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Opus One is one of the world's most famous wines, and is a partnership of two of the most respected figures from Bordeaux and Napa Valley, Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Château Mouton Rothschild and Robert Mondavi. It was the first premium California wine sold in Europe. It continues to be one of the most expensive Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant wines produced in Napa Valley.
The collaboration was conceived in the 1970s and then first realised in 1979, when the first vintage of Opus One was created. It was released to the public in 1984, but had already attracted attention, as a single case of the wine had sold for $24,000 at the first Napa Valley Wine Auction in 1981. Opus One's brand grew considerably in the 1990s, particularly in markets outside of the United States, and in 2005, when Robert Mondavi Winery was acquired by Constellation Brands, Opus One also became part-owned by the multi-national company.
Opus One is a single wine, a Bordeaux Blend sourced from the estate vineyards in Oakville, which include blocks of the famous To Kalon vineyard. The grapes are hand-harvested, and gravity flow is used to get the fruit from the destemmer into stainless steel tanks for fermentation. The wine is then aged in new French oak for a year and a half, during which time blending takes place. After an additional year and a half in bottle, Opus One is released to the market. Although it is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, Opus One makes use of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec in smaller percentages.
Varietal | Proprietary Blend |
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Vintage | 1990 |
Rating | 96 WS |
Bottle Size | 750 ml |
Bottle Quantity | 1 |
Country | USA |
Region | California |
Location | North Coast |
Producer | Opus One |
Color | Red |
Wine Type | Table |
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Wine Spectator | 96 WS 1990 Opus One Proprietary Blend This is a terrific Opus with a broader deeper palate and less of the overly-sculptured structured feel that past examples have revealed. The 1990 exhibits a dark ruby/purple color and a spicy rich sweet nose of cassis vanillin lead pencil herbs and minerals. Medium to full-bodied with low acidity sweet tannin and wonderful layers of ripe pure rich fruit the wine is in complete harmony without being excessively acidified or brutally tannic. This is a gorgeous Opus for drinking over the next 16-18 years. My instincts suggest it is the most promising Opus One made to date. RP Dramatic with its ripe rich plush core of exotic currant anise cedar vanilla and berry notes that are enormously complex on the finish. Delicious.--Opus One vertical. Drink now through 2010. 20500 cases made. WS |
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Varietal | Proprietary Blend |
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Vintage | 1990 |
Rating | 96 WS |
Bottle Size | 750 ml |
Bottle Quantity | 1 |
Country | USA |
Region | California |
Location | North Coast |
Producer | Opus One |
Color | Red |
Wine Type | Table |
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