Sassicaia is the most famous Bordeaux blend in Italy and has spawned many imitations, whereby the blend is now firmly established in the New World and particularly in California and Australia. Opus One Winery was founded in 1979 as a joint venture between Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild. 2015 Opus One, Napa Valley, California, USA Product: 20158015994 Antonio Galloni, Vinous 97/100 Wine Advocate 97/100 James Suckling 98/100 Prices start from 1,500.00 per case Buying options Description Purity and brilliance on the nose with so much currant and flower character.
In St-Emilion and Pomerol, the blends are Merlot dominated as Cabernet Sauvignon can struggle to ripen there - when it is included, it adds structure and body to the wine. However 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wines can be slightly hollow-tasting in the middle palate and Merlot with its generous, fleshy fruit flavours acts as a perfect foil by filling in this cavity. It is particularly suited to the dry, warm, free- draining, gravel-rich soils and is responsible for the redolent cassis characteristics as well as the depth of colour, tannic structure and pronounced acidity of Médoc wines.
In the Médoc and Graves the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend can range from 95% ( Mouton-Rothschild) to as low as 40%. This is actually the archetypal Bordeaux blend, though in different proportions in the sub-regions and sometimes topped up with Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Score: 96+ Antonio Galloni, vinous.Cabernet Sauvignon lends itself particularly well in blends with Merlot. The blend is 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec." In my view, the 2015 will always be more extroverted, although it does need time to be at its most expressive. Winemaker Michael Silacci add that the 2015 will, in his view, follow a similar trajectory to the 2008, which he later opened for the sake of comparison. Just bottled a month prior to this tasting, the 2015 is naturally a bit more reticent than it has been in the past. There is more than enough depth for the 2015 to develop positively for 20-25 years, perhaps more. Brightness is the word that comes to mind. Roses, currant bush and fresh leaves, too. At this stage, the new oak is still a bit prominent, but that should not be an issue as the wine ages. 2015 Opus One Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend (Pre-Arrival) SKU 1359101 98 points James Suckling Purity and brilliance on the nose with so much currant and flower character. Dark, sumptuous and voluptuous in the glass, with no hard edges, the 2015 captures all the essence of the vintage while retaining a good bit of aromatic freshness. "The 2015 Opus One is just as fabulous from bottle as it was from barrel.
Score: 97+ Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (238), August 2018 Although it is already approachable, allow it another 3-5 years in bottle for its myriad of subtle accents to fully blossom and then drink it over the next 30+ years." Full-bodied, rich and bold in the mouth, it fills the palate with exotic spice-laced black and red fruits, framed by firm, beautifully ripe, grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing with epic persistence.
2015 OPUS ONE PLUS
It opens with a deep garnet-purple color and wonderfully spicy notes of cinnamon stick, cloves and fenugreek with a core of cherry preserves, redcurrant jelly, blackberry pie and warm plums plus hints of camphor, lavender and cigar box. "Composed of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot and 2% Malbec, Opus One's 2015 Proprietary Red Wine is truly an iron fist in a velvet glove, delivering a powerhouse of flavors and structure with a seductively plush texture.
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