Opus One® Opus One 2016 1.5L Magnum – 7834440925414

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Opus One bursts from the glass with ripe blueberries, black cherry jam and crème de cassis with hints of violets, dark chocolate, cedar chest and cardamom, plus a touch of charcoal. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, the palate delivers layer upon layer of opulent stewed black fruit with amazing tension and firm, ripe, fine-grained tannins, finishing long with a whole array of exotic spices coming through.

The 2016 Opus One is brilliant and shows yet again that 2016 was a magical vintage for Napa Valley. Based largely on Cabernet Sauvignon mixed with 8% each of Petit Verdot and Merlot, with 5% Cabernet Franc and a splash of Malbec, its deep purple hue is followed by a beautiful bouquet of black cherries, crème de cassis, and blueberry fruit intermixed with notions of cedary spice, toasty oak, graphite, and flowers. With an almost Bordeaux-like class and structure, this full-bodied beauty has no hard edges, plenty of ripe tannins, and is extraordinarily pure, elegant, and long. It can be drunk today (give it a healthy decant) or cellared for 2-3 decades. Rating: 97+.