Tasting Notes
Robert Parker 88
Now don’t get me wrong, 88 points signifies a very good to excellent wine. But in the context of the vintage, not to mention what this wine should be, this is a disappointment. The 1997 tastes as if it were made from yields that were too high. They may tell you it is elegant and complex, but, truthfully, there is not much depth, and the wine will have a relatively short lifeline of 10-12 years. A dark ruby color is accompanied by a complex nose of plums, black cherries, currants, smoke, and leather. The wine reveals more new oak than normal for Opus, as well as medium body, good depth, dry, hard tannins in the finish, and little weight or length. Drink this over the next 8-10 years. P.S. By the way, the price went up $20 and the quality has gone down. Tel. (707) 944-9442; fax (707) 948-2496
Anticipated maturity: 2000-2010
Vinous 90
Full medium red, not particularly bright. Fully mature, slightly rustic aromas of plum, leather and cedary cigar box, with hints of game and veggies. Began savory and quite dry, even a little tart and spiky as if in decline, then gained in roundness in the glass, showing a somewhat darker fruit character. The brett suggestions faded with air but the greenness remained behind. Ultimately fairly suave in the middle palate but the initially fine-grained tannins turned a bit gritty with air.
Anticipated maturity: 2017-2023