Review for Opus One, Oakville, Napa 1986

Red wine produced by Opus One in Oakville, United States

18.5 (in 20) by edwardragg Wine Blogger

Appearance: darkish purple-red, marked orange rim. Nose: delicate savoury first nose combining leather, tea, myriad spices and other aromas born of age and the interaction of oak and fruit. Undeniably complex. Palate: quite drying, but not astringent, almost dusty mellowing tannins with acidity still medium but more overt as the fruit has died down to some extent. Certainly, there’s less of the bright fruit core which the 1995 still possesses. Balanced high alcohol and very good length. Conclusion: 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot, the wine spent 18 months in new French oak and is drinking beautifully now. On the evidence of the magnum we tasted, I would not age this wine for much longer (and single bottles should be even more advanced in development). Very good, but to be drunk now or relatively soon.
April 22, 2009 | Link to this note | Useful (3)

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