Jay Kline

9.3

Presented double-blind at dinner. The wine pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core and a slightly orange rim with considerable variation; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and desiccated fruit: black currants, blackberries, plum, pipe tobacco, capsicum, pencil shavings, a touch leather, organic earth and a mix of dried herbs and some fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Really tasty stuff.

Initial conclusions: this is an old wine, likely 30-40 years old. That being said, it’s still very distinguishable as it’s showing varietal characteristics. This could be Cabernet Sauvignon (or a blend thereof), Cabernet Franc (or a blend thereof), or Merlot (or a blend thereof). I can see this being Napa because the fruit is still showing some generosity. But there’s a lot of non-fruits there too. Regardless, this was giving Left Bank vibes so I could also see this being Bordeaux from a great vintage like 1982. And that’s my call, Cabernet Sauvignon-blend from France, Bordeaux, Saint-Estèphe, from a classified growth like Calon-Ségur. Shucks. But I’m not mad about my choice! Old Opus One’s are tricky to differentiate. Drinking very well right now but this will live well past 2035. — 4 days ago

Severn G

9.4

Notes are cumbersome, so no notes today but plus side, scores are honest and I should be a professional reviewer, LOL. (This wine was crazy, one of the best Gamay I've had...)

On the Lawn at Tanglewood this final afternoon with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Our guest conductor Michael Tilson Thomas is leading IVES (Psalm 90) and BEETHOVEN (Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Opus 125).

After a two-year pause, we arrive again to the day when Beethoven concludes on these hallowed grounds. The 9th by Beethoven is always bittersweet for us, as it marks the end of the official Symphony and Pops season for the BSO at their Summer home. It is a wonderful and singularly emotive piece moved with the full force of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus (110+) conveying the message of a divine spark of joy that makes all people one. The music and the day almost bring me to tears on an annual basis...
'Freude, schöner Götterfunken!' / 'Joy, beauteous, godly spark!' — 4 years ago

Rob N

9.2

I quite enjoyed this wine, but difficult following up after an Opus One! — 5 years ago

Soshi Takao

9.4

I have totally run short of my stocks except Opus One 2001. — 6 years ago

Justin C. Thompson

9.2

I had this opened next to a 2007 Opus One. It spent an hour in the decanter. I actually preferred over the opus one. It has a deeper color and provided notes of blackberry, vanilla and pepper. Gravity fed winery, very cool. — 7 years ago

Jeff Clement

9.4

Cabin neighbors Glenn and Karen brought over over bonfire. Was really good but didn’t realize was $200 range like insignia and opus one. Like others as well in hundred range — 7 years ago

Michael Chan

9.0

Original purchase and in our cellar ever since. Definitely developed but still dark red fruit and medium long finish. Showed much better that the 2005 Opus One — a month ago

Wulf Losee

9.3

2021 opened April 2025. This is a luscious wine, but I can’t help but nitpick. All the individual components are very one-dimensional. That’s not to say they all don’t work together well to make a great wine – but there’s nothing challenging on the palate about this vintage. If you like the monolithic cabs produced by Opus 1, then this wine is for you. However, I’d prefer a little more quirky individualism in my tipples.

The nose is overwhelmingly tobacco. The front is heavy with red fruit. The tannic structure is heavy, smooth, and silky. It has a medium long finish with hints of volcanic minerals. This wine is so perfect that it’s boring. If you like perfect perfection then up my score to 100 points, but I like the little challenges that quirky vintages give me. — a year ago

Clay Bullwinkel

9.5

One of the best California Syrahs. 3% Viognier. Basket pressed. Unfiltered, unfixed. Violets, black fruits, dried apricots. Overture of herbal spices, honey and cocoa. — 5 years ago

Vinny Voci

9.2

Consistent with the Opus lead pencil, dark chocolate, and dark cherry fruit. Tannins are rich and refined. This is delicious. — 5 years ago

jesus g

Hospitality Schramsberg Vineyards

10

Wanted to raise a glass to Kobe. 1978 was his birth year and the final year that had all the premier fruit! The following year all that amazing juice went to the first bottling of Opus One. This was very emotionally impactful for us. Amazing wine! — 7 years ago

Brian Friedman

9.2

Love this reminds me of opus one — 7 years ago

Severn G

9.2

On the Lawn at Tanglewood this final afternoon with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Our guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero (Nashville Symphony director) is leading SCHOENBERG (Friede auf Erde, Opus 13 (Peace on Earth), for unaccompanied chorus) and BEETHOVEN (Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Opus 125).

The 9th by Beethoven is always bittersweet for us, as it marks the end of the official Symphony and Pops season for the BSO at their Summer home. It is a wonderful and singularly emotive moving piece, with the full force of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus at 250+ singers, conveying the message of a divine spark of joy that makes all people one.
'Freude, schöner Götterfunken!' / 'Joy, beauteous, godly spark!'

Nose has ripe yellow apple, lightly oxidized green apple peel, baked phyllo dough, partially aromatic white flowers and damp rocks. I always get a natural wine vibe here, without the vinegar-like profile, but it seems alive!

Palate has baked green and yellow apple pastry, crisp acidity yet dense, candle wax begins on the finish and ends with dry granite. Great balance, very lengthy finish, clean and not cumbersome, superb vintage, long life ahead. We love you Jean-Jacques. — 7 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2022 vintage. Drinking better now, and for the foreseeable future, than the 2022 Opus. 6.24.26. — 3 months ago

Severn G

9.1

NV | Champagne
(100% Pinot Noir)
Marie Demets; Tradition
Extra Brut-Blanc de Noirs
Côte des Bar; Gyé-sur-Seine, France
Tirage 5 March 2022 / Disgorged 7 June 2023
Lot No. T-22/2
(90-92; Drink 2024-30)

On the Lawn at Tanglewood this afternoon with the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra (the overly talented youth!). Our conductor Andris Nelsons is leading IVES (Three Places in New England, Orchestral Set No. 1), BEETHOVEN (Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Opus 37) and STRAUSS (Also sprach Zarathustra, Opus 30...aka 2001: A Space Odyssey, Stanley Kubrick❤️).

One of our local treasures, Emanuel Ax on piano for the Beethoven Concerto! — 2 years ago

Marc Melser

9.2

We had the 2012 Vintage on 10/24-25/21. SG produces an excellent wine at a reasonable price. Very near Opus One and less than half of that price. A bouquet of blackberry and cedar. Tastes of blackberry, plum, oak, kirsch and chocolate. A full bodied wine with a long finish. An excellent representative of the Napa floor. The tannins were fine but smoothed out. — 5 years ago

Steven Lee

9.3

Blind tasted. Very good. Herb, vegetal and soy sauce. For a chilean wine cannot beat julien and opus one but very good for the value — 6 years ago

Al Shikoh

9.8

intense aromatics, blackberry, milk chocolate, vanilla bean, licorice, pencil shavings, menthol; dark fruit and sweet fine grained tannins with incredible concentration, density, and persistence; 14.6% ABV; 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Farella Vineyard planted in red volcanic soils, fruit used to go to Opus One; in a fantastic place right now; $150 — 7 years ago

Hermes Cuello

9.8

This is the best wine in Chile and possibly one of the best in the continent, the Opus one of Chile! Absolutely stunning! — 7 years ago

Lauren Prial

9.5

Insanely special - so soft and silky I honestly don’t know how else to describe it. This was a bucket list wine for me after reading so much about the 2014 vintage back in 2016/2017. I feel ridiculous saying it’s good value but it’s half the price of Opus One and every bit as decadent. Would love to visit Lewis next time I’m in the Napa Valley. — 8 years ago