Similar to laser note. Bretty and ripe but stemmy. The palate is much better than the nose but it’s still kind of an awkward wine. Med body, med+ tannin, and med acid. The acid/tannin balance is off and this comes off quite stringent. Still holding up fine but not sure this will ever really be great.
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Thanks to my friend Kim who put together a flight of 95,96,97,98,99 Opus and paired with several Waygu prepared by our friend Steve. Oh What a night, spectacular food paired with an amazing Vertical that will most likely not be repeated by our group. What a great performance from a 26 year old wine. This wine started out my favorite after a 2 hour decant, but eventually faded slightly and the 95 took over. Still incredibly solid, definitely should pop the corks now if you’re still holding
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Opened about four hours prior to service and allowed to breath. Two bottles were opened tonight from the same cellar and one of the corks showed some small signs of seepage but both wines showed equally. No formal notes. The 1997 Opus One pours a fairly youthful looking deep ruby color with moderate signs of sediment and a near opaque core. The nose exhibited powerful aromas of dark fruits, organic earth, tobacco, leather, horse blanket (brettanomyces?!), and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry and the structure remains quite firm but the texture is plush and almost chewy. The notes on the nose are confirmed and the finish is long and satisfying.
But the tasting notes only tell half the story here. This was consumed alongside a 1990 Chateau Mouton Rothschild. Had these been served together double-blind, I would have absolutely understood if someone called both as left-bank Bordeaux. Yes, the texture was plush and yes, the color was dark(er), but only just. It was just waaaay more Old World leaning to me with the earth and presence of brett. Which makes me wonder, why hasn’t brett been noted very often in other TN’s for this wine? Only (Charlie Carnes and OneFive) really address it directly and maybe this is what most are getting at when they mention “Bordeaux-like” and all the Pauillac vibes. What I can confirm is that these notes were consistent between two bottles from the same case, still in their tissue paper, so I’m reasonably confident that this is characteristic of the 1997 Opus One. I digress; I liked the wine. There, I said it. It was a bit of a one foot in Old School Napa, one foot in New School Napa, handled with an Old World touch. I liked it even better side-by-side with the ’90 Mouton, especially considering the relationship between the two. That being said, folks that can’t get down with a little brett will be turned off by this vintage of Opus. In my case, I would enjoy another opportunity to drink the 1997 some time. Great now with some air to stretch its legs and should be enjoyable through the next decade.
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1992 Guenoc Lily Langtry Beckstoffer IV; light to medium red, red to black-fruited, still vivacious despite crumbly cork. 1995 Saintsbury Reserve Chardonnay, Carneros. Dark yellow, mature, only medium body, acid is obvious but so is the pear fruit. Long finish. well cellared! 1997 Opus One. Dark-fruited blackberry, a little tannin, very Bordeaux. like the Guenoc, this could go for several more years. 2010 Beringer Private Reserve. This is young and powerful. The fruit/oak balance is proper and one should expect 10 or 20 more years of development. 1978 Mauro Osvaldo & Figli Barolo. Amber with sediment. Shy nose takes 30 minutes to show caramel. Tasty, rich and vivacious in the mouth. Holding beautifully.
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The “Bordeaux-like” comments in recent reviews has me thinking not many people can recognize brettanomyces. While there is some refinement here and pleasant red fruit on the nose, it’s overshadowed by a medicinal/metallic quality that’s hard to see past. Luckily, the aroma improves with air. On the palate there is more acid than expected for Oakville and refined tannin. However, recent vintages have tasted cleaner than this and are more enjoyable. This falls short for me considering the pedigree of the winery and vintage.
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Drank alongside several older Cal cabs and 1st growth Bordeaux. This wine was every bit as good as the Bordeaux. Still fresh, nice rounded tannins. California Cab primary flavor with Bordeaux undertones. The wine looks garnet colored. It smells like black pepper and dust. It tastes like black currant (cassis). The body is medium/full. The wine has polished texture. The wine finishes long.
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Tasted blind. For my palate, this ranked #1, but it did not place in the top 3 for WOTN. Nevertheless, I am impressed by how this fooled me into thinking it was 1st or 2nd growth Pauillac. Very Bordeaux in character with loads of spice, cedar, and grainy tannin. This would be a good ringer in a Bordeaux blind tasting.
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Blind. First pour offers some Pauillac nose without strong cigar/super smooth tannin, which makes me think 80s Mouton... turns out not a bad guess, as early Opus vintages are set to follow Mouton. Less sediments should have been a giveaway. Resolved tannin, black fruit, a little cool and herbal. Cold vintage? 93
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Deep rich color, nose was bursting of ripened dark fruit, had the depth and density on the palate, good long finish. Exceptional btl. Decanted for an hour with grilled Filet of beef. DRINK/HOLD
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Pours medium ruby, with light bricking. The nose is immediately expressive and complex showing bay leaf, wet maduro cigar wrapper, seared beef, crushed rock, dark chocolate, old furniture, spice box, old baseball glove, dried dark cherry, dried black currant, fresh blackberry, a touch of roasted green pepper and dry hay. Needless to say this is fabulously complex and just a beautiful old word profile. The palate has gorgeous sweet dark ripe fruit with medium plus acid and medium minus tannin. Lovely! The finish is long repeating all of the nose. Amazing wine.
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Last bottle. The tasting notes on this wine are all over the board. There are numerical ratings both well above and well below mine. A recent note says it was drinkable right after opening. For me, this bottle took a 2 hour decant to become drinkable. It was awful upon opening. Also, as was the case with another bottle or two, the upper half of the cork crumbled and the lower half had to be pushed into the bottle, which was immediately decanted.
I have had a lot of cork problems with a variety of CA CS from the 1990s. Have not had similar problems with red Bordeaux from the same era. So, the issue is unlikely to be related to the way my bottles have been stored.
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Opened well, decanted and surprisingly drank right away. So happy i held on to it for so long! Velvet tasting, wine is changing while enjoying!! Cheers!
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I have said in previous tasting notes that I seem to not have had as good experience with this wine when compared to other cellartracker.com tasters. This bottle was a little better, and it had an intact/normal cork. Past corks have been a little soft.
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The cork came out in a million pieces but I was able to get the last bit out intact, so it didn't get into the wine. Deep, dark, foggy purple, red color. The nose is old world cab. It is metallic, minty with stewed vegetables. Several people thought it was past its prime. I have nothing to judge that by, since this is my first Opus One, but it's lovely. Decanted it for an hour while I made a dinner of steak in a mushroom, onion, blue cheese. The wine was excellent with the dish. The flavor is rich, complex combination of herbal, minty and plums per my husband. I get metal, stewed plums, with a tartness that coats my tongue. We really enjoyed this bottle.
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Very soft cork.....but it came out in one piece. My experience with this wine has not been up to that of other cellartracker.com tasters. My bottles have been well stored. The wine was not really bad, but not up to other Opus vintages I have tasted.
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NR as the Brett on this bottle has really bloomed. I won’t call it flawed, having not tasted the vintage before. Beyond that, there’s some cigar wrapper, cinnamon, and black currant. Other bottles may perform better
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Keeps amazing me how well - and how consistently well - these Opus One's from the 90ies have aged. Dense with mushrooms, earth, dried leather. Fruit of mixed berries but almost leaning to red on average. Some herbs. Over time sweet savoury. Long finish with earth and mushrooms giving away the age but still a very present fruit. A vibrant, perfect palate with structural tannins and a velvety texture. This is great stuff and beats the 1996 which I tasted 3 times over the last 2 years (scored 95-96).
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This got rated 88 points by Parker on release, Tanzer rated it 89 points back in 2001. Looking at the ratings the wine got here on Cellartracker early on, their scores seem to be correct but these 90s Opus One are made for the long haul. The 96 is fantastic these days and this 97, which I had the first time, is equally good. Disdained 20 years ago, these wine age as gracefully as great Bordeauxs. Jane Ansons (Decanter), one of the most reliable critics these days, recently reviewed all vintages back to 1979 and their scores for these 90s beauties are telling: 96 points for 1991, 95 for 1992/1994, 97 for 1996, 100 for 1997 and 98 for 1999. While not cheap, these 90s Opus are worth any search! This 1997 is still at least 5 to rather 10 years away from its peak. It seems much younger than the 1996 but is still great to drink today with a decent decant. 97+ points.
TN: Dark and dense nose full of truffles, expressive and precise. A suave, seductive and sexy palate with layers and layers of aromas: mushrooms, wet forest floor, tobacco, black truffles, spices, mint, dark sweet cassis, blue forest berries, blackberries. These signature Opus aromatics of blue forest berries is just to die for. While the tertiary aromas are there the balance between tertiary and fruit aromas is not yet as perfect as with the 1996, which seems 10 years older. Nevertheless, this is an absolute treat to drink with fine-tannins, a wonderful soft texture and a perfectly integrated and well-measured acidity.
Decanting: Still young, will not peak for some more years. Improved a lot with air. It needs at least 2 (better just 3 or 4) hours in the decanter.
Rich and robust. Truly outstanding. Concentrated nose, followed by concentrated fruit. Tastes as if it was bottled last year. The color has faded ever so slightly but it drinks as if it has another 22 years of drinkable life.
The cork was completely intact.
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Reference last note, the 1997 had more fruit on the nose and pallet than the 1996 - making this more of a Napa wine than Bordeaux (like the 1996). Fabulous wine, perhaps the ultimate "crowd pleaser" as it has something for everyone. Novice wine drinkers and connoisseurs alike enjoy and have given high praise to the 1997, which shows no signs of slowing down. Despite a hot/ripe vintage, the 97s are still showing beautifully.
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From 375. This bottle had not been stored properly for any portion of it's life, according to the friend who had it, so I didn't have high hopes for it. Cork was in pretty good shape with very little staining and coming out in one piece with an Ah-So. On the nose this started out a bit musty, but that blew off quickly and it gave off very mature aromas. On the palate this was sound, though perhaps a bit more advanced than it should be due to storage conditions. It wasn't oxidized, though, just quite "soft" and like a well-aged claret. Certainly didn't resemble a spoofy fruit bomb. Actually drank very nicely and goes to show that some wine is more hardy than we think.
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Tasted side by side with the 1996. Much tighter, less generous. Both shared a velvety characteristic, but this felt like it needed more time. Dusty dark fruit and full of promise. 93
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took time for this to come in to balance. could tell was single grape. as it breathed was very soft and elegant. at its peak and a good drinking window. I don't see this improving. thought was a 97 brunello, with an outside shot of a cab from mid 90s. surprised when it was revealed, would have expected more from this.
tough competition vs the 90 Poyferre i brought. this was a few points below in aroma, body and complexity. finish on the poyferre left this in the dust.
regardless, good wine. soft and ready to drink. well made and enjoyable. 92-93 pts.
way easier and more pleasurable to drink than the 96 Gaja Sperrs and rather natty Voerzio the night before.
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Beaujolais Day 2017 (Wine Wizards Stockton): Tasted blind at my wine merchant's, from a bottle opened the day before. Good color depth, developed nose, clearly Bordeaux varieties, cedar, cassis, not sign of brett but a hint of mint. Good structure and finish. Nice.
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Sweet rich cassis nose. Round, soft, big and slightly sweet on the palate. Many will like the satiny, smooth style here, but I find it fat and without real interest.
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Medium garnet color. Sandal wood, clove, plum, dusty, toasty vanilla, herbal, cassis, vibrant. Gentle acidity, grippy tannins, less fruity and complex on palate. More tertiay savoury and tobcacco. Not an especially fine and concentrated vintage. Drink up.
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Two bottles tasted at my father in law's birthday. One was sadly out of condition with volatile acidity but the.first bottle demonstrated what a really good wine this has matured into. Soft and perhaps lacking the ultimate tannic structure one saw 10 years ago but a lovely purity to the fruit with still enough power to remind you that this is definitely alcohol.
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Stands head and shoulders above 99% of wines I drink that are professionally rated over 90. Color is dark but with a brick red tint. The nose is forward and filling, one of those wines you just want to savor with your nares for a while. The wine's texture is full and satiny. Flavor saturates the palate, and leaves a tongue-sucking finish of fruit. My last bottle. I don't know what I'll find as enjoyable.
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sadly this once great wine is starting to fade. it has always been one of my benchmarks for napa cabs, hanging with the big dogs like harlan and bryant and screaming in blind tastings, but this year the density and fruit seem to have droppped off significantly. finish is significantly shortened, my only advice is if you have this wine to drink up.
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Agree with the last note. Recent notes have been too harsh, including one by myself 8 years ago. I think this wine is aging well and actually getting better. Still has a lot of fruit but probably only a couple of years left at its prime. A solid Bordeaux style wine with some delicate finesse. But still, only a 92. I note that I have tasted this wine 4 times since 2006, and it appears that this wine has improved noticeably over that time.
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Opened with hope, not disappointed. Decanted for 60min prior to tasting. This is a superb wine. It may continue to age well, but it's so good now, why wait....
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In a blind tasting, you would think this was a Bordeaux. While there was still fruit on the front pallet, it was in no way fruit forward. The wine was earthy - drinkable, complex, but not the most memorable of the evening (see the review of the Odette 2012 reserve). Drink now - at nearly 16 years, I don't see cellaring making this wine any better.
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For me 15th place, overall ranked at 6th with an average of 95,5.
Normally I like Opus One but in this case there was the biggest difference to the group. I was not 100% convinced but this is the nice thing of blind tastings.
The nose is more BX than Cal, some earth, cigar. A lot of ripe and concentrated fruits as cassis and raspberry. Too broad in the finish. Not so elegant as the nose promises, burning aftertaste with not well integrated alcohol. Good drinkable at this stage but will not get better with cellaring
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97 Napa-retrospective (Restaurant Bottles, Sas van Gent): This one benefitted from extensive aeration. Also classically composed. Great forest fruit / forest floor mixture. A wine of great stature and class. Very complete, wonderfull balance. Delicious. (My #9; group #6; scores 92-98)
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USA 1997 (By JK @ Bottles): Beautiful bouquet with chocolate and sweet spices. On the palate red and dark berries, chocolate and sweet spices again, good acidity and soft tannin. Harmonious and soft. There was some discussion in the group. Most thought it was great with scores even up to 98, others were a little less enthusiastic with 92 and 94 as the two lowest scores. Completely ready now.
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Elegant, soft and refined, it lacks the fruit and concentration found in many of the vintages top wines. That being said, the tobacco, cedar, earth, fresh cherry and forest aromas would make many tasters think of Bordeaux. This refined styled Napa wine requires drinking as there is not enough raw materials or structure, for a much longer evolution.
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Really nice bottle. Loads of earthiness and tobacco. Retains some nice fruit and good structure as well. This bottle was in great shape and I'd say bottles stored under good conditions have life left but I'd also recommend drinking them now and enjoy!
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Tasted on 1/21/15 with a hour decant. Great vintage from Napa and most 97s drinking well. Light ruby towards amber on color. Bouquet was rose petals and dried herbs with little primary fruit. Good tannins and surprisingly good acidity. Medium finish but this wine is ready now and I do not think will improve.
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This was an excellent bottle. Velvety, with wonderful balance and complexity. It also got rave reviews from all the dinner guests. I think the wine has reached its full potential, but it may not stay there for too long. I would not sit on this much longer.
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Decanted for 6 h and then had at Maroni, in Northport, NY, the US yin for Panzano's Dario Cecchini, the worlds most famous butcher. As an aside, foodies and wine people have to try both. Anyhow, dinner at Maroni is always special, so we bring wines up to the situation, and the opus did not disappoint. Rarely rate a wine this high. Smooth, complex, lengthy, lots of subtlety, all the flavors we expect from an outstanding Napa cab. Probably fully mature so only curiosity would be a reason not to drink now. Sorry for the reader whose bottle was over the hill. Agree there was perhaps a lean toward St Emilion and not left bank, in the way this has evolved.
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Still fantastic. Out of the bottle, tannins are prevalent Nose typical of Opus 1, licorice and a little oak Decanted for 2 hours This wine is not losing its edge... Color, slighty rusty Fruit is nice, paired well with a rib eye, held up well
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Brown Bag Wine Dinner at Two Chefs - Double Blind (TWO CHEFS, MIAMI, FL): The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are slow. It smells like black currant (cassis), blackberry, cedar and chocolate. The body is full. The wine has polished texture. The wine finishes long. Seemed like a good St Emillon to me. Luis' Red.
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Decanted for 1 hour. This wine has aged very well. Dark red cherry, cassis, and tobacco show on the nose. One the palate the wine is very balanced with a very smooth silky finish. Continued to improve with more time in the decanter.
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Complex, sweet and silky. Very enjoyable during first few pours but after that sweetness taken over everything. Cant drink much. No point for further aging.
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The GP's birthday; 17 special bottles: Beautiful and silky soft and complex bouquet with sweet ripe fruits, eucalyptus, exclusive oak and some chocolate. Same on the palate. A mouth full of soft and delicious wine. Soft and fully integrated tannin. At its peak now and no real hurry I suppose, but no reason to wait either.
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Ah, this wine was past its time. While a terrific vintage, '97 had a short window, and I fear I missed it. You could taste what it once was, but the fruit was nearly gone.
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What a fantastic wine! My first Opus One, and frankly I expected to be disappointed. I wasn't disappointed in the least. Very expressive nose of both old world and new world. Some earthy (leather, molasses, dirt) tones but also some bright fruitier tones. Great structure, nice acidity. I don't give wines a score of 95 often...and it would have been even higher if there was a little more punch to the finish. This may be in it's prime right now, but should be outstanding a couple more years.
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American Belle 2nd Edition (Switzerland): Tasted blind: Intensive red. Beautiful nose of berries, jelly and black current. Very elegant, balanced, complex and long. This is a great wine and now still on the young side. This is a great example of how a Napa cab should taste. I like it a lot. Drink now to 2030-
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This vintage wine is exceptional. Kudos to Opus. No flaws. Mild sediment. Significant rim variation. Nose is weak. Flavors are weak. But, what you have, you know, was absolutely superb at peak. No tannins. Low alcohol. Short finish. This was, and is, and absolute Napa Cabernet. Way beyond peak. Very drinkable, but soft. Rating given in honor of what it is.
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From an Opus One tasting night with some friends. Drank the 1980, 1996, & 1997.
The 1980 was a bit funky at first but evolved for the better with some time. The bottle we had was definitely well beyond prime drinking years but was great fun to taste and get a sense for the early days at Opus One.
The 1996 was the group favorite. I'd say at peak or maybe slightly past. Nice nose of mature cabernet notes with a lot of leather and earthiness. Flavors very much in sync with the nose and fully integrated tannins.
The 1997 was my favorite of the three. For a wine of it's age it was definitely the most youthful of the three. Deep crimson color, nose very Bordeaux like and still had some nice tannin to balance things.
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Saw some of the negative notes, this bottle was good, not the best Opus I have had but far from bad wine...As advertised, Mature California Bordeaux style wine. Had good fruit and a medium finish. Complex and evolved over the two hours we drank it.
Probably fair to say its past its prime. Havent had a 97 in a number of years, so no clean comparison. This was a good Napa year in general, the other 97 Cabs I have are still going strong.
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I Also do not get the negative notes on this wine. This wine was alive and great. The age was showing as the nose displayed Barnyard, cigar box and wet hay. The flavor was was deep rich and incredible. Dark, aged fruits and tobacco. Can't wait to find one more bottle of this little gem.
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American Belle 1st Edition (Switzerland): Tasted blind: Deep garnet in color. Nose of leather and berries which reminds me a lot of a St. Julien wine. Tannins are still present and backward. Flavors of black licorice, red berries and Black Tea make this a very interesting wine. I liked it a lot. Hold for a year or two to get a true Napa beauty. Drink 2015-2035
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Don't understand the negative notes about this wine. My wife and I enjoyed this wine enormously. Decanted 3 hours. Very silky mature California Bordeaux style wine. Has some fruit left and though a little shorter on the finish than we'd hoped for, it showed excellent complexity of flavor on the mid-palate and finish.
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A bit disappointing. drank 2 bottles and had same experience. Really nice after opening and aeration, developed for a few minutes then flat-lined. Very thin on the finish.
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Second tasting of this and it again failed to live up to the hype. Decanted at restaurant. Robust nose. Darker fruits, tobacco, and secondary notes. Palate was a bit watery, with drying tannins. Did not develop complexity or character you would think. An overall "solid" wine but it does not approach other stellar California Cabs from the mid-90s sweet spot.
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So not dead. Beautiful mature red cherry, currants with ample oak. Smooth and silky mouthfeel. I used to think that these were early drinkers and were designed for restaurants. So no.
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This is a little horsey and a lot harsh tannins. Watch out for the "lauded" 1997's. I am a little worried about the few bottles of Napa 1997 Cabs I have left.
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Full body with soft tannins leather and cherry, slight barnyard on the nose. Well balanced with current, mineral, blackberry on palate. Dark purple brick core fading to soft purple rim. Opened up well after about 1 hour. Delicious.
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Decanted about 60 minutes. Big nose of cherry, loam, mushroom, earth mineral, and oak. Minimal to no brixing tainting an otherwise nice ruby/garnet red color.
Cherry rush on the attack, with casis, mushroom, hints of leather and nice oak. Surprisingly thin and stretched on the mid-palate with almost nothing on the finish.
This is like one of those 4th of July fountains you get that starts off great but doesn't really go anywhere and is altogether too short.
Not a bad wine per se. It just doesn't live up to all the mystique and hype and is definitely not worth the crazy price tag!
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Still youthful garnet. Heady sweet cassis nose with a hint of dill. Cassis, pickle juice entry. Well resolved tannins, acidity. Lingering, minerally finish. Well-made but not profound. Borderline QPR. Expense-account wine
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We had a few friends join my wife and me for dinner last night at Maggianos. I brought 5 bottles - '97 Opus, '97 Latour, '86 Caymus Cuvee, '06Agharta Exhibit B, and '05 Guiraud.
I had my bartender buddy pop and decant the Opus, Latour, and Agharta. I took a sample of both the Latour and Opus to the table to share with the others the difference in Cali vs France. I didn't tell them which glass was which wine. The results were amazing. 5 of the 6 all chose the Latour. My wife initially thought Latour but changed her mind at the last minute to the Opus. I couldn't believe that all the others chose the Latour.
I went and pour another helping of both and was amazed how much the Latour had opened. It was so much smoother and the nose was so much more expressive compared to the Opus. What's funny is that '97 was considered a lackluster vintage for France while supposedly a great one for Napa.
As for the others, I didn't drink the Agharta and did the Caymus, which wasn't bad bud fading.
We had a great time with great friends and great food!
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New Years Eve Lobsterfest! (Roberts House, Philadelphia PA): vigorously decanted, but only briefly. still has quite a bit of color, but some bricking evident in the decanter. nose shows some oxidation, as well as some caramel and earthy notes. palate still has some fruit, but it is restrained behind mainly secondary notes of caramel, tobacco, and leather. the attack is beautiful and you get some sweetness. it is a bit thin on the midpalate, with a medium(-) body. med(+) acidity really helps to bring this all together and it closes out with a medium finish that is tasty. overall, a quite nice example of aged Napa cab.
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New Years Eve Cabernet and Dom Blowout (Our House (2033 Brandywine St., Philadelphia)): A nice solid wine with a lot to like, but it failed to "wow" the crowd. Black pepper, plum and kirsch on the nose with a good amount of brighter fruit. The secondary notes were evident on the palate, with burnt caramel and leather. Good acidity. Overall, this has probably developed into what it is. I do not foresee much more development. The tannins have completely integrated and this lacks the complexity and concentration on the mid-palate. Nice finish, This is not a powerful wine and is very subdued. More reminiscent of a Bordeaux then a California wine.
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Ann and I really enjoyed this nice mature bordeaux blend. The wine was very soft and elegant with nice aromatics of fruit, faint fine leather and tobacco that followed through on the pallet. I wish I could drink more wines like this. Thanks to Ken and Kelly for sharing!
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A very nice bottle of wine, but in the context of all the Opus hype a bit of a dissapointment. For the price one should be doing back flips. The nose is very good, nice color no real sense this one is over peak. Certainly earthy, currant fruit with tones of leather. It did need to be decanted but opened up nicely fairly quickly. We enjoyed drinking it but was glad it was a gift, there is better wine out there for half the price.
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Decanted for 45 min or so. POWERFUL nose, still a bit of tannin but this is peaking now. Very sophisticated layering of flavours. Black cherry, hint of pepper, dark steak spice. Was gone very quickly from the decanter, but will be lingering in my mind for years. Peaking right this minute. Loved it
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Cabernet Sauvignon 82%, Cabernet Franc 8% Merlot 5%, Malbec 4%, Petit Verdot 1%, 32 days skin contact, 18 months in new french oak.
Bright red color, very young. A bit closed noese, spiced with a very fruity background, dense, cranberry jam. The palate is a bit let down, its not as dense as the nose even though it seems ready now, short aftertaste of black fruit jam. I thought it was rather uneven, maybe it is still too young. I hope I am mistaking. I should try another botte sometime. It was the weakest of the tasting.
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Awesome bottle of wine. I have stored this in a temperature controlled cellar since release, and it is definitely not declining. No brown or bricking color at all, although some thinning at the edges. Fruit is still lush, full bodied, and the tannins are completely resolved. Nose very much like a Bordeaux, with some lead pencil and earth reminiscent of a fine Pauillac. Notes of graphite and mint in the flavor profile. I will hold my last bottle for another year or so.
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Decanted 60 min. Great brown color, thinning edges. Still full of fruit, mouthful of ripe earth. Unfortunately, has the distinct sickly sweet taste of "end of life". I'd say drink now, not much time left.
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Deep purple color, good tannins and fruit, but I felt this was at the end of it's prime. Very typical 10+ year old Napa cab. If you have any if this, I'd say you have very little time left.
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I thought it was very smooth and drank well. was earthy in taste. after consuming this bottle we had silverado cab and it tasted like grape juice compared to Opus One.
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Beautiful and complete wine. Classical bouquet with cassis, paprika and beautiful oak. A lot of structure and complex. Round and creamy. Very sexy wine. Lacks a little in classical elegance, but is really beautiful. Ready now and the next 3+ years.
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Firstly let me say that reports of this wine's slide into old age are perhaps a bit premature, but for the price this wine simply does not deliver the goods - we drank it alongside a Leoville-Barton 1998 (see separate review) and frankly it paled significantly- what was once a powerhouse fruit-bomb has now matured into just a good wine in a distinct over-alcoholic sweetish New World style.
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Nice color turning orange at the edge. The first sniff immediately revealed the quality of this bottle: plum, blackberry and slight herb/earth. I hadn't smelled such profound aromas for a while. The wine has evolved beautifully and has now reached its peak. The tannins are fully integrated and the overall impression is great balance, although this Opus has clearly more Californian influence than French. It is lacking a little bit of precision and I would have given a higher mark if it had been slightly less concentrated (over extraction?) and a little more subtle. But what a great wine which can only go downhill going forward as I think that there's not enough tannin left to compensate for the high concentration. Did not decant.
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Can a bordeau-style blend get any better than this? Velvety tannins and lovely blackberry fruit, maybe just starting to fade a bit. A profound wine at twelve years old, hard to imagine how it could improve from here, so drink now! A profound wine at 12 years old..
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An epic disappointment. Have been waiting for ten years to drink this bottle. Stored it with great care. Decanted it for an hour before tasting. Turned out to have absolutely no structure. Did not get any better over time. Extremely thin wine that tasted not better than water. Not even a hint of fruit. Nothing. Was an terrible bottle that we ended up abandoning after two glasses.
'94 vs '97 California Cabernet Sauvignon: It's easy to take potshots at Opus One given the size of production and the prodigious marketing budget. However, if you like Mouton Rothschild, you'll probably like this wine. It was the most Pauillac of all the wines tasted tonight, with notes of bell pepper and pencil lead. Personally, I've always found Mouton to be the weakest of the First Growths, but I know others that love it. Anyway, this Opus One was a solid wine that was reasonably balanced and had a good finish. It wasn't a brilliant wine, certainly got outclassed by the '94's, but it's definitely respectable.
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Disappointing but my own fault. Here's a tip: don't pull the wine from the cellar, drive 250 miles, pop it open and drink without pause. This wine needs at least an hour to open up. Overall with a little care I think we have more potential but drink in the next year or two - it's not evolving much more.
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I believe this bottle needs another 5 years because: 1) it got better with 1 hour sitting in decanter - it gained some weight and smoothed the scratchy tannins 2) it is still very tannic
...but due to the fact that this was the last bottle - we'll never know ;(
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Ok , I had my last bottle of this wine and I have been a big fan of Opus One. This bottle was my first in about 3 1/2 years. I don't think it will get any better. The last bottle I had was much better. The body was solid, finish ok, but it lacked the depth that I have experienced with this wine in the past as well as other 97 top Napa offerings. Not sure how someone can give this a 94 or higher rating. It just wasn't there for me. I enjoyed the wine and its a solid effort, no doubt. Unfortunately it did not live up to my expectations or my past experiences. My friend Serge, felt it needs another 5 years. I personally don't think so. I believe it is as good as it can get and recommend you consume in the next 12-24 months.
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This was one of about 12 bottles at a private tasting. Decanted 2 hours prior to tasting. Nose revealed berries, fruit, a hint of pepper, currant. The wine had beautiful, delicate tannins - moreso than many of the other Cali-Cabs poured. As the wine continued to open up, it developed more of an earthy quality - truly bordeaux style. Of the 12 bottles, this ranked in the middle which is consistent with some of the other TNs noted. Make no mistake, this is a wonderful wine, but it's hype factor is a tad greater than other comparable blends and cabernets from California.
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stored in ideally since its release - very light tannins, pepper, cherry and plum were dominant. very smooth. Truly a french style Bordeaux and absolutely wonderful. I wouldn't wait to drink it though, if not at the peak it will be soon or soon passing it.
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This is an outstanding wine that is close to being extraordinary, and is probably the best wine that I have so far this year. The eye was treated to a deep rich garnet. The nose encountered cigar box and cedar and ripe lush plum, though enticing it was a bit muted. The tongue found a well balanced blend of cherry pie and green pepper and pineapple with mint and tart ripe apple undertones and soft satiny tannins. The finnish was long long long. More pronounced presence to the nose, more "roundness" and "fullness" in the mouth and more complexity in the lingering finnish would have made this outstanding wine extraordinary. Nevertheless, it is a beauty. It paired very well with pasta. It was decanted for sediment only, and drank well through the course of the meal. It is probably at or near its peak.
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Special Thanks to robertdtwo for the vertical Opus tasting. The '97 was the WOTN. Vintage Opus w/ velvety mouthfeel, the nose showed an array of fruit ranging from red currant to blackberry, with a palate of fruit, graphite, leather and wet gravel. Smooth, smooth, smooth. I cannot imagine that this wine is anywhere near the end of its drinking window, but no reason to wait.
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Bottle #3 of 97-00-02 Opus Vertical; 3 hour decant. Bordeaux-like mouthfeel, wet leather on the palate, just starting to brick at the edges. Fully-integrated tannins, but almost too smooth...would have enjoyed a touch more character, but still a very nice bottle of wine.
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Drank at a restaurant without decanting. Nice mouth feel. Good structure and plenty of tannins. Very Californian in the good way. Hint of earth. Black cherries. Probably not improving anymore. Drink now. Decanting would probably improve it.
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Not at all what I expected, old world Bordeaux style, earthy and tannic, no signs of any fruit at all on the palate. Leather and mushroom aromas and flavors. Did not evolve with more air time, still not a hint of fruit. Bottle was impeccably stored. Score is for its uniquness (very un-Napa like).
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Snob haters, beware. This was a great bottle. It's ready to drink, with well integrated tannins and very balanced fruit with a currant overtone. Tannins are still prominent but not astringent, making me believe that this wine can still go another 5 years or so in the cellar. Now it's not a bargain but it is what it is, thankfully I bought it at a good price from an estate.
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this wine is still developing and has a long ways to go. it was very tightly wound and the tannins really need to soften up considerably. decanted for 2 hrs, to no avail. corked half the bottle, tried on the 2nd night -- still needed to be unwound. I wouldn't dare open the remaining bottle until well into 2012+
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Very good, but not inspiring. At first this wine reminds of a great Bordeaux, but then you notice it is quite one-dimensional. No comparison to the great crus. But still, this is a very good wine.
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While this is a really great wine, when tasted in the company of a few other 97s (The Maiden, Dominus and Pride Cab) the Opus was the backmarker of this group. It just didn't have the power and complexity to match up the other three.
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Somewhat aged profile. Nice body, with red fruit, cedar, and some dark oak still evident. Appropriately structured. Ready to go, and better than expected.
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Was very disappointed with this wine. Felt it lacked depth and was more like good $20 bottle of wine (can't say $30 because I have had many $30 that were far superior than this wine), not a wine one would expect from one of the best years for CA wines. Could be related to the handling before we got it almost 10 years ago, but I seriously doubt it. Color was no where as deep as I feel a wine of this age should be. Lacked any kind of distinctive bouquet, no tannins, no flavor, could be a fair cooking wine - definitely will not use the remaining bottle for a special occasion.
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A lot of sweetness in the bouquet. There is some development, but the wine has a lot of soft and sticky tannin for the future. There is a lot of sweetness in the taste as well. Also earthy.
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This wine was decanted over six hours in a decanter before being tasted. This was originally opened early on 12/25/07 and as dinner approached it went very good with the dinner.
The color is a true thing of beauty, no signs of any color loss, even at the rim. A deep dark purple color with heavy body. The aromas continue to change as well as tastes every hour, but a truly stunning wine From the nose, floral notes of lavender, lilac, also earthy notes, pencil shavings, black currants, tar and other wonderul aromas as well. From the palate, earthy, blackberry liquor, chocolate, tobacco, red licorice. As the wine continues to sit out aromas of mint, spices, eucalyptus came through.
The wine is elegant and finesse, yet has firm solid structure and very fine tannin. This wine is not at its peak yet and has plenty more life left in it.
Tasted again after 60+ hourse in decanter on 12/27/07. On this tasting the had changed some and the aromas were flowing from the glass with more ease. Aromas of blackberries, marzipan, cassis and earth and on the palate blackberries, licorice, tobacco, currants, chocolate. The tannin is still firm, as is the structure. I know many have been critical of Opus One, but this was a very delightful wine. In my opinion, this wine is not ready yet, and should be much better around 2012 to 2015. I would not be surprised to see this one evolve for 20+ more years. It has a long life ahead of it. In 5 to 10+ years, I would not be surprised to see the critics sing the praises of this wine. It is made like a Bordeaux, and should be treated like one. 95+ points.
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Drank on our first anniversary. Decanted. First taste after 15 minutes: faded berries on the nose. mouthwatering acids, notes of plum and eucalyptus with a hint of mocha on a very long finish. Pretty tannic at this point. 60 minutes decanted: Red rasbperries and plums on the nose. moderate fruit mid palate with a hint of coffee on the finish. Tannins are softening some, but still remarkable. continues to be very acidic. 3 hours decanted: No improvement. Overall impression is very tannic and acidic with not much fruit remaining. I don't think this wine will improve and seems to be out of balance. A disappointing wine for the price.
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Battle of 1997 (Down's Lake): Disappointing. Served this one as the mystery bottle to avoid label inflation. Was #4 of 4 in the '97 California flight. Strength was its aromatic nose. One taster remarked that it appears to be trying for a Bordeaux character. While that's accurate, it came across a bit out of balance, with distracting tannins and a modest level of fruit.
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Caramel, tobacco, tar, blackberry, blackcurrant, Rutherford dust?, petrol note, stemy. Some mid palate complexity. Well balanced with nice acidity. Tannins are very well integrated.
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Very lovely and as described by others; however, a note here is that this bottle was stored in optimum conditions since its release and purchase. The tannins are virtually gone and I wouldn't wait much longer to drink. it.
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Perfectly fine wine but not very exciting. Fairly complex nose of cassis, blackberry, leather with hints of oak. Fine mouthfeel (I didn't notice the drying tannins others have mentioned). Nothing to complain about here but somehow not very interesting either.
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one word... exquisite... Took the bottle to Mexico for a friends (Monetta's) 50th birthday. Decanted for about an hour. Very fruity, smooth, with a great finish. Can't wait to open the rest over the next few years.
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Wine tasting dinner with Goldberg, Schwartz, Hollander. Very underwhelming. Its flight included 1994 Opus and 1986 Gruaud Larose, both of which put this to shame. This was a single bottle, received as a gift, not from the case I have, so it is hard to say if it was a case of mis-cellaring or if totally the wine.
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ESTG Does '94 - '97 California Cab's (Roy's Place): Blackberry - HUGE BLACKBERRY, mmm.... (and a hint of oak). The palate had loads of fruit with some earthy notes. The tannins were a bit drying - me lips were stickin' to me teeth.
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Enjoyed a bottle to celbrate Greg's 40th and Karen's 29th (again). This was an absolute surprise. Perfectly balanced and very very smooth. Did not have that sometimes present Jammy typical California Cab. Great Nose, smooth, smooth smooth ... has a few more years of life for sure.
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Bordeaux on the nose, with a bit more fruit on the palate. All in all, a very good wine that fails to excite or live up to the pricetag. Brought to a BYO as a surprise for folks just getting into wine who "dreamed" of having an Opus some day. As expected, they enjoyed it more than I did.
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I want to like this stuff, as Opus was one of the wines that got me into wine back in the day. But, apart from being a bit innocuous, this just wasn't super memorable. The best part about it was it's really smooth/creamy mouthfeel. But the tannins seemed to overpower whatever delicate fruit (bits of plum, maybe some strawberry) existed on the mid-palate and finish. Even after sitting in the glass and warming up a bit, it just never provided much enjoyment. Bummer, given the price and the vintage and the potential based on the producers.
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This is a joint WIML, PURPLE and WIML, Jr. tasting note. This wine was a Christmas gift from PURPLE the year the wine was released. This bottle has been designated since purchased to be opened the day my oldest son graduates from high school. The day has finally arrived. PURPLE and myself congratulate WIML Jr. on all of his hard work and dedication over the years. He has graduated from high school with honors and been accepted to a wonderful college. We wish him the best as he begins the next chapter in his life. Godspeed our son. We're proud of you. It was originally purchased from a local wine store for $150.00. Tasted May 28, 2005 at home in Spiegelau Authenthis Magnum glasses. The wine was not decanted. Color was garnet to ruby with a dusty rose hue but no evidence of bricking. Nose was slightly bretty at first quickly followed by cherries, mocha, cedar, bell pepper, rose petal and cloves. Unfortunately the palate didn’t deliver what the nose promised. Tannins were drying, a little harsh on the finish. Acidity was towards sharp while the fruit hovered between delicate and moderate. The good news is the alcohol was right in balance. Overall I’d consider this wine to be slightly out of balance. Flavors were virtually non-existent. They were completely dominated by tart red cherries coated in dried herbs. Body was lean to medium and firm to hard consistency throughout. No complexity per se, just a fairly plain wine. Comments made throughout the tasting were: “It’s enjoyable but…”, ”Not worth the money”, ”It would be a nice wine with a dinner but if you’re looking for a wine that stands on its’ own…“, “A Dominus that didn’t deliver”. Ready to drink now. I do not believe any decanting is needed but if you disagree I’d strongly recommend you decant as far in advance as you wish and closely monitor every hour after opening with tiny sips and be prepared to ram the cork back into the bottle and shove the wine into the cellar before it dies a horrible lingering death. Ratings: WIML88, PURPLE87, WA88, WS94 Value - Unacceptable X 2.
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10/29/2023 - ONEFIVE wrote:
Similar to laser note.
Bretty and ripe but stemmy.
The palate is much better than the nose but it’s still kind of an awkward wine. Med body, med+ tannin, and med acid. The acid/tannin balance is off and this comes off quite stringent.
Still holding up fine but not sure this will ever really be great.
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10/7/2023 - Jhalpern27 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Thanks to my friend Kim who put together a flight of 95,96,97,98,99 Opus and paired with several Waygu prepared by our friend Steve. Oh What a night, spectacular food paired with an amazing Vertical that will most likely not be repeated by our group. What a great performance from a 26 year old wine. This wine started out my favorite after a 2 hour decant, but eventually faded slightly and the 95 took over. Still incredibly solid, definitely should pop the corks now if you’re still holding
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7/12/2023 - thesternowl wrote: 93 Points
Opened about four hours prior to service and allowed to breath. Two bottles were opened tonight from the same cellar and one of the corks showed some small signs of seepage but both wines showed equally. No formal notes. The 1997 Opus One pours a fairly youthful looking deep ruby color with moderate signs of sediment and a near opaque core. The nose exhibited powerful aromas of dark fruits, organic earth, tobacco, leather, horse blanket (brettanomyces?!), and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry and the structure remains quite firm but the texture is plush and almost chewy. The notes on the nose are confirmed and the finish is long and satisfying.
But the tasting notes only tell half the story here. This was consumed alongside a 1990 Chateau Mouton Rothschild. Had these been served together double-blind, I would have absolutely understood if someone called both as left-bank Bordeaux. Yes, the texture was plush and yes, the color was dark(er), but only just. It was just waaaay more Old World leaning to me with the earth and presence of brett. Which makes me wonder, why hasn’t brett been noted very often in other TN’s for this wine? Only (Charlie Carnes and OneFive) really address it directly and maybe this is what most are getting at when they mention “Bordeaux-like” and all the Pauillac vibes. What I can confirm is that these notes were consistent between two bottles from the same case, still in their tissue paper, so I’m reasonably confident that this is characteristic of the 1997 Opus One. I digress; I liked the wine. There, I said it. It was a bit of a one foot in Old School Napa, one foot in New School Napa, handled with an Old World touch. I liked it even better side-by-side with the ’90 Mouton, especially considering the relationship between the two. That being said, folks that can’t get down with a little brett will be turned off by this vintage of Opus. In my case, I would enjoy another opportunity to drink the 1997 some time. Great now with some air to stretch its legs and should be enjoyable through the next decade.
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7/1/2022 - KVM wrote:
Some old bottles at lunch:
1992 Guenoc Lily Langtry Beckstoffer IV; light to medium red, red to black-fruited, still vivacious despite crumbly cork.
1995 Saintsbury Reserve Chardonnay, Carneros. Dark yellow, mature, only medium body, acid is obvious but so is the pear fruit. Long finish. well cellared!
1997 Opus One. Dark-fruited blackberry, a little tannin, very Bordeaux. like the Guenoc, this could go for several more years.
2010 Beringer Private Reserve. This is young and powerful. The fruit/oak balance is proper and one should expect 10 or 20 more years of development.
1978 Mauro Osvaldo & Figli Barolo. Amber with sediment. Shy nose takes 30 minutes to show caramel. Tasty, rich and vivacious in the mouth. Holding beautifully.
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2/23/2022 - ONEFIVE wrote:
The “Bordeaux-like” comments in recent reviews has me thinking not many people can recognize brettanomyces. While there is some refinement here and pleasant red fruit on the nose, it’s overshadowed by a medicinal/metallic quality that’s hard to see past. Luckily, the aroma improves with air. On the palate there is more acid than expected for Oakville and refined tannin. However, recent vintages have tasted cleaner than this and are more enjoyable. This falls short for me considering the pedigree of the winery and vintage.
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10/31/2021 - Tmurphrey Likes this wine: 98 Points
Drank alongside several older Cal cabs and 1st growth Bordeaux. This wine was every bit as good as the Bordeaux. Still fresh, nice rounded tannins. California Cab primary flavor with Bordeaux undertones.
The wine looks garnet colored. It smells like black pepper and dust. It tastes like black currant (cassis). The body is medium/full. The wine has polished texture. The wine finishes long.
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10/17/2021 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tasted blind. For my palate, this ranked #1, but it did not place in the top 3 for WOTN. Nevertheless, I am impressed by how this fooled me into thinking it was 1st or 2nd growth Pauillac. Very Bordeaux in character with loads of spice, cedar, and grainy tannin. This would be a good ringer in a Bordeaux blind tasting.
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10/2/2021 - hprphf wrote: 93 Points
Blind. First pour offers some Pauillac nose without strong cigar/super smooth tannin, which makes me think 80s Mouton... turns out not a bad guess, as early Opus vintages are set to follow Mouton. Less sediments should have been a giveaway. Resolved tannin, black fruit, a little cool and herbal. Cold vintage? 93
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7/18/2021 - Ken’s Vino wrote:
Took to Baltaire in Brentwood for Chad's 24th Birthday.
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5/15/2021 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 97 Points
Deep rich color, nose was bursting of ripened dark fruit, had the depth and density on the palate, good long finish. Exceptional btl. Decanted for an hour with grilled Filet of beef. DRINK/HOLD
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4/5/2021 - RalfRufus Likes this wine: 100 Points
Perfection with Easter Lamb
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1/16/2021 - Toddz wrote: 91 Points
Amazing wine, didn’t need to decant for long! Keep its composure and drank well.
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12/27/2020 - Wine Canuck wrote: 96 Points
Pours medium ruby, with light bricking. The nose is immediately expressive and complex showing bay leaf, wet maduro cigar wrapper, seared beef, crushed rock, dark chocolate, old furniture, spice box, old baseball glove, dried dark cherry, dried black currant, fresh blackberry, a touch of roasted green pepper and dry hay. Needless to say this is fabulously complex and just a beautiful old word profile. The palate has gorgeous sweet dark ripe fruit with medium plus acid and medium minus tannin. Lovely! The finish is long repeating all of the nose. Amazing wine.
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9/27/2020 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 93 Points
Last bottle. The tasting notes on this wine are all over the board. There are numerical ratings both well above and well below mine. A recent note says it was drinkable right after opening. For me, this bottle took a 2 hour decant to become drinkable. It was awful upon opening. Also, as was the case with another bottle or two, the upper half of the cork crumbled and the lower half had to be pushed into the bottle, which was immediately decanted.
I have had a lot of cork problems with a variety of CA CS from the 1990s. Have not had similar problems with red Bordeaux from the same era. So, the issue is unlikely to be related to the way my bottles have been stored.
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9/5/2020 - Toddz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened well, decanted and surprisingly drank right away. So happy i held on to it for so long! Velvet tasting, wine is changing while enjoying!! Cheers!
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8/31/2020 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 93 Points
I have said in previous tasting notes that I seem to not have had as good experience with this wine when compared to other cellartracker.com tasters. This bottle was a little better, and it had an intact/normal cork. Past corks have been a little soft.
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8/6/2020 - CreativeCPA wrote:
The cork came out in a million pieces but I was able to get the last bit out intact, so it didn't get into the wine. Deep, dark, foggy purple, red color. The nose is old world cab. It is metallic, minty with stewed vegetables. Several people thought it was past its prime. I have nothing to judge that by, since this is my first Opus One, but it's lovely. Decanted it for an hour while I made a dinner of steak in a mushroom, onion, blue cheese. The wine was excellent with the dish. The flavor is rich, complex combination of herbal, minty and plums per my husband. I get metal, stewed plums, with a tartness that coats my tongue. We really enjoyed this bottle.
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3/10/2020 - WineGuyFL wrote: 92 Points
Very soft cork.....but it came out in one piece. My experience with this wine has not been up to that of other cellartracker.com tasters. My bottles have been well stored. The wine was not really bad, but not up to other Opus vintages I have tasted.
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3/6/2020 - jviz wrote:
NR as the Brett on this bottle has really bloomed. I won’t call it flawed, having not tasted the vintage before. Beyond that, there’s some cigar wrapper, cinnamon, and black currant. Other bottles may perform better
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12/30/2019 - eandruske@gmail.com wrote: flawed
Well past prime
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11/30/2019 - ipp Likes this wine: 92 Points
Typical Opus flavor profile. Aging well. Very well constructed, good balance. Excellent bordeaux-style wine.
Sadly, this was my last 97. :(
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10/17/2019 - sirpat00 wrote: 97 Points
Keeps amazing me how well - and how consistently well - these Opus One's from the 90ies have aged. Dense with mushrooms, earth, dried leather. Fruit of mixed berries but almost leaning to red on average. Some herbs. Over time sweet savoury. Long finish with earth and mushrooms giving away the age but still a very present fruit. A vibrant, perfect palate with structural tannins and a velvety texture. This is great stuff and beats the 1996 which I tasted 3 times over the last 2 years (scored 95-96).
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10/16/2019 - Cailles wrote: 97 Points
This got rated 88 points by Parker on release, Tanzer rated it 89 points back in 2001. Looking at the ratings the wine got here on Cellartracker early on, their scores seem to be correct but these 90s Opus One are made for the long haul. The 96 is fantastic these days and this 97, which I had the first time, is equally good. Disdained 20 years ago, these wine age as gracefully as great Bordeauxs. Jane Ansons (Decanter), one of the most reliable critics these days, recently reviewed all vintages back to 1979 and their scores for these 90s beauties are telling: 96 points for 1991, 95 for 1992/1994, 97 for 1996, 100 for 1997 and 98 for 1999. While not cheap, these 90s Opus are worth any search! This 1997 is still at least 5 to rather 10 years away from its peak. It seems much younger than the 1996 but is still great to drink today with a decent decant. 97+ points.
TN: Dark and dense nose full of truffles, expressive and precise. A suave, seductive and sexy palate with layers and layers of aromas: mushrooms, wet forest floor, tobacco, black truffles, spices, mint, dark sweet cassis, blue forest berries, blackberries. These signature Opus aromatics of blue forest berries is just to die for. While the tertiary aromas are there the balance between tertiary and fruit aromas is not yet as perfect as with the 1996, which seems 10 years older. Nevertheless, this is an absolute treat to drink with fine-tannins, a wonderful soft texture and a perfectly integrated and well-measured acidity.
Decanting: Still young, will not peak for some more years. Improved a lot with air. It needs at least 2 (better just 3 or 4) hours in the decanter.
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8/10/2019 - Alongfield Likes this wine: 96 Points
Rich and robust. Truly outstanding. Concentrated nose, followed by concentrated fruit. Tastes as if it was bottled last year. The color has faded ever so slightly but it drinks as if it has another 22 years of drinkable life.
The cork was completely intact.
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7/16/2019 - Som-Geo Likes this wine: 97 Points
Reference last note, the 1997 had more fruit on the nose and pallet than the 1996 - making this more of a Napa wine than Bordeaux (like the 1996). Fabulous wine, perhaps the ultimate "crowd pleaser" as it has something for everyone. Novice wine drinkers and connoisseurs alike enjoy and have given high praise to the 1997, which shows no signs of slowing down. Despite a hot/ripe vintage, the 97s are still showing beautifully.
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6/4/2019 - Som-Geo Likes this wine: 97 Points
Gorgeous Bordeaux-style classic Opus, in its prime. Paired perfectly with lamb chops, lasagna.
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11/25/2018 - PIntag wrote:
From 375.
This bottle had not been stored properly for any portion of it's life, according to the friend who had it, so I didn't have high hopes for it.
Cork was in pretty good shape with very little staining and coming out in one piece with an Ah-So.
On the nose this started out a bit musty, but that blew off quickly and it gave off very mature aromas.
On the palate this was sound, though perhaps a bit more advanced than it should be due to storage conditions. It wasn't oxidized, though, just quite "soft" and like a well-aged claret. Certainly didn't resemble a spoofy fruit bomb. Actually drank very nicely and goes to show that some wine is more hardy than we think.
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10/27/2018 - MagicMan Likes this wine: 83 Points
Exquisite
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9/21/2018 - EastmanWine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Mature but still really good.
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6/24/2018 - swade wrote: 93 Points
Tasted side by side with the 1996. Much tighter, less generous. Both shared a velvety characteristic, but this felt like it needed more time. Dusty dark fruit and full of promise. 93
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2/11/2018 - Ed Veritas wrote:
Drank at Eleven Madison at Daphs b-day Feb/2018.
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12/30/2017 - essenceofreal Likes this wine: 93 Points
double blind tasting.
took time for this to come in to balance. could tell was single grape. as it breathed was very soft and elegant. at its peak and a good drinking window. I don't see this improving. thought was a 97 brunello, with an outside shot of a cab from mid 90s. surprised when it was revealed, would have expected more from this.
tough competition vs the 90 Poyferre i brought. this was a few points below in aroma, body and complexity. finish on the poyferre left this in the dust.
regardless, good wine. soft and ready to drink. well made and enjoyable.
92-93 pts.
way easier and more pleasurable to drink than the 96 Gaja Sperrs and rather natty Voerzio the night before.
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11/16/2017 - Woodbridge Brad Likes this wine: 90 Points
Beaujolais Day 2017 (Wine Wizards Stockton): Tasted blind at my wine merchant's, from a bottle opened the day before. Good color depth, developed nose, clearly Bordeaux varieties, cedar, cassis, not sign of brett but a hint of mint. Good structure and finish. Nice.
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9/9/2017 - wineordeath wrote: 89 Points
Sweet rich cassis nose. Round, soft, big and slightly sweet on the palate. Many will like the satiny, smooth style here, but I find it fat and without real interest.
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9/6/2017 - wineappellation Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium garnet color. Sandal wood, clove, plum, dusty, toasty vanilla, herbal, cassis, vibrant. Gentle acidity, grippy tannins, less fruity and complex on palate. More tertiay savoury and tobcacco. Not an especially fine and concentrated vintage. Drink up.
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3/14/2017 - belfast taxman wrote: 91 Points
Two bottles tasted at my father in law's birthday. One was sadly out of condition with volatile acidity but the.first bottle demonstrated what a really good wine this has matured into. Soft and perhaps lacking the ultimate tannic structure one saw 10 years ago but a lovely purity to the fruit with still enough power to remind you that this is definitely alcohol.
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2/11/2017 - Cadby Likes this wine: 94 Points
1997 Opus One ++++ $100
Sporty solid fruit, 1985 Ferrari leather, prime time
http://8wordsonwine.blogspot.com/2017/02/1997-opus-one-282.html
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2/6/2017 - Kenyakid Likes this wine: flawed
Stands head and shoulders above 99% of wines I drink that are professionally rated over 90. Color is dark but with a brick red tint. The nose is forward and filling, one of those wines you just want to savor with your nares for a while. The wine's texture is full and satiny. Flavor saturates the palate, and leaves a tongue-sucking finish of fruit. My last bottle. I don't know what I'll find as enjoyable.
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9/2/2016 - Bruce 1er wrote: 95 Points
Rich, complex, with ripe fruit (berries, stone fruits including plums), tobacco, and toasty oak. Silky finish. No brown in the rim of my glass.
Snaggletooth, Chicago
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8/21/2016 - npettit wrote: 93 Points
Really nice wine but starting to fade. Drink within the first 2 hours of opening.
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1/22/2016 - swazi Likes this wine: 92 Points
sadly this once great wine is starting to fade. it has always been one of my benchmarks for napa cabs, hanging with the big dogs like harlan and bryant and screaming in blind tastings, but this year the density and fruit seem to have droppped off significantly. finish is significantly shortened, my only advice is if you have this wine to drink up.
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10/31/2015 - sbeeks wrote: 92 Points
Agree with the last note. Recent notes have been too harsh, including one by myself 8 years ago. I think this wine is aging well and actually getting better. Still has a lot of fruit but probably only a couple of years left at its prime. A solid Bordeaux style wine with some delicate finesse. But still, only a 92. I note that I have tasted this wine 4 times since 2006, and it appears that this wine has improved noticeably over that time.
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10/30/2015 - sandros1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened with hope, not disappointed. Decanted for 60min prior to tasting. This is a superb wine. It may continue to age well, but it's so good now, why wait....
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10/22/2015 - Tjmayne wrote: 90 Points
In a blind tasting, you would think this was a Bordeaux. While there was still fruit on the front pallet, it was in no way fruit forward. The wine was earthy - drinkable, complex, but not the most memorable of the evening (see the review of the Odette 2012 reserve). Drink now - at nearly 16 years, I don't see cellaring making this wine any better.
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10/2/2015 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big Blind Tasting of 19 Reds from California 1997
For me 15th place, overall ranked at 6th with an average of 95,5.
Normally I like Opus One but in this case there was the biggest difference to the group. I was not 100% convinced but this is the nice thing of blind tastings.
The nose is more BX than Cal, some earth, cigar. A lot of ripe and concentrated fruits as cassis and raspberry. Too broad in the finish. Not so elegant as the nose promises, burning aftertaste with not well integrated alcohol. Good drinkable at this stage but will not get better with cellaring
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9/26/2015 - jkoenen wrote: 95 Points
97 Napa-retrospective (Restaurant Bottles, Sas van Gent): This one benefitted from extensive aeration. Also classically composed. Great forest fruit / forest floor mixture. A wine of great stature and class. Very complete, wonderfull balance. Delicious. (My #9; group #6; scores 92-98)
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9/26/2015 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
USA 1997 (By JK @ Bottles): Beautiful bouquet with chocolate and sweet spices. On the palate red and dark berries, chocolate and sweet spices again, good acidity and soft tannin. Harmonious and soft. There was some discussion in the group. Most thought it was great with scores even up to 98, others were a little less enthusiastic with 92 and 94 as the two lowest scores. Completely ready now.
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9/23/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 91 Points
Elegant, soft and refined, it lacks the fruit and concentration found in many of the vintages top wines. That being said, the tobacco, cedar, earth, fresh cherry and forest aromas would make many tasters think of Bordeaux. This refined styled Napa wine requires drinking as there is not enough raw materials or structure, for a much longer evolution.
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8/29/2015 - Cmainardi wrote: 94 Points
At The Sunset Terrace in the Grove Park Inn. Pop and pour. Beautiful example of mature high end cal cab. Drink.
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2/3/2015 - H*3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really nice bottle. Loads of earthiness and tobacco. Retains some nice fruit and good structure as well. This bottle was in great shape and I'd say bottles stored under good conditions have life left but I'd also recommend drinking them now and enjoy!
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1/23/2015 - Mrjackd wrote: 90 Points
Tasted on 1/21/15 with a hour decant. Great vintage from Napa and most 97s drinking well. Light ruby towards amber on color. Bouquet was rose petals and dried herbs with little primary fruit. Good tannins and surprisingly good acidity. Medium finish but this wine is ready now and I do not think will improve.
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12/20/2014 - CHINACAT wrote: 94 Points
This was an excellent bottle. Velvety, with wonderful balance and complexity. It also got rave reviews from all the dinner guests. I think the wine has reached its full potential, but it may not stay there for too long. I would not sit on this much longer.
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11/25/2014 - capacious Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for 6 h and then had at Maroni, in Northport, NY, the US yin for Panzano's Dario Cecchini, the worlds most famous butcher. As an aside, foodies and wine people have to try both. Anyhow, dinner at Maroni is always special, so we bring wines up to the situation, and the opus did not disappoint. Rarely rate a wine this high. Smooth, complex, lengthy, lots of subtlety, all the flavors we expect from an outstanding Napa cab. Probably fully mature so only curiosity would be a reason not to drink now. Sorry for the reader whose bottle was over the hill. Agree there was perhaps a lean toward St Emilion and not left bank, in the way this has evolved.
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11/15/2014 - mdipietro Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still fantastic.
Out of the bottle, tannins are prevalent
Nose typical of Opus 1, licorice and a little oak
Decanted for 2 hours
This wine is not losing its edge...
Color, slighty rusty
Fruit is nice, paired well with a rib eye, held up well
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3/11/2014 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Brown Bag Wine Dinner at Two Chefs - Double Blind (TWO CHEFS, MIAMI, FL): The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are slow. It smells like black currant (cassis), blackberry, cedar and chocolate. The body is full. The wine has polished texture. The wine finishes long. Seemed like a good St Emillon to me. Luis' Red.
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3/8/2014 - Barbaro wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. This wine has aged very well. Dark red cherry, cassis, and tobacco show on the nose. One the palate the wine is very balanced with a very smooth silky finish. Continued to improve with more time in the decanter.
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2/3/2014 - Vicmal Likes this wine: 93 Points
Complex, sweet and silky. Very enjoyable during first few pours but after that sweetness taken over everything. Cant drink much. No point for further aging.
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12/9/2013 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
The GP's birthday; 17 special bottles: Beautiful and silky soft and complex bouquet with sweet ripe fruits, eucalyptus, exclusive oak and some chocolate. Same on the palate. A mouth full of soft and delicious wine. Soft and fully integrated tannin. At its peak now and no real hurry I suppose, but no reason to wait either.
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12/6/2013 - jgoerke wrote:
Ah, this wine was past its time. While a terrific vintage, '97 had a short window, and I fear I missed it. You could taste what it once was, but the fruit was nearly gone.
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11/20/2013 - CornDoggyDogg Likes this wine: 95 Points
What a fantastic wine! My first Opus One, and frankly I expected to be disappointed. I wasn't disappointed in the least. Very expressive nose of both old world and new world. Some earthy (leather, molasses, dirt) tones but also some bright fruitier tones. Great structure, nice acidity. I don't give wines a score of 95 often...and it would have been even higher if there was a little more punch to the finish. This may be in it's prime right now, but should be outstanding a couple more years.
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11/12/2013 - Wine_lvr Likes this wine: 94 Points
American Belle 2nd Edition (Switzerland): Tasted blind: Intensive red. Beautiful nose of berries, jelly and black current. Very elegant, balanced, complex and long. This is a great wine and now still on the young side. This is a great example of how a Napa cab should taste. I like it a lot. Drink now to 2030-
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7/10/2013 - Mark H. LeQuire wrote: 96 Points
This vintage wine is exceptional. Kudos to Opus. No flaws. Mild sediment. Significant rim variation. Nose is weak. Flavors are weak. But, what you have, you know, was absolutely superb at peak. No tannins. Low alcohol. Short finish. This was, and is, and absolute Napa Cabernet. Way beyond peak. Very drinkable, but soft. Rating given in honor of what it is.
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6/1/2013 - H*3 wrote: 92 Points
From an Opus One tasting night with some friends. Drank the 1980, 1996, & 1997.
The 1980 was a bit funky at first but evolved for the better with some time. The bottle we had was definitely well beyond prime drinking years but was great fun to taste and get a sense for the early days at Opus One.
The 1996 was the group favorite. I'd say at peak or maybe slightly past. Nice nose of mature cabernet notes with a lot of leather and earthiness. Flavors very much in sync with the nose and fully integrated tannins.
The 1997 was my favorite of the three. For a wine of it's age it was definitely the most youthful of the three. Deep crimson color, nose very Bordeaux like and still had some nice tannin to balance things.
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4/7/2013 - sbeeks wrote: 93 Points
I think that the recent tasting notes have been too harsh on this wine. A nice example of a Bourdeaux-style. Much finesse, delicate body, nice finish.
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3/30/2013 - RR47 wrote: 91 Points
This is still a nice Opus, but has faded overall. It is more Bordeaux than California in character now. Certainly the reverse years ago.
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3/19/2013 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 92 Points
This bottle was not tired as some of the tasting notes have said. It is not young.....just not tired. Plenty of flavor.
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2/7/2013 - walkerjfw wrote: 91 Points
Saw some of the negative notes, this bottle was good, not the best Opus I have had but far from bad wine...As advertised, Mature California Bordeaux style wine. Had good fruit and a medium finish. Complex and evolved over the two hours we drank it.
Probably fair to say its past its prime. Havent had a 97 in a number of years, so no clean comparison. This was a good Napa year in general, the other 97 Cabs I have are still going strong.
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1/4/2013 - Montana wrote: 89 Points
It's hard to imagine that a wine with the pedigree of Opus One can't last 18 years but that's the case.
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1/1/2013 - klanham wrote: 95 Points
I Also do not get the negative notes on this wine. This wine was alive and great. The age was showing as the nose displayed Barnyard, cigar box and wet hay. The flavor was was deep rich and incredible. Dark, aged fruits and tobacco. Can't wait to find one more bottle of this little gem.
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12/24/2012 - Collector1855 wrote: flawed
Oxidized
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11/22/2012 - Dennis Cloutier wrote: 94 Points
silky into a nice slight oak finish. not sure there can be a more well balanced wine.
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11/2/2012 - Wine_lvr Likes this wine: 94 Points
American Belle 1st Edition (Switzerland): Tasted blind: Deep garnet in color. Nose of leather and berries which reminds me a lot of a St. Julien wine. Tannins are still present and backward. Flavors of black licorice, red berries and Black Tea make this a very interesting wine. I liked it a lot. Hold for a year or two to get a true Napa beauty. Drink 2015-2035
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10/6/2012 - Spl232 wrote: 94 Points
Don't understand the negative notes about this wine. My wife and I enjoyed this wine enormously. Decanted 3 hours. Very silky mature California Bordeaux style wine. Has some fruit left and though a little shorter on the finish than we'd hoped for, it showed excellent complexity of flavor on the mid-palate and finish.
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8/31/2012 - Montana wrote: 85 Points
This was a stunningly bad wine. Hard to imagine that a 1997 Opus One that has been well cared for in a 55F cellar would be almost undrinkable in 2012.
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7/14/2012 - sbeeks wrote: 88 Points
A bit disappointing. drank 2 bottles and had same experience. Really nice after opening and aeration, developed for a few minutes then flat-lined. Very thin on the finish.
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5/12/2012 - jrobs7777 wrote: 87 Points
Second tasting of this and it again failed to live up to the hype. Decanted at restaurant. Robust nose. Darker fruits, tobacco, and secondary notes. Palate was a bit watery, with drying tannins. Did not develop complexity or character you would think. An overall "solid" wine but it does not approach other stellar California Cabs from the mid-90s sweet spot.
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4/14/2012 - rdsboca wrote: 94 Points
So not dead. Beautiful mature red cherry, currants with ample oak. Smooth and silky mouthfeel. I used to think that these were early drinkers and were designed for restaurants. So no.
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4/12/2012 - Charlie Carnes wrote:
This is a little horsey and a lot harsh tannins. Watch out for the "lauded" 1997's. I am a little worried about the few bottles of Napa 1997 Cabs I have left.
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3/27/2012 - T Warner wrote:
Full body with soft tannins leather and cherry, slight barnyard on the nose. Well balanced with current, mineral, blackberry on palate. Dark purple brick core fading to soft purple rim. Opened up well after about 1 hour. Delicious.
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3/24/2012 - mos wrote: 87 Points
Decanted about 60 minutes. Big nose of cherry, loam, mushroom, earth mineral, and oak. Minimal to no brixing tainting an otherwise nice ruby/garnet red color.
Cherry rush on the attack, with casis, mushroom, hints of leather and nice oak. Surprisingly thin and stretched on the mid-palate with almost nothing on the finish.
This is like one of those 4th of July fountains you get that starts off great but doesn't really go anywhere and is altogether too short.
Not a bad wine per se. It just doesn't live up to all the mystique and hype and is definitely not worth the crazy price tag!
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3/24/2012 - SadEdjo wrote: 92 Points
Still youthful garnet. Heady sweet cassis nose with a hint of dill. Cassis, pickle juice entry. Well resolved tannins, acidity. Lingering, minerally finish. Well-made but not profound. Borderline QPR. Expense-account wine
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3/18/2012 - Docdave wrote: 90 Points
- Garnet color - Drank with friends, fully mature, very good structure still but ready to drink
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2/16/2012 - Chrispx wrote:
A little flat but still good fruit --just a bit thin though.
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2/1/2012 - g289519 wrote: 92 Points
Cork came out in pieces so I was a bit skeptical but was quite good. Fully matured, drink now.
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1/16/2012 - Chrispx wrote: 93 Points
Nice structure good fruit but drink now
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1/9/2012 - 32lakeviewwine wrote: 93 Points
Open and decatned for about 2 hours. This was an outstanding wine.
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12/31/2011 - newpace_2000 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 2+ hours. Still seemed a bit closed. Had last glass about 4 hrs after opening...much better with additional time.
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12/31/2011 - BOTTLETOPP wrote: 92 Points
After breathing this was an outstanding wine.
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12/24/2011 - Brett wrote: 93 Points
Nice bottle....last bottle.
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12/6/2011 - Piepro wrote: 90 Points
At the end of its drinking life, but a very nice finish. Soft, but flavorful, short finish. Overall a nice experience.
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11/25/2011 - Cobraworld wrote: 69 Points
It was past it's prime.
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11/25/2011 - Cobraworld wrote:
I was very disappointed.
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8/14/2011 - jbehrendt wrote: 94 Points
Drank with Jim and Judie Voelz. Outstanding wine. Near its peak. Paired with filet mignon.
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7/16/2011 - bhalljr wrote: 90 Points
We had a few friends join my wife and me for dinner last night at Maggianos. I brought 5 bottles - '97 Opus, '97 Latour, '86 Caymus Cuvee, '06Agharta Exhibit B, and '05 Guiraud.
I had my bartender buddy pop and decant the Opus, Latour, and Agharta. I took a sample of both the Latour and Opus to the table to share with the others the difference in Cali vs France. I didn't tell them which glass was which wine. The results were amazing. 5 of the 6 all chose the Latour. My wife initially thought Latour but changed her mind at the last minute to the Opus. I couldn't believe that all the others chose the Latour.
I went and pour another helping of both and was amazed how much the Latour had opened. It was so much smoother and the nose was so much more expressive compared to the Opus. What's funny is that '97 was considered a lackluster vintage for France while supposedly a great one for Napa.
As for the others, I didn't drink the Agharta and did the Caymus, which wasn't bad bud fading.
We had a great time with great friends and great food!
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6/23/2011 - KVM wrote: 93 Points
Dark red. Cedar. olive. Luscious feel. Blackberry, wet wood, creamy , sweet fruit. Ideal today . Thanks to DM.
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4/27/2011 - bonedocnine wrote: 88 Points
ho hum.....
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3/27/2011 - GibsonHyde wrote: 95 Points
Arguably one of the best wines I have ever drank. Beautifully layered but not too oakey.
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12/31/2010 - ews3 wrote: 91 Points
New Years Eve Lobsterfest! (Roberts House, Philadelphia PA): vigorously decanted, but only briefly. still has quite a bit of color, but some bricking evident in the decanter. nose shows some oxidation, as well as some caramel and earthy notes. palate still has some fruit, but it is restrained behind mainly secondary notes of caramel, tobacco, and leather. the attack is beautiful and you get some sweetness. it is a bit thin on the midpalate, with a medium(-) body. med(+) acidity really helps to bring this all together and it closes out with a medium finish that is tasty. overall, a quite nice example of aged Napa cab.
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12/31/2010 - jrobs7777 wrote: 90 Points
New Years Eve Cabernet and Dom Blowout (Our House (2033 Brandywine St., Philadelphia)): A nice solid wine with a lot to like, but it failed to "wow" the crowd. Black pepper, plum and kirsch on the nose with a good amount of brighter fruit. The secondary notes were evident on the palate, with burnt caramel and leather. Good acidity. Overall, this has probably developed into what it is. I do not foresee much more development. The tannins have completely integrated and this lacks the complexity and concentration on the mid-palate. Nice finish, This is not a powerful wine and is very subdued. More reminiscent of a Bordeaux then a California wine.
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12/18/2010 - Blue6405 wrote: 95 Points
Great bottle. Changed flavors a couple of times over 3 hours. Hints of berries, green pepper and currants.
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12/14/2010 - Outplaying wrote:
Ann and I really enjoyed this nice mature bordeaux blend. The wine was very soft and elegant with nice aromatics of fruit, faint fine leather and tobacco that followed through on the pallet. I wish I could drink more wines like this. Thanks to Ken and Kelly for sharing!
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12/12/2010 - danscellar wrote: 91 Points
A very nice bottle of wine, but in the context of all the Opus hype a bit of a dissapointment. For the price one should be doing back flips. The nose is very good, nice color no real sense this one is over peak. Certainly earthy, currant fruit with tones of leather. It did need to be decanted but opened up nicely fairly quickly. We enjoyed drinking it but was glad it was a gift, there is better wine out there for half the price.
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12/1/2010 - msitka999 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 45 min or so. POWERFUL nose, still a bit of tannin but this is peaking now. Very sophisticated layering of flavours. Black cherry, hint of pepper, dark steak spice. Was gone very quickly from the decanter, but will be lingering in my mind for years. Peaking right this minute. Loved it
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11/14/2010 - kostaslonis wrote: 89 Points
Decanter Fine Wine Encounter; 11/13/2010-11/14/2010 (Landmark Hotel, London): (Decanter Fine Wine Encounter Opus One Masterclass)
Cabernet Sauvignon 82%, Cabernet Franc 8% Merlot 5%, Malbec 4%, Petit Verdot 1%, 32 days skin contact, 18 months in new french oak.
Bright red color, very young. A bit closed noese, spiced with a very fruity background, dense, cranberry jam. The palate is a bit let down, its not as dense as the nose even though it seems ready now, short aftertaste of black fruit jam. I thought it was rather uneven, maybe it is still too young. I hope I am mistaking. I should try another botte sometime. It was the weakest of the tasting.
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11/14/2010 - Richbrueck wrote: flawed
Corked so badly that we couldn't drink a drop!
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10/2/2010 - JacksonLee wrote: 95 Points
Awesome bottle of wine. I have stored this in a temperature controlled cellar since release, and it is definitely not declining. No brown or bricking color at all, although some thinning at the edges. Fruit is still lush, full bodied, and the tannins are completely resolved. Nose very much like a Bordeaux, with some lead pencil and earth reminiscent of a fine Pauillac. Notes of graphite and mint in the flavor profile. I will hold my last bottle for another year or so.
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9/21/2010 - smkl123 wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 60 min. Great brown color, thinning edges. Still full of fruit, mouthful of ripe earth. Unfortunately, has the distinct sickly sweet taste of "end of life". I'd say drink now, not much time left.
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8/27/2010 - BuffaloBandit Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still excellent. Lots of ripe fruit on the nose. Opened nicely after about 90 minutes, but quick to turn after that.
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8/14/2010 - rjd572 wrote: 96 Points
It was great. Though I agree with others that it is peaking- I wouldn't hold out much longer if you have some in your cellar.
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7/7/2010 - Sdunn4854 wrote: 90 Points
Good, not great.
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7/3/2010 - FShone wrote: 92 Points
Deep purple color, good tannins and fruit, but I felt this was at the end of it's prime. Very typical 10+ year old Napa cab. If you have any if this, I'd say you have very little time left.
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5/9/2010 - jcsmith72 wrote:
Surprisingly smooth. Velvety and delicious. Faded? Or just mellowed? Hard to say faded when it is still wonderful.
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5/4/2010 - tanstaafl Likes this wine: 92 Points
I thought it was very smooth and drank well. was earthy in taste. after consuming this bottle we had silverado cab and it tasted like grape juice compared to Opus One.
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4/28/2010 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful and complete wine. Classical bouquet with cassis, paprika and beautiful oak. A lot of structure and complex. Round and creamy. Very sexy wine. Lacks a little in classical elegance, but is really beautiful. Ready now and the next 3+ years.
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3/13/2010 - bundydavis wrote: 95 Points
Wow! Spectacular! This wine is perfectly aged and balanced. What a treat.
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2/22/2010 - belfast taxman wrote: 90 Points
Firstly let me say that reports of this wine's slide into old age are perhaps a bit premature, but for the price this wine simply does not deliver the goods - we drank it alongside a Leoville-Barton 1998 (see separate review) and frankly it paled significantly- what was once a powerhouse fruit-bomb has now matured into just a good wine in a distinct over-alcoholic sweetish New World style.
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2/20/2010 - E1855 wrote: 95 Points
Nice color turning orange at the edge. The first sniff immediately revealed the quality of this bottle: plum, blackberry and slight herb/earth. I hadn't smelled such profound aromas for a while. The wine has evolved beautifully and has now reached its peak. The tannins are fully integrated and the overall impression is great balance, although this Opus has clearly more Californian influence than French. It is lacking a little bit of precision and I would have given a higher mark if it had been slightly less concentrated (over extraction?) and a little more subtle. But what a great wine which can only go downhill going forward as I think that there's not enough tannin left to compensate for the high concentration. Did not decant.
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2/13/2010 - tclancy77 wrote: flawed
Very disappointing when you pour a wine like this down the sink.
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1/24/2010 - the godfather wrote:
liked the montelena better, but this was good
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1/2/2010 - sqn19 wrote: 96 Points
Can a bordeau-style blend get any better than this? Velvety tannins and lovely blackberry fruit, maybe just starting to fade a bit. A profound wine at twelve years old, hard to imagine how it could improve from here, so drink now! A profound wine at 12 years old..
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12/25/2009 - MarcSchil wrote: 84 Points
An epic disappointment. Have been waiting for ten years to drink this bottle. Stored it with great care. Decanted it for an hour before tasting. Turned out to have absolutely no structure. Did not get any better over time. Extremely thin wine that tasted not better than water. Not even a hint of fruit. Nothing. Was an terrible bottle that we ended up abandoning after two glasses.
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12/23/2009 - Alex G. wrote:
'94 vs '97 California Cabernet Sauvignon: It's easy to take potshots at Opus One given the size of production and the prodigious marketing budget. However, if you like Mouton Rothschild, you'll probably like this wine. It was the most Pauillac of all the wines tasted tonight, with notes of bell pepper and pencil lead. Personally, I've always found Mouton to be the weakest of the First Growths, but I know others that love it. Anyway, this Opus One was a solid wine that was reasonably balanced and had a good finish. It wasn't a brilliant wine, certainly got outclassed by the '94's, but it's definitely respectable.
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12/20/2009 - winemaverick wrote: 93 Points
Always have loved this wine. It needs to be decanted - have patience! Smooth and BIG, muted colors, with a long, long finish.
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11/29/2009 - vc wrote: flawed
corked
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11/28/2009 - jkoenen wrote: 94 Points
Hedonistic Diner (Restaurant Le Défi, Sprang-Capelle): No formal note. 18.5/20
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11/15/2009 - ydris wrote: 89 Points
Disappointing but my own fault. Here's a tip: don't pull the wine from the cellar, drive 250 miles, pop it open and drink without pause. This wine needs at least an hour to open up. Overall with a little care I think we have more potential but drink in the next year or two - it's not evolving much more.
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9/25/2009 - Serge Birbrair wrote:
I believe this bottle needs another 5 years because:
1) it got better with 1 hour sitting in decanter - it gained some weight and smoothed the scratchy tannins
2) it is still very tannic
...but due to the fact that this was the last bottle - we'll never know
;(
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9/24/2009 - wallstreet wrote: 90 Points
Ok , I had my last bottle of this wine and I have been a big fan of Opus One. This bottle was my first in about 3 1/2 years. I don't think it will get any better. The last bottle I had was much better. The body was solid, finish ok, but it lacked the depth that I have experienced with this wine in the past as well as other 97 top Napa offerings. Not sure how someone can give this a 94 or higher rating. It just wasn't there for me. I enjoyed the wine and its a solid effort, no doubt. Unfortunately it did not live up to my expectations or my past experiences. My friend Serge, felt it needs another 5 years. I personally don't think so. I believe it is as good as it can get and recommend you consume in the next 12-24 months.
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7/31/2009 - DonWinspear wrote: 94 Points
This was one of about 12 bottles at a private tasting. Decanted 2 hours prior to tasting. Nose revealed berries, fruit, a hint of pepper, currant. The wine had beautiful, delicate tannins - moreso than many of the other Cali-Cabs poured. As the wine continued to open up, it developed more of an earthy quality - truly bordeaux style. Of the 12 bottles, this ranked in the middle which is consistent with some of the other TNs noted. Make no mistake, this is a wonderful wine, but it's hype factor is a tad greater than other comparable blends and cabernets from California.
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7/5/2009 - winbig007 wrote: 93 Points
stored in ideally since its release - very light tannins, pepper, cherry and plum were dominant. very smooth. Truly a french style Bordeaux and absolutely wonderful. I wouldn't wait to drink it though, if not at the peak it will be soon or soon passing it.
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6/15/2009 - islayman wrote: 94 Points
Excellent wine. Sorry it was my last. Decanted for 60 minutes. Very nice boquet. Good fruit flavors, especially berries.
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6/7/2009 - Gringo wrote: 94 Points
This is an outstanding wine that is close to being extraordinary, and is probably the best wine that I have so far this year. The eye was treated to a deep rich garnet. The nose encountered cigar box and cedar and ripe lush plum, though enticing it was a bit muted. The tongue found a well balanced blend of cherry pie and green pepper and pineapple with mint and tart ripe apple undertones and soft satiny tannins. The finnish was long long long. More pronounced presence to the nose, more "roundness" and "fullness" in the mouth and more complexity in the lingering finnish would have made this outstanding wine extraordinary. Nevertheless, it is a beauty. It paired very well with pasta. It was decanted for sediment only, and drank well through the course of the meal. It is probably at or near its peak.
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5/4/2009 - Phin wrote: 94 Points
Dark fruits with blackberry. Nice structure and aged tannins. Showing really well.
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5/1/2009 - Bobo N wrote: 95 Points
Special Thanks to robertdtwo for the vertical Opus tasting. The '97 was the WOTN. Vintage Opus w/ velvety mouthfeel, the nose showed an array of fruit ranging from red currant to blackberry, with a palate of fruit, graphite, leather and wet gravel. Smooth, smooth, smooth. I cannot imagine that this wine is anywhere near the end of its drinking window, but no reason to wait.
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4/28/2009 - psmith wrote:
1994 and 1997 California Cabernet Retrospective (Chicago, IL): Sweet fruit nose. Ripe, but not overly invasive on the palate. Gripping fine tannins. Lacking a bit in character. Will last a long time. Rated 16/20.
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4/26/2009 - robertdtwo wrote: 94 Points
Bottle #3 of 97-00-02 Opus Vertical; 3 hour decant. Bordeaux-like mouthfeel, wet leather on the palate, just starting to brick at the edges. Fully-integrated tannins, but almost too smooth...would have enjoyed a touch more character, but still a very nice bottle of wine.
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3/29/2009 - pdemaio wrote: 93 Points
Drank at a restaurant without decanting. Nice mouth feel. Good structure and plenty of tannins. Very Californian in the good way. Hint of earth. Black cherries. Probably not improving anymore. Drink now. Decanting would probably improve it.
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3/15/2009 - wineotim wrote: 85 Points
Not at all what I expected, old world Bordeaux style, earthy and tannic, no signs of any fruit at all on the palate. Leather and mushroom aromas and flavors. Did not evolve with more air time, still not a hint of fruit. Bottle was impeccably stored. Score is for its uniquness (very un-Napa like).
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2/22/2009 - TuckerTini wrote: 94 Points
Snob haters, beware. This was a great bottle. It's ready to drink, with well integrated tannins and very balanced fruit with a currant overtone. Tannins are still prominent but not astringent, making me believe that this wine can still go another 5 years or so in the cellar. Now it's not a bargain but it is what it is, thankfully I bought it at a good price from an estate.
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2/18/2009 - Asmo wrote: 92 Points
this wine is still developing and has a long ways to go. it was very tightly wound and the tannins really need to soften up considerably. decanted for 2 hrs, to no avail. corked half the bottle, tried on the 2nd night -- still needed to be unwound. I wouldn't dare open the remaining bottle until well into 2012+
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2/12/2009 - MauriceE wrote: 89 Points
Very good, but not inspiring. At first this wine reminds of a great Bordeaux, but then you notice it is quite one-dimensional. No comparison to the great crus. But still, this is a very good wine.
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11/12/2008 - goofy Yno wrote: 85 Points
leather, barnyard+, very earth mouth
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11/12/2008 - kstoddard wrote: 90 Points
Josh's 1997 California Cabernet Tasting (Coups des Tartes, Phoenix): Boysenberries on the nose. Tastes of blackberry, blackcurrant, earth and mint. Well balanced. Soft finish with some interesting complexity. 13.5% alcohol.
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11/12/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 88 Points
not decanted. hardly opulent, but well made and no flaws.
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11/12/2008 - jivey wrote: 85 Points
Full of Brett, fell apart in about an hour disappointing.
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8/23/2008 - Rob MacKay wrote:
While this is a really great wine, when tasted in the company of a few other 97s (The Maiden, Dominus and Pride Cab) the Opus was the backmarker of this group. It just didn't have the power and complexity to match up the other three.
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6/28/2008 - psmith wrote:
Somewhat aged profile. Nice body, with red fruit, cedar, and some dark oak still evident. Appropriately structured. Ready to go, and better than expected.
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5/8/2008 - Guppies wrote: 87 Points
Was very disappointed with this wine. Felt it lacked depth and was more like good $20 bottle of wine (can't say $30 because I have had many $30 that were far superior than this wine), not a wine one would expect from one of the best years for CA wines. Could be related to the handling before we got it almost 10 years ago, but I seriously doubt it. Color was no where as deep as I feel a wine of this age should be. Lacked any kind of distinctive bouquet, no tannins, no flavor, could be a fair cooking wine - definitely will not use the remaining bottle for a special occasion.
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3/14/2008 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
A lot of sweetness in the bouquet. There is some development, but the wine has a lot of soft and sticky tannin for the future. There is a lot of sweetness in the taste as well. Also earthy.
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12/31/2007 - Jakebizlaw wrote: 92 Points
Full but gentle; not too tannic; balanced.
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12/27/2007 - Renegade wrote: 95 Points
This wine was decanted over six hours in a decanter before being tasted. This was originally opened early on 12/25/07 and as dinner approached it went very good with the dinner.
The color is a true thing of beauty, no signs of any color loss, even at the rim. A deep dark purple color with heavy body. The aromas continue to change as well as tastes every hour, but a truly stunning wine From the nose, floral notes of lavender, lilac, also earthy notes, pencil shavings, black currants, tar and other wonderul aromas as well. From the palate, earthy, blackberry liquor, chocolate, tobacco, red licorice. As the wine continues to sit out aromas of mint, spices, eucalyptus came through.
The wine is elegant and finesse, yet has firm solid structure and very fine tannin. This wine is not at its peak yet and has plenty more life left in it.
Tasted again after 60+ hourse in decanter on 12/27/07. On this tasting the had changed some and the aromas were flowing from the glass with more ease. Aromas of blackberries, marzipan, cassis and earth and on the palate blackberries, licorice, tobacco, currants, chocolate. The tannin is still firm, as is the structure. I know many have been critical of Opus One, but this was a very delightful wine. In my opinion, this wine is not ready yet, and should be much better around 2012 to 2015. I would not be surprised to see this one evolve for 20+ more years. It has a long life ahead of it. In 5 to 10+ years, I would not be surprised to see the critics sing the praises of this wine. It is made like a Bordeaux, and should be treated like one. 95+ points.
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11/26/2007 - Billiam wrote: 90 Points
Long and lingering. Much better than I thought an Opus would be.
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11/22/2007 - EaglesWin wrote: 85 Points
Decanted for 2 hours.
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11/3/2007 - psmith wrote:
Classic styling. Characteristic '97 soft tannins and ripe fruit. Dark cabernet flavors. Good wine.
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10/14/2007 - ptelgenh wrote: 86 Points
Drank on our first anniversary. Decanted. First taste after 15 minutes: faded berries on the nose. mouthwatering acids, notes of plum and eucalyptus with a hint of mocha on a very long finish. Pretty tannic at this point. 60 minutes decanted: Red rasbperries and plums on the nose. moderate fruit mid palate with a hint of coffee on the finish. Tannins are softening some, but still remarkable. continues to be very acidic. 3 hours decanted: No improvement. Overall impression is very tannic and acidic with not much fruit remaining. I don't think this wine will improve and seems to be out of balance. A disappointing wine for the price.
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7/30/2007 - vanpe003 wrote: 89 Points
Battle of 1997 (Down's Lake): Disappointing. Served this one as the mystery bottle to avoid label inflation. Was #4 of 4 in the '97 California flight. Strength was its aromatic nose. One taster remarked that it appears to be trying for a Bordeaux character. While that's accurate, it came across a bit out of balance, with distracting tannins and a modest level of fruit.
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6/5/2007 - kstoddard wrote: 92 Points
Caramel, tobacco, tar, blackberry, blackcurrant, Rutherford dust?, petrol note, stemy. Some mid palate complexity. Well balanced with nice acidity. Tannins are very well integrated.
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5/25/2007 - Brett wrote: 92 Points
Great wine, very nice fruit with a great nose.
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5/4/2007 - buckeye76 wrote: 92 Points
THOUGH NOT A LOT OF NUANCES IN THE WINE, SHOWED NICE BLACK CHERRIES AND CURRANTS IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR WITH A MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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3/30/2007 - winbig007 wrote: 89 Points
Very lovely and as described by others; however, a note here is that this bottle was stored in optimum conditions since its release and purchase. The tannins are virtually gone and I wouldn't wait much longer to drink. it.
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1/28/2007 - rsepulve wrote: 89 Points
Perfectly fine wine but not very exciting. Fairly complex nose of cassis, blackberry, leather with hints of oak. Fine mouthfeel (I didn't notice the drying tannins others have mentioned). Nothing to complain about here but somehow not very interesting either.
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1/19/2007 - winemaverick wrote: 95 Points
one word... exquisite... Took the bottle to Mexico for a friends (Monetta's) 50th birthday. Decanted for about an hour. Very fruity, smooth, with a great finish. Can't wait to open the rest over the next few years.
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1/13/2007 - Paul from the Oblong Table wrote: 92 Points
Excellence squared. (92+++)
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12/2/2006 - gksmith wrote:
Quite enjoyable.
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9/14/2006 - gksmith wrote: 91 Points
Good nose, but the bottle really failed to follow up. Unacceptable for wine of this price.
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6/11/2006 - sbeeks wrote: 85 Points
Wine tasting dinner with Goldberg, Schwartz, Hollander. Very underwhelming. Its flight included 1994 Opus and 1986 Gruaud Larose, both of which put this to shame.
This was a single bottle, received as a gift, not from the case I have, so it is hard to say if it was a case of mis-cellaring or if totally the wine.
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5/14/2006 - cabernetdrinker wrote: 94 Points
Tasted great. needed to breath in decanter for one hour. Tasted better and better.
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3/27/2006 - Tubbs wrote: 91 Points
ESTG Does '94 - '97 California Cab's (Roy's Place): Blackberry - HUGE BLACKBERRY, mmm.... (and a hint of oak). The palate had loads of fruit with some earthy notes. The tannins were a bit drying - me lips were stickin' to me teeth.
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2/4/2006 - lumber1 wrote: 98 Points
Enjoyed a bottle to celbrate Greg's 40th and Karen's 29th (again). This was an absolute surprise. Perfectly balanced and very very smooth. Did not have that sometimes present Jammy typical California Cab. Great Nose, smooth, smooth smooth ... has a few more years of life for sure.
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1/24/2006 - JimmyV wrote: 90 Points
Bordeaux on the nose, with a bit more fruit on the palate. All in all, a very good wine that fails to excite or live up to the pricetag. Brought to a BYO as a surprise for folks just getting into wine who "dreamed" of having an Opus some day. As expected, they enjoyed it more than I did.
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11/28/2005 - MarkC wrote: 84 Points
I want to like this stuff, as Opus was one of the wines that got me into wine back in the day. But, apart from being a bit innocuous, this just wasn't super memorable. The best part about it was it's really smooth/creamy mouthfeel. But the tannins seemed to overpower whatever delicate fruit (bits of plum, maybe some strawberry) existed on the mid-palate and finish. Even after sitting in the glass and warming up a bit, it just never provided much enjoyment. Bummer, given the price and the vintage and the potential based on the producers.
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5/28/2005 - wineismylife wrote: 88 Points
This is a joint WIML, PURPLE and WIML, Jr. tasting note. This wine was a Christmas gift from PURPLE the year the wine was released. This bottle has been designated since purchased to be opened the day my oldest son graduates from high school. The day has finally arrived. PURPLE and myself congratulate WIML Jr. on all of his hard work and dedication over the years. He has graduated from high school with honors and been accepted to a wonderful college. We wish him the best as he begins the next chapter in his life. Godspeed our son. We're proud of you. It was originally purchased from a local wine store for $150.00. Tasted May 28, 2005 at home in Spiegelau Authenthis Magnum glasses. The wine was not decanted. Color was garnet to ruby with a dusty rose hue but no evidence of bricking. Nose was slightly bretty at first quickly followed by cherries, mocha, cedar, bell pepper, rose petal and cloves. Unfortunately the palate didn’t deliver what the nose promised. Tannins were drying, a little harsh on the finish. Acidity was towards sharp while the fruit hovered between delicate and moderate. The good news is the alcohol was right in balance. Overall I’d consider this wine to be slightly out of balance. Flavors were virtually non-existent. They were completely dominated by tart red cherries coated in dried herbs. Body was lean to medium and firm to hard consistency throughout. No complexity per se, just a fairly plain wine. Comments made throughout the tasting were: “It’s enjoyable but…”, ”Not worth the money”, ”It would be a nice wine with a dinner but if you’re looking for a wine that stands on its’ own…“, “A Dominus that didn’t deliver”. Ready to drink now. I do not believe any decanting is needed but if you disagree I’d strongly recommend you decant as far in advance as you wish and closely monitor every hour after opening with tiny sips and be prepared to ram the cork back into the bottle and shove the wine into the cellar before it dies a horrible lingering death. Ratings: WIML88, PURPLE87, WA88, WS94 Value - Unacceptable X 2.
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4/27/2005 - BradA wrote: 93 Points
Rivaled the 94 dominus for pure french expression. Very nice and a pleasure to have with lamb chops. Likely better in 3-5 years, 93 pts tonight.
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