2006 Opus Juan

2006 Opus One - Napa Valley, California $180. This is the California answer to the first growths of Bordeaux, Opus One. Originally a 50 - 50 joint venture between Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild, that is comprised of Bordeaux varietals, with the largest percentage of the blend belonging to cabernet sauvignon. This is one of the most hyped and at times overhyped wines ever, also one of the most famous wine of the world. This is a collectors wine and one that will easily age 20 years and more. I have often been a critic of this wine. The few vintages I've had have been good but not impressive and not living up to the hype for sure, with many other wines from the Napa Valley far surpassing it, but I am beginning to think that Opus is headed in a good direction. I had the '88 vintage a few weeks ago, and it was the least impressive wine of the night, being served in company of it's peers, various Napa Cabernets from various older vintages. This being said I just had the privilege of touring the winery during harvest and I was able to see them crushing grapes. While working on a cellar crew elsewhere in Napa at the time, I was able to see and more importantly understand the processes at work. I must say Opus is doing everything they can to make a great bottle of wine, and I am impressed with their efforts and attention to detail. Opus takes every step to ensure that only the best grapes go into the wine. They have about 15 workers on the sorting tables, that is impressive and costly. The grapes come into the cellar in fyb's (fuckin yellow boxes), small plastic bins that hold a small amount of grapes, to keep the grapes from crushing under their own weight. The grape clusters then get sorted with all none grape material (such as leaves) and unripe grapes being removed. After being destemmed the grapes are then picked over for any unripe grapes or material other than grapes that may have made it to this point. The single grapes then drop into the crusher where they are gently crushed and the material falls directly in to the stainless steel fermenting tank. It is a very impressive operation that they have done since the inception of the winery. Opus is also in the beginning of a slow 25 year replanting project. I got to say they do everything they can to ensure to best goes into each bottle of wine. The spare no expense using only 100% new french oak, this is rare to use a barrel for only one vintage, most wineries use the barrels for two, sometimes three vintages. Also for using only new oak, the wine did not show too much oak, just the right amount. After having the '88 Opus a few week ago, then tasting the '06 after the tour, I think I liked the '06 better, it was a dense and concentrated, very nice wine. If you have the opportunity to taste Opus One, I highly recommend it. It is something every wine lover must experience, then decide for yourself your opinion. There is possible no other wine that elicits such wide ranging opinions. As for the '06 I definitely liked it and recommend it, look for good thing to come from this wine in the future.

www.opusonewinery.com

p.s. the '05 vintage is shown, the '06 looks the same except for the year. The label has never changed they all look the same as shown.