Opus One Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

98 POINTS

Gary Walsh - The Wine Front

I passed up a fancy Chatto vs Rousseau lunch because I’d committed to this tasting, and gentlemen prefer Cabernet, anyway. CM went to the Chambertin fest as he’s known for his love of expensive wines, meanwhile, the man of the people, GW, rolls up his sleeves (well, I wore a T-shirt, so metaphorically, at least). A trio of wonderful vintages for the Napa in 2012, 2013, and 2014. This was tasted in a vertical including 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2014, and 2015. This was my preferred wine of the six, with a great fondness for the 2005. Importer: Airoldi Wines Incredible perfume here, all violets and the like, along with coffee, tobacco, blackcurrant, spice and all those rich, seductive Cabernet things. It’s full-bodied, but tense and savoury, earth and gravel, wide-grained but supple tannin, deep and throaty, a controlled roar of a power, pencils, and a superb sweet/tannic/earthy finish. It’s a wine of immaculate poise and structure. Regal. Incredible.

96 POINTS

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW - Wine Advocate

Deep garnet colored, the 2014 Opus One opens with youthful notes of warm blackberries, chocolate-covered cherries, redcurrant jelly and blackcurrant pastilles with hints of bay leaves, tobacco leaf and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, firm and grainy with a lively backbone and tightly wound black and red berry layers, it finishes with a compelling herbal lift.

96 POINTS

Jane Anson - Decanter

Sometimes a little overlooked, this is a vintage that falls closer to 2012 than 2013 in profile, at least on this showing - it has velvety tannins that pack a punch, and the concentration is clear, with well-structured confident tannins and a deep swirl of black pepper. 2% Malbec, 7% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 20 days skin contact. Earliest bud break in history, mild and dry seasons, harvest from September 5 to October 7.

96 POINTS

Antonio Galloni MW - Vinous

The 2014 Opus One is not as showy or obvious as some of the other surrounding vintages, but it will have its day. Stylistically, the 2014 is bright and also a touch linear, with a construction built more on focus rather than opulence. Readers should plan on giving the 2014 another few years in bottle at a minimum. The mid-weight style is a bit Old World-leaning in this striking, super-classic Opus One.

93 POINTS

Wine Spectator

Youthfully packed, featuring currant and cherry paste notes balled up at the core, while savory, menthol and sage flavors stay buried in the background. Offers a singed alder frame, with a telltale cast iron bolt emerging at the very end. This still has a ways to go before peaking. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec.—Non-blind Opus One vertical (September 2019). Best from 2027 through 2036. 27,000 cases made.