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Tasting notes
The 2018 Opus One is an incredible wine – vibrant and concentrated, pure and focused, and beautifully balanced. The nose is full of precise pure dark berry fruit, earthy spice – cardamom and cloves, with a fresh, herbaceous note reminiscent of rosemary. The palate is beautifully constructed with layers of the finest tannins providing a textural framework for the wash of soft, sweet fruit – with a bright cherry edge to the core of crunchy blackcurrant. Long, pure and effortlessly fresh. A blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec, this wears its oak – 17 months in 100% new French barrels – incredibly lightly. The finish lasts forever. First class.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
There is a confidence and an effortless quality to the winemaking at Opus, and it comes through clearly in this vintage. Expertly judged, a rich dollop of black cherry and juicy rich blackcurrant and blueberry fruit, laced with liquorice, rosebud and incense. The kick of heat is well managed and brought in line. Very good quality, tannins already have a succulence to them but it will improve with a few more years in bottle. 18 days skin contact, harvest September 19 to October 25. 100% new oak for ageing, Michael Silacci director.
The 2018 Opus One is absolutely exquisite. Bright red berry fruit, crushed flowers, mint and spice are all finely cut. The 2018 impresses with its energy and focus. It's a gorgeous wine, and is also showing especially well today, with all of the potential I first saw in barrel very much on display. Bright acids linger on the persistent finish. The 2018 is supremely elegant.
Extremely perfumed and floral with lavender, lilacs and violets to the sweet, ripe berries, such as blackberries and blackcurrants. Some slate and graphite, too. It's full-bodied, yet ever so balanced and refined, with super fine tannins that last for minutes. Fresh herbs, such as bay leaf and lemon grass highlight the dark fruit. The quality of tannin is exquisite with wonderful polish and refinement. Lasts for minutes. So wonderful to taste now, but better after 2026.
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.