This is one cellar that just keeps on giving….
Opus One was on everyone’s mind last Thursday as we lined-up three vintages from the decade of the 1990s and what a treat it turned out to be!
First poured was the 1991 Opus One from a half bottle. This was mellow and fully mature. Silken texture, elegant with complex notes. Smoky, slightly peaty, leather, undergrowth, spice, dried herbs and cedar on the nose and palate. Sweet tannins and vibrant acidity. Drink now.
Next up was the 1993 Opus One. This was beautifully focused and more aromatic. Deep and intense bouquet of mint/eucalyptus, cigar box, spice, earth and a core of blackcurrant and black cherries in its velvety textured and medium-bodied structure. Vibrant and coffee-tinged finish. This was my favorite of the line-up. I just loved the wine’s intense bouquet and seamless texture.
The 1999 Opus One was tasted next. This showed greater opulence, density and richness with aromas of toasty oak, licorice intermixed with ripe blackberries, blackcurrants and cherries. In the mouth, this is fuller-bodied with a fleshy mid-palate and flavor depth. Beautiful integration of big tannins and oak component.