The 2017 Napa vintage will always be remembered for the devastating wildfires, which at the time were the most widespread and costly in Californian history. Ironically, 2017 started with the wettest January in over 20 years, a welcome end to a five-year drought. Abundant rainfall continued into the spring, delaying the budbreak by a fortnight. The summer was warm with occasional heat waves, finishing with perfect conditions in August, which “provided optimal condition for fruit development and maturation… Superb flavours and excellent ripening led to an earlier than expected harvest, which commenced on September 5th. The Opus team had 91% of the production harvested before the fires started on the 8th of October.
As ever, this collaboration between two wine-making pioneers: Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi is a picture of balance, elegance and power. It will certainly rank amongst the most complete and compelling wines of the vintage. To secure an allocation, please contact your account manager or email finewine@justerinis.com
Read MoreJane Anson, Decanter, 96/100
A fist of late summer cherries, raspberry and bilberry fruits set out their stall, all with the juicy character that confirms, even in a hot vintage like 2017, Opus can deliver balance and sculpted elegance. Beautiful grip, creamy texture with a strikingly powerful tannic frame. As the wine stays in the glass the floral aromatics begin to bloom up. A brilliant Opus. 20 days maceration - around half what it would have been a decade ago. 54% native yeast, as part of their native yeast project. 5% Merlot and 1% Malbec complete the blend. Harvest spread out over September 5 to October 8, just before the fires, by which time they had less than 10% of the fruit still out on the vines. 3.7pH. Drinking Window 2023 - 2045
Antonio Galloni, Vinous, 95+/100
A remarkable wine for the year, the 2017 Opus One is a dense, full-throttle beauty. Plush fruit and soft, silky contours give the 2017 its racy personality. Exotic, beautifully perfumed and impeccable in its balance, Opus One is one of the most complete wines of the vintage. In 2017, Opus One has a distinctly red-toned fruit profile that distinguishes it from the surrounding vintages.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate, 95/100
Opus One had picked 91% of their fruit before the fires started in 2017, and only two lots were eliminated from consideration. The 2017 Opus One, bottled in July 2019, is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.5% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4.5% Merlot and 1% Malbec. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it slowly grows on the nose, revealing compelling notes of baked black cherries, mulberries, black raspberries, warm cassis and blackberry pie with nuances of spice cake, yeast extract, tapenade, licorice and dusty soil with a waft of wild sage. Medium-bodied, the palate has a lively skip in its step, featuring bags of juicy raspberry and cassis-laced fruit and a refreshing line, supported by ripe, plush tannins, finishing long and graceful.
If you would like to place an order, please contact your account manager or email finewine@justerinis.com. Orders over £300.00 inc. VAT qualify for free delivery anywhere in mainland UK. For deliveries to highlands and islands please contact us for a quote.