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Tasting notes
Vibrant ruby red, dark cherry fruits, still with evident structure and tannic architecture. Traces of bitter almond, juicy blackcurrant and blackberry fruits, and a complex interplay of truffle, liqourice, blue cheese salinity, dried flowers. This is more austere than the 1983, but with so much life ahead of it, and a sense of momentum as it builds through the palate. Abundant sunsine and early harvest, early budbreak, this was the shortest growing season on record at the time. 17 days skin contact, winemakers Lucien Sionneau and Tim Mondavi.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
More reviews and scores
A youthful medium to dark ruby color is followed by a spicy, compact, pleasant nose of black fruits, vanillin, and a touch of cedar. Medium-bodied, with fine concentration, adequate acidity, and moderate tannin, this wine offers above average, straightforward drinking. More complexity (which I doubt will emerge given the wine's modest proportions) and additional extraction would have been beneficial. Once again, the quality of my tasting notes for Opus One has declined with age.
About the producer
Created by Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Opus One is one of the most famous wines and estates in the Napa Valley. Its iconic Cabernet Sauvignon combines the elegance and freshness of Bordeaux with the natural ripeness and opulence of Napa.