visionary builders and astute managers
using 30–50% whole-cluster fermentation in open wooden vats
preserving freshness against the wine's considerable fruit weight
is where Ornellaia built its reputation across 99 acres of gravel
brocaded texture with complex berry and oak notes that linger on the finish
OPUS ONE 2017 Speyside visionary builders and astute managersA Bordeaux style blend is the expected move in Napa, but the 2017 Opus One holds its shape despite a vintage defined by October wildfires 91% of the fruit was already picked before smoke became a factor. The blend runs 81% Cabernet Sauvignon alongside Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Malbec, drawn from Oakville's benchland clay and gravel soils. Bottled in July 2019, it shows black cherry, mulberry, and cassis on the nose, with tapenade,