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Wine Description
The Story
Time is expressed in Opus One by the character of the vintage: sometimes with a personality that is highly defined and sometimes with a shade of difference quite subtle from other vintages. Through the minds and hands of the vineyard workers we capture time and the essence of the season – coaxing concentration and tempering abundance.
Place is often defined as terroir and denotes the special characteristics that geography, geology and climate bestow upon a vineyard. Place is best expressed in the mouthfeel of Opus One; it is the balance of power and finesse, structure and texture.
Complementing both time and place is the essential human element: the attitude, will and soulful attention embodied in the team of individuals who prune, harvest, cellar and embrace the vision of our founding partners.
Wine Information
Winemaker Notes: The 2016 Opus One is remarkably elegant and bright offering sumptuous aromas of fresh red and blue fruit, baking spices and vanilla, and a delicate fragrance of spring florals. The initial bouquet is augmented by more nuanced notes of sage, rosemary, and black olive. Juicy flavors of black cherry, blackberry and cassis flood the palate and creamy, fine-grained tannins deliver a delightfully round structure. Harmonious and lively, the flavors linger to create an enduring finish with touches of dark chocolate and espresso.
Blend: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec
Vintage 2016
2016 marked the fifth consecutive year of a punishing drought in Northern California; however, the Oakville estate was fortunate to receive 28½ inches of rain; most of which fell before March; making the soil conditions ideal for budbreak that began precociously on March 7th. Conditions in August were perfect for ripening and moderate temperatures persisted up until harvest with only a temporary heat spike in early September. Harvest began on September 9th under mild conditions which allowed the vineyard team to be more selective and work at a steady pace. As warming increased, so did the pace and the harvest was completed, in just 33 days, on October 12.