2010 Opus One, Napa Valley

The 2010 Opus One has become incredibly elegant and polished over the last year, while retaining its power, structure and intensity. Explosive throughout, the 2010 is every bit as compelling as it has always been. Hints of rose petal, violets, lavender and mint add nuance as the wine turns a bit brighter and more floral over time. Readers who can be patient will be rewarded with a fabulous wine, but the 2010 is pretty hard to resist, even today. This is yet another terrific showing from the 2010.

97 points Antonio Galloni vinous.com Dec 2014, Drink 2020 – 2035
 
A glorious perfume of sweet charcoal, truffle, black currants and spice box soars from the glass of the saturated purple-colored 2010 Opus One. The gorgeous aromatics are followed by a beautifully knit, full-bodied red blend (84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec) displaying lots of spicy black currant fruit, medium to full body, velvety tannins, and not a hard edge to be found. The texture, length and richness are all impressive. This estate has been making great Cabernet-based wines for nearly a decade ... and this is another one. Drink it over the next 20+ years.

96 points robertparker.com Oct 2013, Drink 20123-2033
 
Lots of blackcurrant and crème de cassis aromas. Then turns to mint and rose stem. Full body with broad but polished tannins and a fresh, clean finish. Powerful but poised. The finish lasts for minutes. Extremely well crafted. This needs time to soften and come together. One of the top Opus Ones for a long time. Winemaker says it is his best vintage ever. 84% cabernet sauvignon, 5.5% merlot, 5.5% cabernet franc, 4% petit verdot and 1% malbec.

96 points jamessuckling.com May 2014

The 2010 Opus One is Napa Valley at its most composed and quietly confident. This is a wine born from one of the great partnerships in modern wine history, a meeting of minds between Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild, with a shared vision of creating a single world class wine that could stand shoulder to shoulder with the great estates of Bordeaux while speaking clearly of Napa.

The vineyards lie in Oakville and surrounding benchlands, where gravelly soils and warm days are balanced by cool evenings drifting in from San Pablo Bay. Cabernet Sauvignon forms the core, supported by Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and a touch of Malbec, each playing its role in shaping the final blend. The 2010 vintage was challenging early on, but those difficulties rewarded patience and careful selection, resulting in a wine of restraint, structure and classical balance rather than overt power.

In the glass, the wine unfolds slowly. Blackcurrant, dark plum and blackberry sit alongside graphite, cedar, dried herbs and a subtle floral lift. With time, notes of cocoa, tobacco leaf and savoury spice emerge. The palate is refined and seamless, with finely grained tannins, fresh acidity and a long, composed finish that builds quietly rather than announcing itself loudly. Everything feels measured, calm and beautifully proportioned.

What makes the 2010 especially appealing now is its sense of maturity without fatigue. It has moved beyond youthful exuberance into a phase where complexity and harmony take centre stage, yet it still carries the structure to evolve gracefully for many years to come.

At the table, this suits classic dishes with depth rather than excess. Roast beef, lamb rack, duck or mushroom driven dishes all work beautifully. For collectors, the 2010 Opus One represents a more understated, thoughtful expression of the estate, one that rewards attention and time in the glass.