2005 Opus One

From a cooler vintage, the 2005 Opus One is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, with the final 1% Malbec brought up, I believe, in mostly new French oak. It’s another beautifully perfumed wine that’s firing on all cylinders today and offers mature dark fruits, sappy tobacco, chocolate, and abundant minerality. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it’s fully mature yet still has good mid-palate depth, noticeable tannins, and a great finish. I’d certainly be thrilled to drink a bottle. It will evolve for another 15+ years with no issues. (02/2023)

The 2005 Opus One is deep garnet in color. It is a little closed to begin, soon unfurling to reveal notes of prunes, Christmas cake, mocha, and star anise with wafts of black truffles and tapenade. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers chewy tannins and just enough freshness to support the understated black fruits and earthy layers, finishing on a stewed tea note. (01/2023)

Singing. Full throat too. The core is warm, enticing and full-formed, with red currant and black cherry compote notes that still seem to be pushing outward, while a warm earth spine holds the center line. Along the edges are singed cedar, sandalwood, red tea and savory notes. It all knits through the finish, with a tug of warm loam providing a perfect bit of ballast. This gets better every time I taste it. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. -- Non-blind Opus One vertical (July 2025). Drink now through 2040. 22,500 cases made. 

- James Molesworth (09/2025)

This famous wine, first created by the late Baron Philippe de Rothschild and the late Robert Mondavi, started off life as a very good, but rarely exceptional wine. Over the last ten or more years, the administration at Mouton Rothschild, particularly the team led by Philippe Dhalluin, has truly pushed the level of quality to the point where this is clearly one of the great wines of Napa. And after so many years, it represents the pinnacle of French viticultural knowledge combined with that of California and Napa’s Shangri La-like microclimate. The 2005 Opus One, a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec, has a ruby/purple color and a beautiful, sweet nose of créme de cassis and spring flowers. Complex and medium to full-bodied, with silky tannin and superb purity and balance, this is exactly what Opus One was meant to be when it was first proposed. Of course, it is a popular wine to criticize, but the quality has never been better, and certainly 2005 is a beauty. It is reaching full maturity at ten years, but I think there is still another 10-15+ years of upside potential in this wine. It is full-bodied, opulent and, dare I say, delicious. Given its popularity and brand recognition, it’s nice to know that even at a major steak house you can probably find this wine and be thrilled to buy it and drink it.

- Robert M. Parker, Jr. (06/2015)