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Tasting notes
Opus One picked on the early side in 2022, picking from 24th August. The resulting wine is elegant and pure – not showing the heat of the vintage. The nose is pretty, bright with ripe but fresh sweet fruit, blackcurrant and blackberry, with spicy notes and graphite. The palate is juicy and lithe, packed with vibrant red fruit, building to a defiantly savoury finish. Herbal and creamy layers complement a stony, earthy richness, the palate mouthwatering with powdered tannins that caress the tongue. With time in the glass, floral aromatics and even more spice emerge. A very impressive result. Aged 18 months in new French oak. Blend: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 0.5% Malbec
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Jim Gordon, jamessuckling.com
More reviews and scores
Very pretty, elegant, and seamless, the 2022 Opus One offers a terrific perfume of red and black fruits intermixed with fresh flowers and assorted baking and woody spices. It's medium to full-bodied on the palate, has a fresh, elegant, lively mouthfeel, fine tannins, and a great finish. It's an incredibly successful, pure, seamless 2022 that will evolve beautifully over the coming 15-20 years. Drink 2025-2045.
They picked pre- and post- the severe early September heat spell. Silacci: One of the most important vintages to show people what we’re up to. The result of our work in the vineyard.’ (2023 is bottled but not yet released.) Following early-winter rains which provided 12 inches more rain than the previous year, the late-winter months were unseasonably dry. Late spring weather was turbulent, but did not impact flowering or fruit set. But extreme temperatures during harvest were challenging. Pre-emptive measures had been taken in advance of this heatwave; selective irrigation was based on specific vine needs and the result was notable freshness in the fruit. Harvest was 24 August to 26 September. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 0.5% Malbec. 20-day skin contact. 18 months in new French oak. Hint of sweetness and still chewy. Surprisingly savoury. Long. Obviously still very youthful. (JR)
Picked before, during and after the year's early September heat, the 2022 Opus One—a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 0.5% Malbec—admirably reflects the vintage, boasting a ripe, extroverted personality but also a slightly open-knit, coarser mouthfeel than either the 2021 or 2023. Rosemary and sandalwood notes accent cherries on the nose, while the medium- to full-bodied palate is expansive and plush, finishing with ample length and soft tannins.
About the producer
Created by Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Opus One is one of the most famous wines and estates in the Napa Valley. Its iconic Cabernet Sauvignon combines the elegance and freshness of Bordeaux with the natural ripeness and opulence of Napa.