Region | |
---|---|
Subregion | U.S.A. > California > Napa Valley |
Colour | Red |
Type | Still |
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.
One of the most exciting ever from Opus. So much character, with blackcurrant, blueberry, dark chocolate and forest flower. A full body with seamless tannins. October release.
Deep purple, almost black in colour. The nose is rich, ripe and powerful, with blackcurrant, damson, sweet spice and blueberry surging from the glass. The palate follows suit, with superb density to the fruit core. That concentration shows real Cabernet character, with blackcurrant, blackberry and a hint of menthol layered over sweet spice and toastiness from the new oak. There are big, ripe tannins here that will make this wine very long lived, but they are superbly textured and are already integrating well into the wine. The power here is outstanding, the flavours are still fresh and vibrant on the finish, which is very long. This may be a big wine, but it also has great balance to give it sophistication. A very impressive Opus.
The 2012 Opus is developing nicely in bottle, and some additional complexity has already emerged to complement its Rubenesque fruit: its lavish blackberry and mulberry aromas are now married with emerging nuances of tobacco leaf, rich soil, graphite and dark spice.
On the palate this remains a very polished, comparatively open-knit rendition of Opus One, but again, savoury dimensions are developing which augment its complexity, and its spine of acidity seems rather more refreshingly present.
Drink 2016-26