1988 vintage. Medium body. Lighter Sauternes color. Plenty of golden/ripe notes along with exquisite caramel influence but it was the acidity that stole the show. Didn’t even have to cross the fingers, hold my breath or “pretend” it was still alive. Fully mature and raring to go. Not improving but not declining either. So much life ahead. I think “Woof!” accurately sums it all up. 3.20.26. — 3 months ago
Opus One 2011
Napa Valley, California, USA 🇺🇸
Overview
A Bordeaux-style blend from one of Napa’s most iconic estates, co-founded by Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild. The 2011 vintage was a challenging, cool year in Napa, producing wines of lower alcohol, more restraint, and higher acidity compared to the opulent, sun-soaked vintages before and after. Blend typically centers on Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec.
Aromas & Flavors
Opens with blackcurrant, cassis, and dried cherry layered with graphite, violets, tobacco leaf, and hints of cedar and espresso. As it evolves in the glass, notes of leather, savory herbs, and cocoa powder emerge.
Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied compared to more powerful Opus vintages, with fresh acidity and fine-grained tannins. Elegant and balanced, showing more finesse and structure than richness. The finish lingers with red and black fruits, spice, and a touch of earth.
Winemaking Notes
Aged in French oak for 18 months. The cooler season resulted in smaller yields, but a style closer to classic Bordeaux restraint rather than plush Napa ripeness.
Food Pairing
Beautiful with herb-crusted lamb, grilled duck breast, wild mushroom risotto, or aged cheeses like Comté.
Verdict
A vintage that divided critics due to its lighter profile, but for those who enjoy elegance and classical structure, the 2011 Opus One is a refreshing outlier. Drink now, though it still has a few years of graceful life ahead. Cheers!
— 10 months ago
Day 2 of WineBoyz Wineapalooza. Tasted blind, but the whole weekend was built around taking down this bottle so we had a good idea this was it. Deep dark reddish color with amber rims. Looks a little like an old Madeira, and darker the 61 Latour next to it. Crazy nose that evolved all day long. Deep and penetrating, very floral. Notes of dark fruit, smoked meat, black truffles, cocoa, hoisin sauce, mushrooms and dark earth. Rich and silky in the mouth. I kept a glass of this in front of me all day long so I could monitor the evolution of it. Peacocks in a way that only a few wines can. My friend got this at an auction where the consignor was the original owner and acquired it directly from the Domaine - so impeccable provenance. Clearly one of the great, all-time bottles. A freak of nature and winemaking. Thanks for sharing, Murray! — 4 years ago
From a great old looking bottle with a mid shoulder fill. Cork is fully saturated and the crud under the capsule had formed a strong seal. Slow-ox’d for a few hours, then decanted for an hour or two before taken to L’Escargot in Carmel. Amber tawny rims with a reddish tawny core. Crazy nose right from the start. Notes of sweet black cherries, tobacco leaf, plums, black pepper, ash and crusty wood, pencil shavings, some just unwrapped cigar and some menthol. Silky in the mouth with firm structure and soft but present acidity. Long and memorable finish. Outstanding performance over several hours. — 6 years ago
Выпито Ириной и Дианой на Маврикии 01.02.2026 в ресторане Botteghita .Первое вино 2025 года , которое я попробовал. Не мое - слишком кислотный совиньон Блан. Но девушкам зашло. — 5 months ago
I haven’t had a Bordeaux in a while. Especially, with a Ribcap. So, why not an 82? The vintage Robert Parker made his career as the only critic who called it correctly.
Very good 80’s Bordeaux were my first true wine love. Their style & 12-13% ABV will always be my cherished infatuation. Wished it had never changed.
Bought this Calon Segur on the secondary market several yrs ago. Tricky cork. Used my Durand. All good. Fill line perfect, no bottle neck tannin burn but plenty of velvety sediment.
If any of you ever wondered why there is a heart on the label. Here is the interesting reason…
It symbolizes the estate's deep-rooted history and the affection of its former owner, the Marquis de Ségur. Despite owning prestigious estates like Château Lafite and Château Latour, he famously declared, "I make wine at Lafite and Latour, but my heart is at Calon." His sentiment is immortalized by the heart emblem on the label.
Opened it and let it breathe from the bottle for 45 minutes. Tasted it and decanting it in stages. Then, stopped 1/2 way through and poured the bottom half of the bottle from the bottle.
82 is such a grand, classic vintage. For the most part, I drink Calon Segur’s too early, even at 20 yrs of age. I don’t want to say it is a long in tooth as its neighbor, Montrose, but it is close. This 82 is drinking perfectly w/ 41 yrs in bottle and will hold another 5 yrs. Such soft, perfectly darkish spices with elegantly ripe fruits.
This 82 glides over the palate. There is only beautiful elegance, nothing bites back. The fruits are older (not old or past their prime), ripe fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, both plums but lean plum vs black, dark cherries, crazy, outstanding, hoovering raspberries with notes of blueberries & shades of freshly picked rhubarb. Some black cherry cola, anise to understated black licorice, dark chocolate pudding, caramel, layered, gentle baking spices-nutmeg, clove, cinnamon & vanillin, touch of sun tea, old leather, dryish to fresh tobacco w/ash, charcoal, elegant graphite, dry limestone powder, dry river pebbles, black, rich earth w/ dry leaves, magical, dark spices, grey volcanics, dry stems, just a hint of dry herbs, dry top soil, fresh & withering dark, red flowers, red roses, grand acidity with perfect; balance, tension, structure and a grand, gentle finish that goes on & on and eventually lands on an amazing soft buffet of earthiness.
This is a wine that is technically a 94, but w/ evolution & style a 97. Amazing bottle that you don’t want to end.
$500 a bottle today through the app. Somewhere around $10 upon release. — 6 months ago


Decanted for around an hour, the recently released 2013 Grand Vin from Chateau Musar is an enormous wine at present in its youth. Gradually, it opened into a gorgeous, exotic and utterly unique product of this unlikely corner of the wine world. There’s plenty of Bordeaux-like character in the form of dark fruit and cigar box, but there are notes too of cranberry, liquorice, clove, mandarin and five spice. The mouthfeel, as a whole, has a quasi Brunello quality to it, with its bright cherry fruit and mouthwatering acidity. But woe is anyone to compare this wine to any other, for it is incomparable. One of Serge Hochar’s last vintages before his passing in 2014, and one that will doubtless have a long life. — 5 years ago
Fabulous! A long life ahead it of, complex, wild, personality for days. — 6 years ago
This far too young but when I have a chance to look in on Cheval Blanc I do.
Nose shows; ripe blackberries, strawberries, dark cherries, plum, moist clays, coffee, moist herbs, roasted chestnuts, amazing florals that are red flowers, red roses, lilacs & violets.
The palate shows some nice evolution but still too young to drink. Ripe and slightly candied; blackberries, strawberries, dark cherries, raspberries & plum. Moist clays, coffee, moist herbs, roasted chestnuts, espresso, mid berry cola, caramel, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, crazy, round, bold spice, moist tobacco, used leather, graphite, dark, rich earth, dry stone, limestone, soft oak powder notes, amazing florals that are red flowers, red roses, lilacs & violets, round, rainfall acidity, balance, mid structure/tension, grand length and a two-minute long polished finish.
94-97 — a day ago
Young and bold with all its life ahead of itself. — 5 months ago
Double magnum still has a lot of life left we sure enjoyed it with the crowd!! — 8 months ago
Very smooth flavorful Pinot noir. Good vanilla notes. Great inexpensive table wine. — 4 years ago
Bought in 2005 at the bargain price of $22. I’d been saving it. Worth the wait. It was absolutely delicious, old school, refined, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at its peak. If I could only drink one wine for the rest of my life, this would be it (assuming availability). — 5 years ago
Top shoulder. Got the cork out in one piece. Absolutely perfect bottle with a lot left to give. Thick balsamic fruit, soft tannins, integrated oak, fresh acidity, everything in absolute balance. In a way almost perfect on the verge of lacking a bit of personality, but only almost. This has 10 years of life ahead of it but No reason to wait. — 6 years ago
Pinotman /// Andreas
40 years birthday crazy party. So many 1986’s. No formal notes. This was bright and surprisingly fresh. My favorite of the evening. — 17 hours ago