1997 Opus One, Napa Valley 1×1.5L

Vinous 90

Full medium red, not particularly bright. Fully mature, slightly rustic aromas of plum, leather and cedary cigar box, with hints of game and veggies. Began savory and quite dry, even a little tart and spiky as if in decline, then gained in roundness in the glass, showing a somewhat darker fruit character. The brett suggestions faded with air but the greenness remained behind. Ultimately fairly suave in the middle palate but the initially fine-grained tannins turned a bit gritty with air. [Stephen Tanzer, 01/09/2017]

Anticipated maturity: 2017-2023

Robert Parker 88

Now don’t get me wrong, 88 points signifies a very good to excellent wine. But in the context of the vintage, not to mention what this wine should be, this is a disappointment. The 1997 tastes as if it were made from yields that were too high. They may tell you it is elegant and complex, but, truthfully, there is not much depth, and the wine will have a relatively short lifeline of 10-12 years. A dark ruby color is accompanied by a complex nose of plums, black cherries, currants, smoke, and leather. The wine reveals more new oak than normal for Opus, as well as medium body, good depth, dry, hard tannins in the finish, and little weight or length. Drink this over the next 8-10 years. [Robert Parker, 12/01/2000]

Anticipated maturity: 2000-2010