Nose
Aromas of black olive and minerals underlie more traditional notes of dark chocolate, cola and espresso.
Palate
Showing flavors of ripe blueberry, cassis and liquorice, this age-worthy wine simultaneously offers a smooth finish and a slight grip of tannin at the close.
Growing Conditions
The estate vineyards of Opus One, comprised of 4 parcels, sit in the western portion of the famed Oakville AVA. Two parcels, totaling 100 acres, are within the renowned To Kalon Vineyard. These are complemented by the combined 70 acres of the Ballestra and River parcels, which envelop the winery. In the vineyards, hand-harvesting and other traditional approaches are taken wherever they work best. When modern techniques benefit the winegrowing process, they are researched, evaluated and integrated into practice.
The 2009 vintage saw cool temperatures during bloom and maturation, with two short heat spells in September.
Harvest
The harvest began on September 21st and provided an exhilarating finish on October 20th after a record rainfall for October.
Winemaking
Skin contact: 20 days.
Aging
Barrel Aging
17 months in new French oak
