Opus One 2022 (750ml)
Product price
Description
Opus One's 2022 Napa Valley blend is a Bordeaux-style red anchored by Cabernet Sauvignon (80 percent) and rounded out with Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and a touch of Malbec. The vintage's early heat shaped the picking strategy, beginning with Merlot in late August. The wine spent eighteen months in French oak.
On the nose, chocolate and cherry mingle with rose petal and cedar shavings, backed by sandalwood and hints of rosemary. The palate is juicy and alive, full of succulent fruit with a modern ripeness and sunshine. The tannins are notably creamy and slightly grippy, giving the wine structure without heaviness, and the finish stretches long with purity and delicacy. This is a wine that prioritizes elegance and charm over sheer power, rewarding immediate enjoyment while built with enough substance to age gracefully.
Expert Reviews
Chocolate, cherry and rose petal aromas on the nose. Very open and alive - this has a great energy from the aromatics alone with soft cedar shavings, vanilla bean and bramble fruit. Juicy and lively, this is full of fun - fruity and concentrated. The tannins are just wonderful, creamy and slightly grippy, extending the flavours vertically. Tons of juicy, succulent fruit - this feels quite modern but still with that flash of sunshine and ripeness. Long lasting with purity and delicacy that make it so enjoyable. A wonderful creation from Michael Silacci. This is not your typical blockbuster at all, this is a darling of a wine. 0.5% Malbec completes the blend. The Opus team chose to pick early and quickly given the heat spikes in 2022, starting with the Merlot on 24th August. Ageing 18 months in French oak.
Smoky, fragrant and powerful, this has clear intensity with tightly-grained tannins. With coaxing, the body of the wine softens to show chalky tannins, crushed rose petals and violet flowers, impressive delicacy to the aromatics despite the heat of this vintage. Great stuff, once again showing how Opus knows when to take the foot off the pedal, how to sverve towards grace. Picking was exceptionally early, coming on August 24 for the Merlot, as they reacted to the forecast for a big heat dome. Michael Silacci director. Drink 2030-2045. (Jane Anson)
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.