Opus One, Napa Valley, 2021
A fine grained, elegant Opus with a whopping 93% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend (with 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, and half a percent each of Malbec and Merlot). Coal dust, fine spice and taut dark berries. Floral notes emerging too. On the palate this is crisp, fresh, demure, with mineral grip, graphite notes and salty blueberry and red currant notes. Fine structure throughout. Should gain in weight and stature with a few years in bottle.
critic reviews
The 2021 Opus One is one of the most elegant, polished Opus Ones in recent memory. Pliant and supple, with super-refined tannins, the 2021 has a ton to offer. It boasts gorgeous textural depth and resonance, not to mention superb balance. Dark red/purplish fruit, flowers, spice and mint caress the palate, framed by silky, ripe tannins that are the hallmark of a superior vintage. I can't wait to see how the 2021 develops. This is a stellar showing, certainly the best so far.
The 2021 Opus One is a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, with the remaining 1% made up of Malbec and Merlot. Svelte and silky in feel, it boasts sedate, controlled aromas of cherries, cedar and sandalwood. It's medium- to full-bodied, restrained and poised, its softly dusty finish speaking to carefully managed extraction in a vintage concentrated by drought.
A classical vintage that perfectly suits the Opus style. A gorgeous vivid plum colour, sculpted, balanced, with a ton of lift, waves of rose petals, iris and peony, with soft grilled cumin, sage and white pepper spice. Love the hidden power here and the supple tannins that are structured in their archicture with a precision and carved quality. Precise, layered and stretched out, one of my favourite Opus for years, concentrated and yet delicate, carved and almost chalky. Feels like a pared back Napa that reaches back to heights of early Opus, when it moved forward the conversation of what Napa could be. Michael Silacci director, 100% new oak for ageing but extremely well integrated even now.
The 2021 Opus One is composed of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, and 0.5% each of Merlot and Malbec. It was bottled in July 2023. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes barreling out of the glass with gregarious notions of creme de cassis, wild blueberries, and redcurrant jelly followed by hints of cedar chest, sassafras, vanilla pod, and dark chocolate plus a waft of lilacs. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers shimmery red, black, and blue fruit layers with a firm texture of rounded tannins and impressive tension, finishing long and fragrant.