2019 Opus One

The balance of the 2019 vintage in Napa is a pleasure to taste, and this is a brilliant Opus One, showing nuance, depth and concentration, and a ton of rich dark fruits. There is so much to love here, it ebbs and flows through the palate, has some of the character of the early years, those 1979s and 1980s that are still tasting incredible, and the utterly brilliant 1987. Raspberry, blueberry, damson, cassis, there are crunchy fruits and sweet fruits at the same time, playing off against each other, fine tannins, a full bloom of floral violet and peony aromatics, gentle woodsmoke and white pepper, with tension, depth and poise. 22 day skin contact. A wet winter meant a late bud break, 10-15 days behind average, followed by a hot summer that allowed the vines to catch up, so harvest relatively normal beginning September 10 for one month.
98/100 Jane Anson

Deep purple-black in color, the 2019 Opus One has an incredibly showy nose, with exuberant scents of warm cassis, blackberry preserves, and redcurrant jelly leading to suggestions of candied violets, dark chocolate, and clove oil. The medium-bodied palate shimmers with tension, delivering impactful red and black berry preserves layers, framed by very fine-grained tannins, finishing with epic length and energy. The blend this year is: Cabernet Sauvignon 78%, Merlot 8%, Petit Verdot 6%, Cabernet Franc 6%, and Malbec 2%. It was aged for 19 months in new French oak.
98/100 Lisa Perrotti-Brown; The Wine Independent