![]() ![]() These two creative men agreed to pool their resources and make a joint-venture wine in 1978. Opus One was the brainchild of two legendary wine greats, the late Baron Philippe de Rothschild, owner of the great first-growth Bordeaux, Château Mouton Rothschild, and Napa Valley's most famous vintner, Robert Mondavi. And so Opus One is truly a Cabernet Sauvignon, even if not labeled as such. In reality, each vintage produced since its first, in 1979, has been at least 80 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, and up to 97 percent in two vintages. Today, Opus One exports over 20 percent of its wines, mainly to Europe, and you can find it on the wine lists of some of the world's best restaurants.Īctually, Opus One is not labeled as a Cabernet Sauvignon, because the producers want the option to use different blends of the five Bordeaux red varieties planted in its vineyards - Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot in addition to Cabernet Sauvignon. But these wines were sort of California's little secret the rest of the world didn't know about California wines back then. It is certainly true that California did produce a few excellent Cabernet Sauvignons even before World War II - Beaulieu Vineyards Georges de Latour Private Reserve, Inglenook, and Simi come to mind. The California wine industry really didn't get moving until 40 years ago, and so it is somewhat amazing that the state can boast of a wine that is regarded by many as world class, but Opus One has attained that status. ![]() That's no surprise, because European wine regions have been established for hundreds of years. Most of the world's well-renowned wines come from Europe - many of them being either Bordeaux or Burgundy. ![]() Drink up to 2020.Wine Review Online - Opus One: American Royalty Slight animal notes and spicy, long, ripe, confit black fruit, pruny finish. Palate rich, ripe and tannic, with sweet, leathery structure and very good fruit concentration. Nose evolved, pungent, new leather, black cherry fruit. (13.5% abv 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 1% Petit Verdot) Tannins crisp, alcohol warm, but lovely freshness on the palate. Silky-smooth mouthfeel, less obviously ripe and dense than 2005, elegant style. (14.4% abv 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec)īright, glossy. Youthful and fresh in the mouth, with well rounded tannins. ![]() Palate sweet, warm and ripe, with cassis, primary fruit. Nose meaty, complex and intense, bready, black fruited, pruney, figgy, and cassis. (14% abv 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Cabernet France, 3% Petit Verdot, 1 % Malbec)īright, glossy, purple-ruby colour. Successful, very savoury, more austere style. Alcohol seems higher, though still in balance. Less generous fruit apparent compared to 1979. Palate has vigorous fruit, with mature, earthy, leathery notes and firm but integrated tannins. Intense, smoky, leathery, mature nose (more mature than 79?). (12.5% abv 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Merlot)ĭark, moderately dense colour. The tasting highlighted Opus One’s evolution and included a selection of Silacci’s favourite vintages. Today Opus One remains jointly and equally owned with Baroness Philippine de Rothschild. The Robert Mondavi Winery’s 50% share in the company passed to Constellation Brands on its acquisition in 2004. In 1981 a case of the first vintage of Opus One became the most expensive California wine sold to date, at $24,000. Opus One was born of the shared vision of two of the wine world’s most legendary figures: Baron Philippe de Rothschild, owner of Château Mouton Rothschild, and Robert Mondavi. He pointed out that the relative rise in alcohol levels in Opus One was moderate in the context of other Cabernet-based wines from California (12.9% in 1979 compared to 14.4% for the 2006 vintage), and that this is a trend that is not limited to California but extends to other regions, including Bordeaux. Silacci, whose first vintage at the winery was 2001, said that he aimed to ‘enhance tradition and maintain innovation’.
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