Winemaker Notes
The 1993 Opus One presents a deep velvety red with a hint of purple. Showing good structure and a delicate integration of French oak, the wine’s very complex nose offers scents of clove and black currant. As in previous vintages of Opus One, the 1993 is a stylish wine marked by superior finesse and uncommon elegance.
Blend: 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, & 4% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Juicy and focused, with lovely range thanks to rooibos tea, dried iris and rose hip notes that are sprinkled in among the bitter cherry, damson plum and red currant fruit flavors. Still has some coiled energy through the finish, with the underlying iron note only starting to emerge. Slightly bristling with grip, but ending with a long finish. This is worth waiting for.
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Decanter
This has wonderful spice and depth but drops off just a little quicker than some. 42 days skin contact, variable weather during flowering so a difficult fruit set and low crop numbers in the end. A cool August allowed for long slow ripening, and there are layers of liquorice and slate notes adding complexity through the mid-palate.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.