One of the earlier harvests in Napa Valley history, following a mild winter with lower than average rainfall and a hot summer. 10 days skin contact. Again the colour of the wine is dark ruby and has proved remarkably consistent. The fruit is still very much in play, with waves of brambly hedgerow flavours, touched by truffle and olives. This drops off in the glass more quickly than the two older wines, and will not last as long from this point.

One of the more compact wines in this tasting, the 1981 Opus One is aromatically high-toned and expressive. The fruit is a bit contained in this vintage, yet the wine remains vibrant and delineated from start to finish. There are barely any signs of oxidation in this pointed, focused Opus One. The To-Kalon richness is a bit in the background, but otherwise, it is hard to fault the 1981 too much, as it has aged impeccably well. The 1981 is 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc. By Antonio Gononi on June 2013