This wine represents Opus One at its best opulent, full-bodied best. Robert Parker calls it not only “one of the great wines of Napa,” but “the pinnacle of French viticultural knowledge combined with that of California and Napa’s Shangri La-like microclimate.” Grown on the estate’s four vineyard plots-the Ballestra and River Parcels, which flank the winery, as well as To Kalon North and South across Highway 29-the Left Bank-style blend is one of the most coveted, envied, and emulated wines on the planet.
Since its first vintage in 1979, Opus One has become the red wine that represents California to the world. And finally, it would be different and unique. Second, it would reflect the partnership between the Mondavi and Rothschild families. The two luminaries struck a partnership eight years later, and agreed on a simple three-point philosophy: First, Opus One would be a classic Bordeaux-style wine. When he met Robert Mondavi in 1970, Baron Philippe knew he had his man. The Opus One story began when Baron Philippe de Rothschild (of Bordeaux First Growth Mouton Rothschild) conceived of a Bordeaux-Napa Valley project.
Exquisite tension and finesse with an almost Burgundian texture, yet it’s Napa in its soul with ripe fruit, stones, spices and Chinese tea leaf flavors. We’re thrilled to announce that our visit yielded the kind of allocation that normally only comes at auction: A few cases of the unparalleled 2014 Opus One, the dense and opulent red that had critic James Suckling swooning to the tune of 97 points. Everyone in the company headed north on Silverado Trail to the Oakville AVA, to make our first official visit to the pristine winery that brought First Growth Bordeaux and the best of Napa Valley together: Opus One. So on a beautiful August day, the Wine Access offices in the town of Napa emptied. But realistically, we’d been looking forward to it for years. The mid-weight style is a bit Old World-leaning in this striking, super-classic Opus One.Technically, we’d had the appointment for about a month. Readers should plan on giving the 2014 another few years in bottle at a minimum. Stylistically, the 2014 is bright and also a touch linear, with a construction built more on focus rather than opulence. The 2014 Opus One is not as showy or obvious as some of the other surrounding vintages, but it will have its day. Medium-bodied, finely crafted and with an energetic line lifting the red and black fruits, it has a bold frame of grainy tannins and a very long, earth and spice-layered finish.
OPUS ONE 2014 RED WINE PLUS
~97JSīlended of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec, the Opus One 2014 Proprietary Red Wine sports an inky purple color and nose of crushed black and red currants, black cherries and mulberries with touches of underbrush, sautéed herbs and pencil shavings plus a waft of spice box. Mesmerizing aromas of flowers, bark, currants and blackberries. *Original wood case available upon request. Enjoyable now, the wine will delight for years to come.īlend: Cabernet Sauvignon 80%, Petit Verdot 7%, Cabernet Franc 6%, Merlot 5%, and Malbec 2% Fine-grained tannins offer a velvety texture and complex structure that builds to a long, vibrantly fresh finish with a touch of mocha. After a silky entry, dark fruit flavors emerge with hints of baking spice and black olive. The succinct harvest was completed on October 7 th. Following a near-perfect growing season, harvest commenced on September 5 th just as the grapes reflected an ideal balance between freshness and concentration. The 2014 Opus One exudes subtle aromas of fragrant florals, fresh garden herbs and forest floor that give way to a concentrated blend of red cherry, blackberry and black currant. Notes from the Winemaker:The 2014 vintage was precocious marked by the earliest bud break in our history. After an early rainstorm, there was a brief pause but the succinct harvest was completed on October 7th. Following a near-perfect growing season, harvest commenced on September 5th just as the grapes reflected an ideal balance between freshness and concentration. Timely rainfall and a continuation of mild and dry conditions throughout the year allowed the grapevines to support the slightly higher-than-expected yields. The 2014 vintage was precocious – marked by the earliest bud break in winery history.
Dedicated to uncompromised quality, Opus One’s sole purpose is to express this vision and passionate spirit for generations to come. Opus One, like any great work, arose out of passion. By combining the great winemaking traditions and innovations of both families, the founders’ singular goal was t o create an exceptional wine in the heart of Napa Valley. Opus One was founded by Baron Philippe de Rothschild, legendary proprietor of Château Mouton R othschild, and renowned Napa Valley vintner Robert Mondavi.
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