Opus One's 1991 is a gorgeously rich, opaque ruby/purple-colored wine with a knock-out nose of smoke, cassis, vanilla, and a whiff of herbs and licorice. Full-bodied, with surprisingly supple, concentrated, chocolatey, cassis, and blackcurrant flavors that ooze across the palate, this voluptuously-textured example of Opus One is atypical in a vintage that produced so many backward wines. There is no question the wine possesses plenty of tannin, but it is admirably concealed by the copious quantities of concentrated fruit. This Opus can be drunk now as well as over the next 15+ years.

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Tasted from magnum. A curious mix. It's complex and supple, yet marked by a slight cheesy-yeasty flavor up front. It works its way into dry, mature-tasting currant, cedar and anise flavors, and the tannins are dry and gritty on the finish.--'81/'91 California Cabernet retrospective.

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