96

Antonio Galloni

Vinous

The 2014 Opus One has arrived at its tenth birthday in style. Crushed flowers, red berry fruit, blood orange, mint and white pepper give the 2014 a striking top register of aromatics to play off its mid-weight structure. The 2014 remains quite youthful and vibrant. Its construction and overall feel are decidedly on the more linear, mid-weight side of things, in keeping with the style of the year. 01/2025

96

Lisa Perrotti-Brown

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate

Deep garnet colored, the 2014 Opus One opens with youthful notes of warm blackberries, chocolate-covered cherries, redcurrant jelly and blackcurrant pastilles with hints of bay leaves, tobacco leaf and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, firm and grainy with a lively backbone and tightly wound black and red berry layers, it finishes with a compelling herbal lift. During my recent visit to Opus One, I tasted five vintages of the "grand vin," including a barrel sample of the 2019, which will be published separately in a dedicated report. Comparing the 2018 vintage with 2019, winemaker Michael Silacci commented, "There’s a little more richness to 2019. 2018 is elegant, and that's not an excuse for being lighter. I like the intensity of the 2018s—2019 is a bit above it. 2018 was cooler with a little bit more acidity." Both vintages are a triumph at Opus One and a testament to the subtle changes that Silacci and his team have been conducting in the vineyards and winery over the last 15+ years. Bravo! 02/2021

97

James Suckling

James Suckling

Mesmerizing aromas of flowers, bark, currants and blackberries. So perfumed. You just want to smell it. Exquisite tension and finesse with an almost Burgundian texture, yet it’s Napa in its soul with ripe fruit, stones, spices and Chinese tea leaf flavors. Savory and delicious. Drinkable but better in 2020. Available on October 2017. 06/2017