Winemaker Notes
The 2016 Opus One is remarkably elegant and bright offering sumptuous aromas of fresh red and blue fruit, baking spices and vanilla, and a delicate fragrance of spring florals. The initial bouquet is augmented by more nuanced notes of sage, rosemary, and black olive. Juicy flavors of black cherry, blackberry and cassis flood the palate and creamy, fine-grained tannins deliver a delightfully round structure. Harmonious and lively, the flavors linger to create an enduring finish with touches of dark chocolate and espresso.
Blend: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Fantastic aromas that are complex and complete with blackcurrants, blueberries and herbs, such as basil and bay leaf. But always subtle. Full-bodied yet linear and very refined with a very persistent finish. It shows drive and brightness. So refined at the end. Needs at least three to five years to come together.
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Decanter
Love the juiciness of this, right off the bat, rich deep black cherry rippling with menthol and eucalyptus notes, and these beautiful floral aromatics that Opus gets in the best years. A very classic style, touches of baked vanilla, rosemary and olive. Harvest 9th September to 12th October (starting off slowly then speeding up as the heat rose). 1% Malbec, 8% Petit Verdot completes the blend, 17 days skin contact.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Opus One bursts from the glass with ripe blueberries, black cherry jam and crème de cassis with hints of violets, dark chocolate, cedar chest and cardamom, plus a touch of charcoal. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, the palate delivers layer upon layer of opulent stewed black fruit with amazing tension and firm, ripe, fine-grained tannins, finishing long with a whole array of exotic spices coming through.
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Jeb Dunnuck
<p>The 2016 Opus One is brilliant and shows yet again that 2016 was a magical vintage for Napa Valley. Based largely on Cabernet Sauvignon mixed with 8% each of Petit Verdot and Merlot, with 5% Cabernet Franc and a splash of Malbec, its deep purple hue is followed by a beautiful bouquet of black cherries, crème de cassis, and blueberry fruit intermixed with notions of cedary spice, toasty oak, graphite, and flowers. With an almost Bordeaux-like class and structure, this full-bodied beauty has no hard edges, plenty of ripe tannins, and is extraordinarily pure, elegant, and long. It can be drunk today (give it a healthy decant) or cellared for 2-3 decades.
Rating: 97+
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Wine Spectator
Pure, unadulterated cassis and plum notes pump through, still in a tight band for now, but the stuffing is there, so just wait for it to unfurl fully. Underneath is an apple wood note that adds a mouthwatering edge, while tobacco, warm loam and chestnut lurk in the dark background. As powerful and muscular as Opus gets. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec.
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.