2024 Opus One Napa Valley Red Blend: Prices, Flavor Profile, and Specs Revealed

As a sommelier with over 7 years of experience curating wine lists and advising clients on pairings, few things excite me more than the annual release of Opus One. This iconic Napa Valley wine is a Bordeaux-style red blend produced through a collaboration between winemaking legends Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi (Opus One).

Opus One’s renowned complexity and balance stem from astute grape selection, masterful blending, and exceptional oak barrel aging. The 2024 vintage in particular promises to be spectacular, as excellent growing conditions have yielded a wine with intriguing flavor profiles and a refined structure.

In this article, I will share key details on the 2024 Opus One including pricing, tasting notes, blend specifics, and aging potential. Read on for an inside look at this soon-to-be-released Napa Valley showstopper.

2024 Opus One Pricing

As a luxury cuvée made in limited quantities, Opus One commands premium pricing each vintage. The upcoming 2024 release will likely retail between $350-$450 per 750ml bottle (Wine Spectator). Given the superb quality of this vintage, some retailers may price closer to the higher end of this range.

Compared to recent vintages, the 2024 Opus One will cost approximately 10-15% more upon release. This modest price increase reflects rising production costs as well as this vintage’s exceptional character and aging potential.

Those interested in securing the 2024 Opus One upon its release in 2027 are advised to connect with a reputable wine retailer to inquire about allocation and pricing details. As an allocated wine with great demand, it helps to get on a retailer’s priority list early.

2024 Opus One Flavor Profile

Crafted from a precise blend of Bordeaux grape varieties, the 2024 Opus One offers an intricate aroma and flavor profile with multiple layers. Here are some of the signature characteristics I expect in this upcoming vintage based on past experience with this storied wine:

• Aromas: Dark cherry, blackcurrant, subtle dried herbs, graphite, and cedar. Hints of vanilla and baking spice from oak aging.
• Palate: Dense black fruit and blackberry preserves, with savory undertones of tobacco, cigar box, and espresso. Bright acidity provides vibrancy.
• Finish: Fine-grained tannins and a lush, silky texture carry the rich fruit flavors to a lingering finish tinged with minerality. Impeccable balance and complexity.

With proper cellaring, the 2024’s vibrant fruit will integrate beautifully with developed tertiary notes of leather, truffle, and dried flowers.

2024 Opus One Blend and Specs

Skillfully blended by Opus One winemaker Michael Silacci (Opus One Winemakers), the 2024 vintage consists of grape varieties traditionally grown in Bordeaux. The final blend includes:

• 79% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 7% Petit Verdot
• 6% Merlot
• 6% Cabernet Franc
• 2% Malbec

Key specs:

• Alcohol: 14.5%
• Aged for: 19 months in new French oak barrels
• Production: Approximately 20,000 cases

The Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend results in a wine with tremendous structure, while the Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc offer aromatic complexity. The Merlot fills out the mid-palate for a plush, velvety texture.

Impeccable Grapes from Sustainable Vineyards

Opus One sources grapes from some of Napa Valley’s most prestigious vineyards in Oakville, Rutherford, and Stags Leap District AVAs . These mature vines yield perfect ripeness and ideal phenolic development thanks to Napa Valley’s warm climate and diverse soils.

Furthermore, Opus One remains dedicated to sustainable and ethical farming practices. Vineyards use cover crops, minimal tillage, and water conservation strategies to nurture vineyard health. Such meticulous grape selection and care translate beautifully in the bottle.

Age-Worthiness

Built to evolve gracefully over decades, Opus One only gets better with time. The 2024 vintage displays tremendous aging potential thanks to its concentrated fruit core, finely knit tannin structure, and balance between richness and vibrancy.

Under perfect cellaring, I predict the 2024 Opus One will drink beautifully over the next 25-30 years. Flavors will become increasingly complex as the wine integrates and develops bottle-aged characteristics.

While certainly enjoyable upon release, those who cellar the 2024 for 10-15 years will be richly rewarded. Plan to experience this wine’s peak between 2040-2050.

Worthy of a Special Occasion

Retailing for several hundred dollars per bottle, Opus One makes an extravagant gift or luxury treat for momentous celebrations. Offering a wine of this caliber to commemorate a milestone birthday, anniversary, retirement, or other special occasion conveys sophistication and discerning taste.

The 2024 vintage could commemorate the 50th anniversary of Opus One’s founding back in 1979. What better way to fete this remarkable Napa Valley collaboration that changed the wine world forever?

Opus One also pairs beautifully with fine cuisine given its elegance, complexity, and structure. Serve alongside grilled Wagyu steak, seared duck breast, braised short ribs, or aged cheeses to complement its concentrated flavors.

The Perfect Addition to a Serious Wine Cellar

No world-class wine collection is complete without representation from Napa Valley legend, Opus One. Their Bordeaux-inspired red blend enjoys an impeccable reputation among connoisseurs and critics year after year.

Given the superlative quality and aging potential of the 2024 Opus One, this vintage is sure to be coveted by collectors and wine enthusiasts. It promises to evolve gracefully in the cellar for decades to come.

Those aiming to amass enviable wine cellars should certainly secure several bottles of the 2024 upon its release. This future collectible Napa Valley red will only gain value and drinkability long into the future.

The 2024 Vintage Upholds Opus One’s Stellar Reputation

Opus One enjoys a well-established legacy of excellence through its 38 years of winemaking, cementing its status as a First Growth producer in Napa Valley. The 2024 vintage admirably upholds this reputation, reflecting winemaker Michael Silacci’s exacting standards and sophisticated winemaking style.

Impeccably crafted and beautifully expressive of its origin, the 2024 Opus One signals another triumphant release for this joint venture between two wine dynasties. With exemplary aging potential and a complex, harmonious profile, the 2024 vintage will live on in collectors’ cellars and glassware for decades.

Upon its release in 2027, this future collectible promises to be swiftly allocated to those in the know. Wine lovers around the world eagerly await each new vintage of Opus One, widely considered America’s finest Bordeaux-style red. I for one will be first in line to add the 2024 to my cellar the moment it’s available.

For more updates on wine trends, check out our article on Emerging Wine Trends in 2024-Unique Varietals and Regions to Watch.

Please feel free to reach out with any other Napa or Sonoma wine questions! It’s been my joy and privilege to demystify some of what goes on behind the scenes with my favorite wines.