A blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot, cabernet franc and malbec, this is an age-worthy gem for any serious collector's cellar. Launched in 1984 with the dual release of the 1979 and 1980 vintages, this joint venture between Robert Mondavi and the Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Bordeaux's Mouton-Rothschild, has been the standard-bearer is American ultra-premium wine for more than 20 years. The wine comes from three meticulously managed vineyards in Napa Valley; they are hand-sorted and moved gently, by gravity, from the destemmer to stainless steel fermenting tanks. And since there is only one Opus One, each fermentation tank is dedicated to a single lot, allowing the wine to develop at its own pace, drawing color and extracting beautiful flavor. Sink your teeth into this amazingly balanced and structured wine now, with a little decanting, or lay it down for the next five to seven years

Rating

The opaque purple-hued 2005 exhibits an extraordinary nose of violets, creme de cassis, charcoal, and spring flowers. Gorgeously pure, opulently full-bodied, with sweet tannins, superb concentration, and a low acid, ripe, tannic finish, it tastes like a top-notch vintage of ripe Bordeaux, but made in California. It can be drunk now and over the next 20-25 years. Bravo! With a new winemaking team in place, and no longer any influence from the Mondavis, it is ironic that Opus One appears to have produced its greatest trilogy of vintages to date. This wine has always been more about sizzle than substance. While some top wines have emerged, others have been riddled with brett as well as lacking in concentration. That accusation can not be made against any of these three vintages. Robert Parker 95 points (Dec 2008) A tightly knit youngster, with hints of earthy cedar, tar and tobacco which join ripe currant, red cherry, anise, leather, sage and spice, ending with a strong, structured tannic finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Best from 2010 through 2016. 22,500 cases made. –JL Wine Spectator 90 points (Oct 31 2008)