Wine Advisor
Opus One 2012
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Description
Opus One is the realized dream of two men: Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Chateau Mouton Rothschild in Bordeaux and Napa Valley vintner Robert Mondavi. Together, our founders set out to create a single wine dedicated to the pursuit of uncompromising quality. This singular mission shapes every vintage, today and for generations to come.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The iconic 2012 Proprietary Red Opus One is a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot and 2% Malbec aged 18 months in French oak. A classy, complex, suave and savory 2012 Opus One, with notes of toasty oak and crème de cassis. This Pauillac lookalike, made by the staff at Mouton Rothschild, is a beauty. They have continued to strengthen the quality of wine and seem to have produced a brilliant, world-class wine. I imagine the 2013 may even eclipse this, but this 2012 is one of their great ones, with a seamless integration of acidity, tannin, alcohol and wood all present in this beautiful, full-bodied wine that should drink well for 25-30 years.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon is supple and radiant throughout, with gorgeous suppleness and purity to the flavors. Sweet red cherry, hard candy, raspberry wild flowers and cinnamon are some of the notes that grace the palate. Racy and forward, yet classically mid-weight in structure, the 2012 is likely to drink well pretty much upon release. Once quite rich, the 2012 is developing into a wine of finesse and open-knit sensuality.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Rich, powerful and seductive, the 2012 Opus One blossoms in the glass with superb textural richness and volume. Dark red and black fruit, smoke, cedar, new leather and tobacco all meld together as the 2012 shows off its personality. Fine, silky tannins support the huge, creamy finish. The 2012 has just been bottled, but it is superb. I expect the 2012 will offer a long and broad drinking window of pure pleasure.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
It's obviously very early, but the 2012 Opus One is one of the bigger, darker wines of the vintage at this stage. Tar, smoke, licorice and black fruit are some of the many notes than inform this muscular, deeply pitched Opus One. It will be interesting to see if time attenuates some of the wine's pure unbridled power.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
(79% cabernet sauvignon, 6% cabernet franc, 6% petit verdot, 6% merlot and 3% malbec): Deep red-ruby. Highly perfumed aromas of blackcurrant, violet, coffee, graphite, menthol and leather. Sappy, classically dry and penetrating, showing excellent intensity to the flavors of black fruits, coffee bean, spices and bitter chocolate. Boasts lovely grain and density but this is currently quite firm-edged, finishing with a cool herbal note and serious tannic spine.
About the Producer
The world-renowned Opus One was created in the 1970's as a result of a merger between two visionaries, Baron Philippe de Rothschild (lengendary Bordeaux wine magnate and owner of Château Mouton-Rothschild in Pauillac) and Robert Mondavi (an icon in the history of American wine with a namesake wine empire in California). It was their aim to develop a New World equivalent to a Bordeaux First Growth in the Napa Valley region of California. The exceptional style of Opus One resulted from the combination of their talent, their vision and the unique terroir of the Oakville AVA (an Eden for Cabernet Sauvignon). Today, this highly sought-after wine is produced from four different parcels, two parcels making up the famous 40-hectare To-Kalon vineyard, along with the River and Ballestra Parcels surrounding the Opus One winery. While the exact proportions depend on vintage, the blend is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, complemented by Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec, reminiscent of Bordeaux's Left Bank. The wines are vinified separately before being matured in French oak barrels for a period of 18 months. They stay in the cellar, ageing in bottle for another 15 months, before being released on the market in October of each new year.
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