 days of skin contact before aging for 19 months in French oak barrels, all of which were new. The result is a full-bodied yet elegant wine with velvety-smooth tannins and fresh, concentrated core flavors that leave a long finish.
If opened while young, decanting is recommended. It is best enjoyed through 2058.
Robert Parker (98)
Winemaker Michael Silacci commented that usually the blends are finished in January or February after the vintage. This year, with the 2019s, he was still tweaking the blend, but he did mention that this is "pretty close to the final blend."
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Opus One leaps from the glass with notes of Black Forest cake, Morello cherries, mulberries and fresh blackcurrants plus hints of licorice, wilted roses, Sichuan pepper and iron ore. Full-bodied, the palate is jam-packed with juicy black, blue and red fruits, framed by velvety tannins and background freshness, finishing on a compelling earthy/mineral note. Tasted as a barrel sample, this is a truly magnificent Opus One in the making!
James Suckling (99)
The purity of fruit is really something else here, with currants and fresh flowers, such as violets and roses. Flower stems as well. Fantastic length and structure to the wine, with tightness and focus. Wonderful fruit. Graceful. A blend of 78% cabernet sauvignon, 8% merlot, 7% petit verdot, 6% cabernet franc and 1% malbec.
Jancis Robinson (18)
Abundant spring rains, nearly double the annual average, saturated the soil and provided ample water for the growing season. The first signs of budbreak were observed in the vineyard on 27 March, a full 15 days later than usual. This delay led to later bloom and veraison. However, warmer temperatures towards the end of summer accelerated the fruit’s development and maturity so that picking began on 10 September, a couple of days earlier than average. The harvest lasted four weeks. 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec. 22-day skin contact. 19 months in new French oak.Glowing crimson. Heady, a bit like 2009 although there’s an appetising minerality on the palate.
BOW (9)
Owen Bargreen (98)
The 2019 Opus One is really coming into its own right now. This is marvelously herbal offering bay leaf tones on the nose with orange bell pepper, tar, anise and tobacco leaf. The palate is lush and round with a refined texture and great sense of tension. Creme de cassis and violets mark the palate alongside mocha and a graphite edge.
Jane Anson (99)
Juicy, balanced, succulent, and is showing exceptionally well at this point, although has a long life ahead if you can hold back. I love the 2019 vintage in Napa and Tuscany, and here it shows its grace, balance and nuance, without compromising on depth and quality of ripe black fruits studded with sage, rosemary, pencil lead, mint leaf, eucalyptus, crushed rocks. Signature Opus, expressive and joyful but with a classicism that is hard to resist. Michael Silacci winemaker, 100% new oak for ageing.
