Opus One 2021 Red

The Opus One 2021 is a testament to the elegance and precision that define the union of Bordeaux and Napa Valley traditions. In a year marked by uncharacteristic dryness, the vineyards experienced one of the lowest rainfalls in Opus One’s history, yet the winemaking team’s expertise turned this challenge into an opportunity for excellence. Harvesting early to mitigate water stress, the team ensured that each grape cluster achieved optimal ripeness, yielding a wine of remarkable concentration. This vintage mirrors the winery's dedication to creating a wine of uncompromising quality, with each sip offering a window into the rich history and skill behind it.

On the nose, the Opus One 2021 radiates a bouquet of dark, concentrated fruits, with layers of crushed cassis, ripe blackberry, and black cherry immediately taking center stage. The aromatic complexity is further enhanced by delicate floral notes of violet, intertwined with whispers of vanilla and exotic spices. This wine does not shy away from revealing its full depth from the first pour, its aromatic profile signaling the intensity and focus that await on the palate.

Upon tasting, the 2021 vintage unfolds with a bright, fresh attack, showcasing its youthful vibrancy while maintaining the classic structure expected from Opus One. The flavors follow the aromatic lead, with lush, ripe black fruits dominating the mid-palate. The texture is sublime, with the fine-grained tannins creating a plush, velvety mouthfeel that speaks to the impeccable integration of the oak aging. Subtle notes of black tea, licorice, and a dusting of dark cocoa lend depth and complexity, gradually evolving into a prolonged, elegant finish.

This wine, primarily Cabernet Sauvignon (93%), with hints of Cabernet Franc (4%), Petit Verdot (2%), and traces of Merlot and Malbec, promises to age gracefully over the next few decades. With 19 days of skin contact and aged for 19 ½ months in new French oak, the wine’s structure and balance are impeccably tailored to reward patient collectors. For those willing to wait, Opus One 2021 will unfold more layers of complexity with each passing year, offering a drinking experience that is both powerful and refined.

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon 89%, Cabernet Franc 4%, Petit Verdot 4% & Merlot 3%

100 POINTS - "A classical vintage that perfectly suits the Opus style. Gorgeous vivid plum colour, sculpted, balanced, with a ton of lift, waves of rose petals, iris and peony, soft grilled cumin, sage and white pepper spice. Love the hidden power here and the supple slightly chalky tannins that are structured in their architecture with a precision and carved quality. Precise, layered and stretched out, a brilliant Opus, concentrated and yet delicate. Feels pared back and captures the spirit of early Opus, when it moved forward the conversation of what Napa could be. Michael Silacci director, 100% new oak for ageing extremely well integrated even now." - Jane Anson

99 POINTS - "An enticing aroma of violets, cherry blossoms, fresh blue and black fruit and great structure define this beautiful, age-worthy wine. Subtle layering of fruit and oak spices between firm, fine-grained and supportive tannins gives it a calm intensity. So elegant and polished. Hints of cinnamon and graphite accent blackcurrant and blueberry flavors that linger and grow in a long finish. Already attractive to drink, but best after 2029." - James Suckling

98 POINTS - "The 2021 Opus One is composed of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, and 0.5% each of Merlot and Malbec. It was bottled in July 2023. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes barreling out of the glass with gregarious notions of creme de cassis, wild blueberries, and redcurrant jelly followed by hints of cedar chest, sassafras, vanilla pod, and dark chocolate plus a waft of lilacs. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers shimmery red, black, and blue fruit layers with a firm texture of rounded tannins and impressive tension, finishing long and fragrant." - The Wine Insitute

98 POINTS - "More in the structured style of the 2018 as opposed to the voluptuous style of the 2019, the 2021 Opus One is another riveting wine from this estate. Pure cassis, graphite, chocolate, and nicely integrated oak, as well as an undeniable sense of minerality, all emerge from the glass, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, building tannins, wonderful purity and precision, and a great finish. This is a classic Napa Valley Cabernet in the making, and it’s going to evolve for 20-25 years if well stored." - Jeb Dunnuck

97 POINTS - "The 2021 Opus One is dark, powerful and super- concentrated. Lavender, rose petal, dark cherry, plum, mocha and gravel race across the palate. Still very much a youngster, the 2021 is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. All the elements are so well balanced for a young Opus One out of barrel. There’s real palate presence and weight here." - Vinous

The Opus One 2021 effuses seductive, dark-fruit aromas of crushed cassis, blackberry, and black cherry with subtle hints of violet, vanilla, and baking spices. Bright and fresh on the attack, concentrated flavors mirror the aromas and are coupled with an exceptionally plush, creamy texture in the mid-palate from the fine-grained tannins. Poignant notes of black tea, licorice, and dark chocolate lead to a long lingering finish. With attentive cellaring, the wine will delight for decades to come.