SOUTHERN / AMERICAN / PACIFIC WINE & SPIRITS® Opus One Proprietary Red 2012 [1.5L] (Napa Valley, California) – [JS 97] [VM 96] [WS 93] [ST 91-94] – 6045784113311

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 wraparound 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.

During fermentation and maceration, component lots received an average of 18 days of skin contact prior to 18 months of barrel aging in new French oak. Bottled a year and a half prior to its release, the 2012 Opus One is comprised of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot, and 2% Malbec.

97 Points & Rank #70 Top 100 Wine of 2015 – James Suckling:
“Glorious purity of fruit here with blackcurrants, blueberries, dark chocolate, fresh herbs and forest floor. Hints of mint. Full body, seamless tannins and wonderful balance. Tight and compacted tannins with beautiful fruit and great length. Hazelnut and chocolate. Goes on for minutes. One of the best Opus in years. Compacted and beautiful. 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.” – (April 21th, 2015)

96 Points – Antonio Galloni’s Vinous Media:
“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.” – Antonio Galloni (September 2014)

91-94 Points – 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.” – Stephen Tanzer (May 2014)

93 Points- Wine Spectator Magazine:
“A Pauillac-like expression from Napa Valley, this features smoky, toasty oak from the get-go, framing the intense flavors of earth, crushed rock and gravelly dried dark berry. The dense core of fruit pushes through a front of rustic graphite and loamy earth. Finishes with a long, layered aftertaste. Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec. Drink now through 2028.” — J.L. (July 29, 2015)

92+ Points – Antonio Galloni (2011 Vintage):
“The 2011 Opus One may turn out to be one of the surprises of the year. A brilliant, precise wine, the 2011 impresses for its energy. Sweet floral and spiced notes lead to expressive dark red berries, mocha, anise and new leather in a brilliant Opus One. Readers will note the lower than normal presence of Cabernet Sauvignon in the 2011, which is typical for a year in which blenders play an important role. The blend is 71% Cabernet, 11% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot/8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec.” -Antonio Galloni (November 2013)

92 Points – James Suckling (2011 Vintage):
“This is very aromatic and pretty with plum, cherry and currant aromas, plus hints of chocolate. It’s full-bodied, with soft, silky tannins and a clean, fresh finish. This is a subtly fruity, juicy red with a pretty texture. Drink or hold. For early drinking. 71% cabernet sauvignon, 11% merlot, 9% petit verdot, 8% cabernet franc and 1% malbec.” – James Suckling (May 15, 2014)

90 Points – Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar (2011 Vintage):
“(14% alcohol): Deep ruby-red. Rather cool aromas of plum syrup, cocoa powder, licorice and fresh herbs. Spicier and leaner than the young 2012, with a strong impression of acidity and an herbal element giving a tart quality to the blackberry, graphite and leather flavors. Finishes brisk but a bit sour, with some spiky acidity and lingering pepper and herb notes. I can’t imagine this distinctly cool wine blossoming in the bottle.” – Stephen Tanzer (May/Jun 2014)

97 Points – Antonio Galloni (2010 vintage):
“One of the highlights among the more recent releases, the 2010 Opus One is flat-out gorgeous. Dark cherries, plums, graphite, cassis and pencil shavings are all woven together in a fabric of notable class and elegance. The 2010 stands out for its exceptional minerality, tension and pure power. Readers will have to be patient. This is a picture perfect rendering of this great Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon vintage. Drinking window: 2020-2035.” (6/2013)

96 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (2010 vintage):
“A glorious perfume of sweet charcoal, truffle, black currants and spice box soars from the glass of the saturated purple-colored 2010 Opus One. The gorgeous aromatics are followed by a beautifully knit, full-bodied red blend (84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec) displaying lots of spicy black currant fruit, medium to full body, velvety tannins, and not a hard edge to be found. The texture, length and richness are all impressive. This estate has been making great Cabernet-based wines for nearly a decade … and this is another one. Drink it over the next 20+ years.” – Robert Parker (Oct 2013)

95 Points – Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar (2010 vintage):
“(the blend is based on 84% cabernet sauvignon): Good saturated medium ruby. Riper on the nose than the young 2011, offering scents of blackcurrant, minerals, graphite, licorice and leather. Wonderfully suave and silky in the mouth, with terrific concentration and aromatic lift to the savory dark berry, crushed stone and mineral flavors. Really stains the palate without leaving any impression of weight. Boasts great clarity and outstanding depth, not to mention a finesse of texture rare for California cabernet. “Maybe my best vintage yet,” said winemaker Michael Silacci. A beauty.” – Stephen Tanzer (May/Jun 2013)

92 Points – Wine Spectator Magazine (2010 vintage):
“Offers a rich core of earthy dark berry and touches of rustic loam and dried leather scents, the latter of which give this a drying sensation on the palate. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Drink now through 2026.” – J.L. (Aug 7, 2013 – Insider)