2013 Opus One
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Tasting notes
A very dry and unseasonably warm winter gave the vines an early start to the growing season and set in motion what is regarded by the team as an extraordinary vintage for Opus One. Flowering occurred under near-perfect conditions which led to excellent fruit set and ensured a bountiful harvest – though smaller than the previous year. Ideal conditions continued during the summer with moderate temperatures prevailing until harvest began after midnight on 5 September. Despite sporadic stops due to weather events, the relatively compressed harvest was completed on 8 October. 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec. 18-day skin contant and then 17.5 months in new French oak. Really juicy and fresh. Racy and complete. Fragrant and very satisfying, Transparent rather than heavy. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Decanter
More reviews and scores
A legendary vintage at Opus, and this remains an extremely impressive wine at 12 years old. Expect black olive paste, bilberry and cassis, richly nuanced with juicy stone fruits and cherry pit, fragrant, still barely getting going, drawn out on the finish. A great example of a vintage that could be drunk now, and no doubt is being drunk by many collectors, but which will richly reward further patience. A note on my 100 point score by the way - this vintage is extremely different to the 2021, which also got my top score, so please be aware - this is exceptional opulence, whereas the 2021 is exceptional classicism. Harvest September 5 to October 8. 100% new oak for ageing, Michael Silacci director. 18 days skin contact.
Deep garnet colored, the 2013 Opus One needs a little swirling before exploding with preserved black and blue fruits—blueberry compote, blackberry pie and blackcurrant cordial—giving way to notes of unsmoked cigars, new leather, beef drippings and menthol with wafts of roasted rosemary and rose oil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is both powerful and ethereal, charged with energy and backed up by profound black fruits, supported with plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and beautifully perfumed.
The 2013 is a powerhouse. Dense, heady and massively structured, the 2013 is impossibly young. Huge swaths of tannin wrap around a core of intense dark red fruit in this potent, brooding wine. Graphite, smoke, cedar and tobacco run through this virile, statuesque wine. The wine's sheer youthful intensity is truly remarkable. I wouldn't dream of touching a bottle before age ten, and even that may not be enough. The 2013 Opus One is shaping up to be an iconic wine.
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.
Product details
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec/ Auxerrois / Cot
Red
Dry