Ratings & Tasting Notes:

97 points Decanter

Displaying beautiful aromatics of chocolate, sweet cherries, and rose petals, this wine features an expressive, vibrant core balanced by delicate cedar shavings, bramble fruit, and vanilla bean. The texture on the palate is concentrated and juicy, supported by creamy, subtly grippy tannins that build superb vertical structure. It is an incredibly lively, modern expression that beautifully captures the vintage’s natural sunshine, standing out as “a wonderful creation from Michael Silacci. This is… a darling of a wine.” Georgina Hindle, July 2025

96 points James Suckling

Generous and complex, this full-bodied red is marked by savory, ripe aromas of dark blackcurrants and fresh black cherries. The texture is gentle but firmly structured with a subtle, youthful grip from the tannins, showing classic notes of graphite, dark cocoa, pencil shavings, and rich espresso. While the spicy, toasty oak profile is front and center right now, its depth secures its place as “a young cabernet sauvignon-based red that’s a proven collectible.” James Suckling, July 2025

95 points Wine Advocate

Admirably reflecting its unique growing season, this blend showcases a ripe, extroverted personality full of plush, expansive fruit flavors. Aromas of fresh cherries are beautifully accented by savory undertones of rosemary and sandalwood. The medium- to full-bodied palate is deep and highly expressive, delivering ample length while remaining approachable due to its soft, integrated tannins. It is a highly successful effort that “boasts a ripe, extroverted personality but also a slightly open-knit” profile. James Lindsay, October 2025

Cult Wines International Notes:

Opus One remains the ultimate, historic monument to transatlantic collaboration, born from the groundbreaking 1978 vision of Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Château Mouton Rothschild and Napa Valley pioneer Robert Mondavi. Based in the heart of Oakville, this legendary estate is globally revered for applying rigorous, first-growth Bordeaux precision to the sun-drenched, world-class terroir of Napa Valley. Operating with an uncompromising commitment to quality, winemaker Michael Silacci guides a meticulously orchestrated gravity-flow cellar and multi-faceted block blending process to build the estate’s signature profile. The 2022 release stands as a brilliant modern testament to this mastery, consisting of an elegant blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, and 0.5% Malbec, all matured flawlessly for 18 months in 100% new French oak to achieve an exceptional balance of structure and luxury.

The 2022 growing season in Oakville was a dramatic narrative of intense climatic shifts, resulting in an early, highly compressed harvest that demanded flawless precision in the vineyard. Following early-winter rains that replenished the soil, a dry late winter gave way to a turbulent spring that thankfully spared flowering and fruit set. The defining challenge of the vintage arrived over Labor Day weekend with a historic, brutal heat wave that shattered records across northern California. To combat the extreme temperatures, the experienced Opus One vineyard team executed a masterful, rapid picking schedule that began with Merlot on August 24th and finished by September 26th. Utilizing targeted, selective irrigation to support the vines, they captured remarkably concentrated fruit before any sun damage could occur. The 2022 Opus One emerged from this trial as a triumphant, high-toned masterpiece, marrying a brilliant bouquet of blueberry, cassis, and dried rose petals with ultra-fine tannins and an unexpected, site-specific freshness.