2017 Opus One Proprietary Red Napa Valley
World famous Opus One keeps its streak alive producing a truly exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon based Red. This vintage offers aromas of red and blue fruit, baking spices, vanilla, and a delicate fragrance of spring florals. On the palate are juicy black cherry, blackberry, and fine-grained tannins. A palate pleasing paradise.
Opus One is a member of an elite group whose members you can count on two hands: Napa Valley’s “First Growths.” It is a celebration of the relationship between Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild. The two wine icons first met in Hawaii in 1970 where the Baron, proprietor of first-growth Château Mouton-Rothschild, first mentioned the idea of making a wine with Robert. Eight years passed, until a fateful meeting in Bordeaux sparked this monumental joint venture. Today, as ever, the wine is made entirely from Oakville fruit, including two prime parcels in the legendary To Kalon vineyard. Even beginning with such great raw materials, the fruit is still sorted meticulously by hand, ensuring only the finest fruit makes it into the fermenter. And then only the finest barrels of wine become Opus One, with the rest directed into the Overture bottling, a great wine in its own right.
Decanter
A fist of late summer cherries, raspberry and bilberry fruits set out their stall, all with the juicy character that confirms, even in a hot vintage like 2017, Opus can deliver balance and sculpted elegance. Beautiful grip, creamy texture with a strikingly powerful tannic frame. As the wine stays in the glass the floral aromatics begin to bloom up. A brilliant Opus. 20 days maceration - around half what it would have been a decade ago. 54% native yeast, as part of their native yeast project. 5% Merlot and 1% Malbec complete the blend. Harvest spread out over September 5 to October 8, just before the fires, by which time they had less than 10% of the fruit still out on the vines. 3.7pH.
WA95Wine Advocate
Opus One had picked 91% of their fruit before the fires started in 2017, and only two lots were eliminated from consideration. The 2017 Opus One, bottled in July 2019, is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.5% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4.5% Merlot and 1% Malbec. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it slowly grows on the nose, revealing compelling notes of baked black cherries, mulberries, black raspberries, warm cassis and blackberry pie with nuances of spice cake, yeast extract, tapenade, licorice and dusty soil with a waft of wild sage. Medium-bodied, the palate has a lively skip in its step, featuring bags of juicy raspberry and cassis-laced fruit and a refreshing line, supported by ripe, plush tannins, finishing long and graceful.
JS95James Suckling
Lots of currant and floral notes on the nose. Hints of mint and spice. Medium-to full-bodied, round and savory with creamy, juicy tannins. Hints of citrus underneath. Bright, fresh and delicious. Drink or hold.
WS93Wine Spectator
This features currant and plum fruit, with tobacco, loam and singed savory notes, maintaining range and driving through the finish. The structure is fine-grained, delivering a lingering hint of acidity. A more subtle expression of Cabernet. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec.