A few weeks ago we visited our friends in South Dakota (where we lived for three years) and had the chance to get together with one of my favorite wine drinking buddies, who spoiled me with these two.
Two observations: Hard-core AWFE's will probably not care for the Shafer, and I almost feel guilty for liking it as much as I did, but honestly, it was such an awesome and impressive stuff that I am not going to apologize; I don't feel it was spoofy or overdone, it was just a super-high octane kind of wine. The Opus on the other hand I felt was relatively restrained for a 2012 (of course, that was on the heels of the Shafer).
Shafer, One Point Five, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley 2013
Impenetrable ruby/purple. Deep, rich, dense, heady nose, awesome in an ultra-ripe Napa way; loads of blackberrry and blueberry, boysenberry, with gorgeously sweet mocha, earth, leather, and tobacco leaf; citrus rind and roses too; so much going on! Same personality on the palate, but with a red fruit and acid emphasis: tart red cherry and cranberry. Huge body, dense and ripe and yet held in check by big acid. Gorgeous, but potent as well. Just plain awesome, with exquisite structure (and all of that with whopping 15.1% alcohol). 20 to 30 years or more ahead. 4.5 Stars [7/8/16]
Opus One, Napa Valley 2012
Dense and ripe but classy nose of cherry and blackberry, cedar, fire embers, sweet tobacco, leather, earth, and sage, with some citrus and flowers; some mint, fig, and olives too; such a fine nose! Identical personality on the palate, full bodied, dense and rich, but not at all overwhelming. Such class and concentration. Simple put, there is nothing quite like Opus. 20 to 30 years ahead. 4.5 Stars [7/8/16]
