2005 Opus One

DATE CONSUMED

Sunday, March 31, 2013 (Easter)

VINTAGE

2005

WINERY/PRODUCER

Opus One

WINE NAME

Opus One

TYPE OF WINE

Red blend

COMPOSITION

88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

N/A

REGION/APPELLATION/A.V.A. (American Viticultural Area)

Napa Valley, California

ALCOHOL CONTENT

14.0%

PRICE PAID

N/A (this wine was a gift from my dad’s cousin)

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

This wine was a gift for my dad from my dad’s cousin, who used to have a liquor store and bought all kinds of wines by the case(s).  Since we have a wine cooler/fridge, we stored this wine for my dad until he was ready to open it. 

BOUQUET

This wine explodes with black fruit and herbs, along with hints/suggestions/rumors of earth and oak.  This wine smells like it’s going to be a rich, creamy, fruity, spicy, delicious Bordeaux blend.  Let’s see if the bouquet properly foretells how the wine will taste………

 

TASTING NOTES

WOW, this wine is indeed a rich, creamy, silken, gorgeous blend with tons of black fruit (plums, black cherries, and blackberries), as well as secondary tones of red fruits like raspberries and cherries, along with savory herbs, creamy oak (which contributes a touch of vanilla in the background), and still-firm, ripe tannins supporting a rock-solid structure.

This Bordeaux blend’s elements are all beautifully integrated; the black/red fruit, spices, earth and oak, tannins and acidity, exceptional fruit and flavor extraction, with a beautiful, smooth, well-balanced and lingering finish. 

My dad’s cousin gave Arthur and me a 1997 Opus One years ago and it was FANTASTIC.  We had this 2005 Opus One for Easter dinner, along with a 1993 Opus One (see my notes on the 1993 as well; it was VERY different from this 2005 version).  Of the three Opus Ones I’ve tasted over the years, I would have to say the 1997 was the best, followed by the 2005, and then the 1993.  The 1993 Opus One was very Old School (austere, lower alcohol, etc.), while the 1997 was more “modern” while this 2005 is a VERY modern Napa Valley Cabernet/Bordeaux Blend.  In other words, this blend is indeed extraordinarily rich, creamy, fruity, and delicious.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We paired this wine with lamb chops topped with a roasted garlic, rosemary, and parsley pesto-like sauce.  The combination of the rich, creamy, ripe fruit and the wine’s savory spices paired gorgeously with the savory, spicy lamb. 

This wine would also pair well with just about any other red meat dish, especially a thick ribeye, curried lamb shanks, or prime rib.

AGING POTENTIAL

This wine is drinking GORGEOUSLY right now and has the structure to continue to mature and age beautifully for another 20+ years.

SCORE (on a 100-point scale)

94

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)

Unknown (don’t know what this wine cost years ago and I’m not sure you could even find this bottle anywhere anymore)

WINERY WEBSITE

http://www.opusonewinery.com/