For the main course we went with NY Strips with Zippy Sauce and sides of baby potatoes and green beans. I want something special to go with the meal and went higher end on the wine – a 1999 Opus One. Opus One is a joint venture between Robert Mondavi and Baroness Philippine de Rothschild producing a proprietary Bordeaux-style blend in California.
Side note- before I get rolling on this article, I wanted to comment about the pictures on this article. I usually start with a food picture and then a picture of the wine/wine label as usually the food pictures are more interesting to look at. On this article I lead off with the wine picture as Amy did an amazing job with this one. I think it one of the best shots she has ever done.
"I loved this picture!"After grilling and plating the four meals, I joined everyone at the table and we tried the wine. The nose consisted of chocolate raspberry, spice and a hint of green pepper. The wine was very smooth and subtle but I felt it lacked fruit and there wasn’t much complexity to this wine; it is what it is. My wife and Amy had to good comments about this wine; “French lite” and “Identity crisis – hasn’t decided what it wants to be when it grows up.” That may sound we disliked the wine, which isn’t the case. It was very easy drinking and not a bad pairing with the meal, it just that at its price point we expected more ‘wow’ factor with the wine.
"Just missing the Zippy Sauce!"Here is the LCBO information for the 2005 Opus One and not the 1999 reviewed -
OPUS ONE 2005
VINTAGES 26310 750 mL bottle
Price: $ 359.95
Wine, Red Wine,
13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Sugar Content : XD
Made in: California/Californie, United States
By: Nath. Johnston & Fils
Release Date: Feb 14, 2009
Tasting Note - Bright ruby. Rather wild, claret-like aromas of currant, black raspberry, leather, dark chocolate, spices and tobacco. Then velvety in texture but also juicy and firmly structured, with mouthcoating flavors of dark berries, bitter cherry, minerals, cola and bitter chocolate. This elegantly styled wine really coats the mouth without coming off as overly sweet. Finishes with noteworthy spine and length. With extended aeration, this grew sweeter and creamier, with the black raspberry fruit taking over. Score - 92. (Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, May/June 2008)
Here is what the Wine Spectator had to say about the wine –
OPUS ONE Napa Valley 1999
An exquisite, complex, stylish wine, wearing a cloak of earthy, leathery tannins around flavors of mineral, currant, earth and blackberry. Gains intensity and shows its depth and concentration on the finish, which is long and detailed. Best from 2004 through 2012. 24,000 cases made. –JL
Score - 93, Release price - $150 US.
If I recall correctly, this wine was picked up in the US by Mick and Amy on the way back from a trip for us. As they had been in the US for a week and so this bottle came duty free. It was $129 US so about $165 Cdn. after exchange. If they had to pay duty on the wine it would have been around $230 Cdn. a bottle.
Here is the group rating for the wine -Mick – 88, Mark – 89, Kathy – 89, Amy – 89, Overall – 88.75
For the price point, I’d go with the Robert Mondavi Napa Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Insignia or a Les Forts LaTour instead as any of those three wines had much more going for them.
The one place the Opus One did shine was with dessert; it was awesome with the chocolate fudge torte.
Cheers!
Mark
OPUS ONE 2005
VINTAGES 26310 750 mL bottle
Price: $ 359.95
Wine, Red Wine,
13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Sugar Content : XD
Made in: California/Californie, United States
By: Nath. Johnston & Fils
Release Date: Feb 14, 2009
Tasting Note - Bright ruby. Rather wild, claret-like aromas of currant, black raspberry, leather, dark chocolate, spices and tobacco. Then velvety in texture but also juicy and firmly structured, with mouthcoating flavors of dark berries, bitter cherry, minerals, cola and bitter chocolate. This elegantly styled wine really coats the mouth without coming off as overly sweet. Finishes with noteworthy spine and length. With extended aeration, this grew sweeter and creamier, with the black raspberry fruit taking over. Score - 92. (Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, May/June 2008)
Here is what the Wine Spectator had to say about the wine –
OPUS ONE Napa Valley 1999
An exquisite, complex, stylish wine, wearing a cloak of earthy, leathery tannins around flavors of mineral, currant, earth and blackberry. Gains intensity and shows its depth and concentration on the finish, which is long and detailed. Best from 2004 through 2012. 24,000 cases made. –JL
Score - 93, Release price - $150 US.
If I recall correctly, this wine was picked up in the US by Mick and Amy on the way back from a trip for us. As they had been in the US for a week and so this bottle came duty free. It was $129 US so about $165 Cdn. after exchange. If they had to pay duty on the wine it would have been around $230 Cdn. a bottle.
Here is the group rating for the wine -Mick – 88, Mark – 89, Kathy – 89, Amy – 89, Overall – 88.75
For the price point, I’d go with the Robert Mondavi Napa Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Insignia or a Les Forts LaTour instead as any of those three wines had much more going for them.
The one place the Opus One did shine was with dessert; it was awesome with the chocolate fudge torte.
Cheers!
Mark
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