- “Exquisite with wonderful polish and refinement,” says James Suckling.
- The wine has been released internationally at £2,760 (12×75).
- Prices for Opus One show strong correlation to age.
Opus One 2018 has been released at €225 per bottle ex-négociant, up 4.6% on the 2017 (€215) and equal to the 2016 release.
The wine is being offered internationally for £2,760 per 12×75, up 2.2% on the 2017’s current Market Price.
The 2018 Opus One, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (84%), Petit Verdot (6%), Merlot (5%), Cabernet Franc (4%), and Malbec (1%), spent 17 months in new French oak.
The joint Rothschild/Mondavi project was one of the earliest adopters of La Place, all the way back in 2004.
Critical Opinion
Antonio Galloni at Vinous rated the 2018 Opus One a score of 95-points. In his tasting note, Galloni observed: “Silky tannins and lifted, perfumed aromatics add to an impression of finesse that distinguishes the 2018 from some of the preceding vintages in a pretty big way”.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown at the Wine Advocate awarded it 98-points, and said that, “the 2018 Opus One soars out of the glass with bright, bold boysenberries, warm cassis and ripe, juicy black plums notes, plus emerging nuances of lilacs, oolong tea, cinnamon stick, tilled soil and black truffles”.
James Suckling gave it 99-points, noting that this “lasts for minutes”. “So wonderful to taste now, but better after 2026”, he added. The wine also received 97-points from Jeb Dunnuck.
Does age determine value?
Prices for Opus One tend to move with time rather than being influenced by critic scores. As can be seen in the chart below, older vintages command steadily higher prices.
The highest-scored vintages, 2010, 2013 and 2015, with 97-points from Vinous, all cost around £3,000 per case. The 2010 therefore presents good value for money, having spent a decade in bottle. Other older vintages that fall below the Fair Value line include 2005, 2008 and 2009.
Opus One Overture 2018
Opus One’s second label, Overture, a ‘Bordeaux-style’ multi-vintage blend, was also released this morning at €95 per bottle ex-négociant. The wine is being offered internationally at £1,190 per 12×75.
Opus One Overture joined Opus One in the second tier of the 2021 Liv-ex Classification.
