Opus One Half 1986

Opus One Half 1986

Duty Paid
£220.00
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  • Jane Anson rating 93
  • Vinous rating 91
  • Robert Parker rating 87
  • Jancis Robinson rating 87
Opus One Half 1986
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HED50074

37.5 cl

13.5%
£220.00
Taxes included.

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93 Jane Anson
Dark tawny in colour, with a ruby core, this builds and maintains its intensity through the mid palate and onwards to a long drawn out finish. Packed with tobacco, raspberry, black cherry, black pepper, freshly cut herbs and turmeric spice, takes its time to show the subtler nuances of flavour and this feels young overall, with an emphasis on spice that unpacks over a good hour in the glass. More proof of how Opus is comfortable being left to age for decades in bottle. 21 days skin contact, winemakers Patrick Léon and Tim Mondavi.Jane Anson3rd August 2022
91 Vinous
The 1986 Opus One surprises for its bright, racy personality. Here the fruit is distinctly high-toned, while the aromatics remain lifted and focused almost to the point of being piercing, which is needless to say unusual for a wine of this age. Then again, 1986 was a year of significant flooding, so it may simply be that the fruit was picked at lower levels of ripeness than the norm. Stylistically, the 1986 belongs alongside leaner vintages such as 1995 and 2011. The blend is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc and 4% Merlot. Antonio Galloni1st June 2013
87 Jancis Robinson
Most of the early Opus One vintages (1979-1986), have neither lived up to their early hype, nor the quality level implied by their bold pricing. The 1986 exhibits a medium dark plummy color with some lightening at the edge. The reluctant bouquet offers moderately intense, straightforward aromas of new oak, earth, and currants. Clipped and compressed on the palate, but elegant, with purity and a Bordeaux-like austerity, this appears to be a very good, yet polite and understated wine. It should last for 7-8 years, but I suspect it will continue to lose its fruit.
The tasting notes for this section are from two single blind tastings, one conducted in May, 1996, in California, and the other in June, 1996, in Baltimore.Robert Parker31st August 1996

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A First Growth in Napa

Known as NapaMedoc for the first three vintages and rebranded in 1982 as Opus One, this iconic Californian winery was founded as a joint venture between Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Château Mouton Rothschild and Robert Mondavi. The objective was to recreate a First Growth level, Bordeaux style wine in the Napa Valley and by every measure, they succeeded. The Grand Vin is a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot and is aged for 18 months in 100% new French oak before being laid down for a further 18 months to mature in bottle. Since 1993, they have produced a second wine, Overture.

The winemaker is Micheal Silacci who apprenticed under legendary Napa winemakers Andre Tchelistcheff and Warren Winiarski and previously held positions at Beaulieu Vineyard and Stag's Leap Wine Cellars.

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