Tom Garland

9.5

+1 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment). A splendid medium dark ruby red color with bricking. On the nose: Tantalizing perfumed notes of stewed plum/cherry, worn leather, smoke, forest floor, stewed meat, cedar, eucalyptus. Taste: creamy, elegant, with power and depth wine...plum, currants, smokey earth, graphite, saline, dusty crushed gravel, tobacco leaf, and a nice medium plus finish. YUM!! — 13 days ago

with Brenda

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

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!
— a month ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

This was drinking well, open, floral, silky showing red cherry, berry fruit with lots of spice, floral, earth, mineral, rose petal & violet — 3 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

Pours a deep cherry with a tawny rim. Nose of an old cedar chest of drawers, blueberry, blackcurrant and earth - very polished. Those notes from the nose translate onto the medium + bodied palate - reflecting the excellent vintage. It’s easy to get swept up with Grand Cru Burgundy but don’t forget about aged classed growth Bordeaux of quality like this - just superb. Went well with Roast Beef for Sunday Lunch. — 20 days ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Nice color of dark ruby with a reddish rim.

Fruity nose of black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, licorice, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, spices, earth and black tea.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, blackberries, coffee, herbs, chocolates, light oak, licorice, spices, light earth, tobacco leaf and black pepper.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Merlot based blend from Saint Julien. Elegant and spicy. Fruit forward and chocolatey.

I've had a few vintages of this wine and it is very consistent and always delicious, especially with age.

This 7 year old 4th growth Bordeaux is starting to drink beautifully now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years.

Well balanced, complex and interesting. Rich and inviting.

Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food.

A blend of 50% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Aged in (60% new) French Oak barrels for 18 months.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$150. — a month ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

This needed a couple of hours decant to shed some of its tannin structure & open to show mostly black fruits, spice, earth, leather, pepper & tobacco — 3 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Opened and decanted hours prior to dinner; enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 1989 appears a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of tart, ripe, and dried fruits: cassis, blackberries, black cherry, black plum, tobacco, Poblano pepper, mixed dried flowers, some cocoa, pencil shavings, dried green herbs, a touch of leather, some organic and gravelly earth and fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin (integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Fabulous stuff with plenty of fuel left in the tank. Drink now through 2039. — 3 months ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of 90 minutes. The 2020 Classico pours a garnet color with a translucent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of Morello cherry, pomegranate, red flowers, old wood, and dry gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. My first time trying the 2020 vintage of Produttori’s Classico and it’s another really lovely, benchmark example of Barbaresco. Drink now through 2040. — a month ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

This needed a lot of air to show its mostly black fruits, berry, graphite, cedar, leather, spice, earth & tobacco. — 2 months ago

Tom Garland

9.1

Double decant and pour(lots of sediment). A splendid medium ruby red color. On the nose: a little stewed red fruit, herbaceous, worn leather, mint, sweet smokey oak, loamy soil. Taste: smooth, elegant, savory wine with a touch of dried red fruit, dried herbs, cocoa, damp earth, minerals, and a spiced iron/meaty medium finish. YUM! Mature and on the long downside, but still drinks nicely at 28 years. — 2 months ago

with Brenda