Producer Profile
This MONDAVI/Rothschild (Mouton-Rothschild) joint venture was conceived in 1978, the first vintage being in 1979 and remains independent from Constellation in its vineyard management and administration. At the time, super-premium Napa styles of Cabernet had not really materialised and Opus One was uniquely highly priced among its peers. During the 1990s the Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from the great To-Kalon vineyard was of a consistently higher standard, although the Q Block part of that same vineyard contributes to Opus One. The wine, a blend of all five Bordeaux varieties, has never quite fulfilled its potential but the scale of the production means there aren’t the scarcity problems found with some other top Californian reds. The wine is always given a very lengthy cuvaison of up to 40 days and is aged in 100% new French oak.
Tasting Notes
Robert Parker 96
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 creme 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. [Robert M. Parker, Jr., 27/12/2015]
Anticipated maturity: 2017-2045
Vinous 95
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. [Antonio Galloni, 10/01/2015]
Anticipated maturity: 2017-2032
