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Opus One Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2012
New vintage now available - limited. 97 Points 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." 96 points 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."
Ratings on Delectable
Delectable Wine 
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The 2012 Opus One is a terrific choice for drinking now. Silky and beautifully perfumed, the 2012 is wonderfully open-knit in this tasting. The purity of the fruit is alluring, There's still a good bit of freshness, too. Naturally, the 2012 reflects the medium-bodied style that is typical of the year, but all the elements are very nicely balanced. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, rose petal, spice and blood orange linger. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, May 2024)
The 2012 Opus One is a terrific choice for drinking now. Silky and beautifully perfumed, the 2012 is wonderfully open-knit in this tasting. The purity of the fruit is alluring, There's still a good bit of freshness, too. Naturally, the 2012 reflects the medium-bodied style that is typical of the year, but all the elements are very nicely balanced. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, rose petal, spice and blood orange linger. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, May 2024)
9.5
LM Segal
Primary and supple, still prominent oak but meshed nicely with black earth and black cherry notes. I’d give this 2-3 more years at least but the components are there for something profound.
Primary and supple, still prominent oak but meshed nicely with black earth and black cherry notes. I’d give this 2-3 more years at least but the components are there for something profound.
9.5
Bill Bender
Office Holiday party on Rustic Root rooftop. Dense chewy blue and black fruit, cocoa, lots of oak but it works well here.
Office Holiday party on Rustic Root rooftop. Dense chewy blue and black fruit, cocoa, lots of oak but it works well here.
9.3
Kevin Ortzman
Vertical tasting '12 v '13. The '12 is very feminine with red berries, cinnamon, chocolate and sweet tobacco.
Vertical tasting '12 v '13. The '12 is very feminine with red berries, cinnamon, chocolate and sweet tobacco.
9.1Benjamin Temple
Oak is the leader in this wine and it's not integrated. Maybe in 5-10 years it would be drinkable. Right now it's like sucking on a wooden spoon.
Oak is the leader in this wine and it's not integrated. Maybe in 5-10 years it would be drinkable. Right now it's like sucking on a wooden spoon.
8.8
Daniel P. Drake
Our second wine of the evening we had the 2012 Opus One expressing notes on the nose of dark fruit, blackberry, black cherry, currant, forest floor and a graphite. On the palate there is nice blackberry, black cherry, cassis, cedar, spice and hints of mint. Medium + acidity and Medium + silky tannins. Blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon 7% Cabernet Franc 6% Petit Verdot 6% Merlot and 2% Malbec. Very nice and drinkable now.
Our second wine of the evening we had the 2012 Opus One expressing notes on the nose of dark fruit, blackberry, black cherry, currant, forest floor and a graphite. On the palate there is nice blackberry, black cherry, cassis, cedar, spice and hints of mint. Medium + acidity and Medium + silky tannins. Blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon 7% Cabernet Franc 6% Petit Verdot 6% Merlot and 2% Malbec. Very nice and drinkable now.
9.3
Shay A
Another Christmas wine from yesterday. I know this wine gets a bad rap, and its reputation has been a bit of a roller coaster. We were even a bit underwhelmed when we visited a few years back. All that to say, this was a welcomed surprise. It needed an hour+ in the decanter to blossom. Superb aromatics of baked blackberries, saddle leather, bay leaf, violets and clay. A persistent battle between fruit and secondary notes. The palate was big without being overbearing. Silky. Just glides down the middle of the palate with dusty red and black fruit, vanilla pipe tobacco, pencil lead, and dark roasted plum. Can be a tough price to pay based on other wines at similar quality and cheaper prices in Napa Valley, but this really is a gorgeous wine that is still years away from its peak.
Another Christmas wine from yesterday. I know this wine gets a bad rap, and its reputation has been a bit of a roller coaster. We were even a bit underwhelmed when we visited a few years back. All that to say, this was a welcomed surprise. It needed an hour+ in the decanter to blossom. Superb aromatics of baked blackberries, saddle leather, bay leaf, violets and clay. A persistent battle between fruit and secondary notes. The palate was big without being overbearing. Silky. Just glides down the middle of the palate with dusty red and black fruit, vanilla pipe tobacco, pencil lead, and dark roasted plum. Can be a tough price to pay based on other wines at similar quality and cheaper prices in Napa Valley, but this really is a gorgeous wine that is still years away from its peak.
9.5Delectable Wine
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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, Vinous, Oct 2015)
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, Vinous, Oct 2015)
9.5
James Forsyth
More than anything else about this wine, I love the texture. Not light like silk nor dense like velvet, it's more like a a soft cotton. Clearly really well made.
More than anything else about this wine, I love the texture. Not light like silk nor dense like velvet, it's more like a a soft cotton. Clearly really well made.
9.5
Matt
Love the floral and spice driven nose but found the whole wine to underperform given it's very high price. I can see this being a darling with 10+ years.
Love the floral and spice driven nose but found the whole wine to underperform given it's very high price. I can see this being a darling with 10+ years.
8.8
See all reviews and ratings on Delectable WARNING: DRINKING DISTILLED SPIRITS, BEER, COOLERS, WINE AND OTHER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MAY INCREASE CANCER RISK, AND, DURING PREGNANCY, CAN CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS.