![]() I have been to the wine estate a number of times over the last seven years and it’s a breathtaking mountainside vineyard with terraces and biodynamically farmed vines. The winery is now wholly owned by Chadwick. Gold standards for the best reds of Chile are certainly set by the winery of Seña, which incidentally was created by Robert Mondavi and Eduardo Chadwick after the success with Opus One. Masseto sets the gold standard in Tuscany for the grape. We often speak about how great merlot is in Tuscany, but only a handful of producers reach the level of the best of Pomerol, which remains the holy grail for merlot. Italy’s iconic merlot, Masseto, is of equally compelling quality in 2019 and I sensed a fine-tuning in the wine, with its meticulously polished tannins and superb length and complexity. This meant it was made from the vineyard of To Kolan, which remains arguably the most famous vineyard in Napa Valley. “Opus took what it wanted in the beginning,” Silacci said with a big, warm grin during the tasting. There’s an almost essence of To Kalon character to the wine with the ripeness and generosity yet firmness and form. What is striking when tasting the old wines with the newest releases is that they resemble one another in nature and pedigree. “I have been waiting for the 19 to go down but they never do,” Silacci said after he tasted both vintages. It’s interesting that I have drunk the 1979 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve a number of times in the last three years and the wine is as equally fresh and vivid as the Opus One 1979 after all these years, although it lacks some of the complexity and polish of the Opus. ![]() Silacci said that the winemakers of Mouton were given the run of the vineyards of the Robert Mondavi Winery at the time and that the French choose some of the best grapes that were going into the Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserves. It showed such grace and beauty for an old wine, with all the autumnal and tobacco character one could hope for in an aged cabernet sauvignon-based red. ![]() In fact, one of my favorite wines was the first vintage of Opus, the 1979. He rolled out all the early vintages of Opus from 1979 to 1990 in a tasting at the winery a little over a week ago and it was impressive how well the wines were aging. I am in the process of reviewing almost every vintage of Opus One with winemaker Michael Silacci. The latter is perhaps “the” great icon wine of a generation (especially mine) considering its first vintage was 1979 and it was founded by the late greats of Bordeaux and Napa Valley – Baron Philippe de Rothschild (Mouton Rothschild) and Robert Mondavi. rated some of these world-class standard-bearers over the past week, including Masseto, Seña and Opus One. The fine-grained, plush tannins evolve into a long, supple finish.Great modern icon wines always seem to be of exceptional quality, regardless of their origins. This seductive wine shows flavors of black cassis, black cheerry and a hint of cocoa powder. The juicy entry offers a round, silky mouthfeel with just enought acidity to complement the satin texture. The Opus One 2017 offers a harmonious aromatic balance of rich dark fruit, stems of roses and earthy forest floor. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. The structure is fine-grained, delivering a lingering hint of acidity. This features currant and plum fruit, with tobacco, loam and singed savory notes, maintaining range and driving through the finish. Medium-to full-bodied, round and savory with creamy, juicy tannins. Lots of currant and floral notes on the nose. Medium-bodied, the palate has a lively skip in its step, featuring bags of juicy raspberry and cassis-laced fruit and a refreshing line, supported by ripe, plush tannins, finishing long and graceful. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it slowly grows on the nose, revealing compelling notes of baked black cherries, mulberries, black raspberries, warm cassis and blackberry pie with nuances of spice cake, yeast extract, tapenade, licorice and dusty soil with a waft of wild sage. The 2017 Opus One, bottled in July 2019, is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 1% Malbec. Opus One had picked 91% of their fruit before the fires started in 2017, and only two lots were eliminated from consideration. In 2017, Opus One has a distinctly red-toned fruit profile that distinguishes it from the surrounding vintages. Exotic, beautifully perfumed and impeccable in its balance, Opus One is one of the most complete wines of the vintage. Plush fruit and soft, silky contours give the 2017 its racy personality. A remarkable wine for the year, the 2017 Opus One is a dense, full-throttle beauty.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |