Opus One 2012

Mother Nature favored the 2012 vintage with a superb growing season characterized by moderate temperatures and bountiful sunshine. At harvest, the fruit exhibited intense flavor, layers of complexity and excellent structure. Picking started on September 21st and continued through October 20th.

VINTAGE 2012

After a warm and dry winter, generous rains returned in March just in time for bud-break and provided the water needed for the rest of the year. Mother Nature continued to favor the vintage with a superb growing season characterized by moderate temperatures and bountiful sunshine resulting in one of the valley’s most exceptional vintages. At harvest, the fruit exhibited the classic style of the Oakville estate vineyards with incredible depth of flavor, layers of complexity and excellent structure. Picking started on September 21st at the fresh fruit stage of ripeness to keep flavors bright and lively. Through careful and precise management of the incoming fruit, harvest continued evenly until it was completed on October 20th. 

Notes

The 2012 Opus One effuses fresh dark fruit aromas accentuated by subtler notes of forest-floor and graphite. The wine's round mouthfeel and satiny tannins wrap around classic flavors of cassis,blackberry and black cherry. This refined and age-worthy wine simultaneously offers a long lingering finish, with lively acidity and a sturdy structure at the close. Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon 79%, Cabernet Franc 7%, Petit Verdot 6%, Merlot 6% and Malbec 2%.

Tasting Note

Outstanding. Decanted 3 hours prior to consuming. Complex wine, good fruit, with graphite, tobacco, and black pepper notes. Incredible pairing with salty foods and red meat. Avoid eating anything sweet pairing with this wine.

James Suckling - 97 points

"Glorious purity of fruit here with black currants, blueberries, dark chocolate, fresh herbs and forest floor. Hints of mint too, plus hazelnut and chocolate. Full body with seamless tannins and balance. Tight and compacted tannins with beautiful fruit and great length. Goes on for minutes. One of the best Opus' in years. Hard not to drink now but better in 2018. October 2015 release. This is 79% cabernet sauvignon, 7% cabernet franc, 6% merlot, 6% petit verdot and 2% malbec."

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - 96 points

"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."