2010 Opus One

It’s always a pleasure to taste with head winemaker Michael Silacci, as he has such a deep perspective on Napa Valley. In 2022, harvest began on August 24 for the Merlot and September 2 for the Cabernet Sauvignon (the earliest ever here) and ran uninterrupted through September 26. To be sure, larger estates like Opus One are especially pushed to the edge in difficult years because they are essentially forced to pick through the challenging weather, as the alternative is losing a portion of the crop. The just-bottled 2022 is still coming together, but it is promising, while the 2021 continues to impress.

It’s always a pleasure to taste with head winemaker Michael Silacci, as he has such a deep perspective on Napa Valley. In 2022, harvest began on August 24 for the Merlot and September 2 for the Cabernet Sauvignon (the earliest ever here) and ran uninterrupted through September 26. To be sure, larger estates like Opus One are especially pushed to the edge in difficult years because they are essentially forced to pick through the challenging weather, as the alternative is losing a portion of the crop. The just-bottled 2022 is still coming together, but it is promising, while the 2021 continues to impress.

It’s always a pleasure to taste with head winemaker Michael Silacci, as he has such a deep perspective on Napa Valley. In 2022, harvest began on August 24 for the Merlot and September 2 for the Cabernet Sauvignon (the earliest ever here) and ran uninterrupted through September 26. To be sure, larger estates like Opus One are especially pushed to the edge in difficult years because they are essentially forced to pick through the challenging weather, as the alternative is losing a portion of the crop. The just-bottled 2022 is still coming together, but it is promising, while the 2021 continues to impress.

Michael Silacci and his team at Opus One consistently turn out the single best wine in Napa Valley produced in volume, something that is extremely difficult. The 2019 Opus continues to develop beautifully, while the 2021 is an infant with a very bright future. Opus One did bottle a 2020, but that wine may not see the light of day as the tiny production (10% of normal) is far below scale for a commercial release.

Michael Silacci and his team at Opus One consistently turn out the single best wine in Napa Valley produced in volume, something that is extremely difficult. The 2019 Opus continues to develop beautifully, while the 2021 is an infant with a very bright future. Opus One did bottle a 2020, but that wine may not see the light of day as the tiny production (10% of normal) is far below scale for a commercial release.

Michael Silacci and his team at Opus One consistently turn out the single best wine in Napa Valley produced in volume, something that is extremely difficult. The 2019 Opus continues to develop beautifully, while the 2021 is an infant with a very bright future. Opus One did bottle a 2020, but that wine may not see the light of day as the tiny production (10% of normal) is far below scale for a commercial release.

Longtime winemaker Michael Silacci and his team turned out two very beautiful wines in 2018 and 2019. Today, the 2018 comes across as a bit lithe. I imagine it will gain volume in bottle over time. The 2019, on the other hand, has more resonance and overall energy. I am already looking forward to tasting it from bottle.

Longtime winemaker Michael Silacci and his team turned out two very beautiful wines in 2018 and 2019. Today, the 2018 comes across as a bit lithe. I imagine it will gain volume in bottle over time. The 2019, on the other hand, has more resonance and overall energy. I am already looking forward to tasting it from bottle.

Opus One has been on a run of late, as the most recent vintages have all been stellar. Michael Silacci, the estate's Director of Viticulture and Enology showed me a handful of wines to help put the 2016 in context. It's hard go wrong with any of these four wines. More than anything else, though, what is truly impressive about Opus One is the quality of these wines considering that production is 24-25,000 cases, the equivalent of a First Growth and many times the production of Napa Valley's elite wines.

These are three stellar wines from Opus One. Michael Silacci continues to push the envelope of quality, which is remarkable for many reasons, the most important of which is the sheer scale of Opus One, which has no equal in Napa Valley at this level. One of the more recent developments at Opus One is an increased use of co-fermentations. As good as these bottled wines are, I am often just as impressed by the lots and blends I taste at Opus One that aren't bottled, as those wines say just as much about what the ambitions are at this reference point estate.

Opus One has been on a run of late, as the most recent vintages have all been stellar. Michael Silacci, the estate's Director of Viticulture and Enology showed me a handful of wines to help put the 2016 in context. It's hard go wrong with any of these four wines. More than anything else, though, what is truly impressive about Opus One is the quality of these wines considering that production is 24-25,000 cases, the equivalent of a First Growth and many times the production of Napa Valley's elite wines.

These are three stellar wines from Opus One. Michael Silacci continues to push the envelope of quality, which is remarkable for many reasons, the most important of which is the sheer scale of Opus One, which has no equal in Napa Valley at this level. One of the more recent developments at Opus One is an increased use of co-fermentations. As good as these bottled wines are, I am often just as impressed by the lots and blends I taste at Opus One that aren't bottled, as those wines say just as much about what the ambitions are at this reference point estate.

Opus One fans will find three fabulous wines in these current and upcoming releases. Both the 2013 and 2014 show all the promise they had from barrel, while the 2015 may very well turn out to be the most compelling of the three! Winemaker Michael Silacci has really upped the game at Opus One in recent years, and it shows.

Opus One has been on a run of late, as the most recent vintages have all been stellar. Michael Silacci, the estate's Director of Viticulture and Enology showed me a handful of wines to help put the 2016 in context. It's hard go wrong with any of these four wines. More than anything else, though, what is truly impressive about Opus One is the quality of these wines considering that production is 24-25,000 cases, the equivalent of a First Growth and many times the production of Napa Valley's elite wines.

These are three stellar wines from Opus One. Michael Silacci continues to push the envelope of quality, which is remarkable for many reasons, the most important of which is the sheer scale of Opus One, which has no equal in Napa Valley at this level. One of the more recent developments at Opus One is an increased use of co-fermentations. As good as these bottled wines are, I am often just as impressed by the lots and blends I taste at Opus One that aren't bottled, as those wines say just as much about what the ambitions are at this reference point estate.

Opus One fans will find three fabulous wines in these current and upcoming releases. Both the 2013 and 2014 show all the promise they had from barrel, while the 2015 may very well turn out to be the most compelling of the three! Winemaker Michael Silacci has really upped the game at Opus One in recent years, and it shows.

The timing of my visit this fall to Opus One was not the best, as the 2013 had just been bottled, and I was therefore not able to taste it again. I did have a chance to revisit the 2012, which is of course very young, but also beautifully balanced. I also tasted three trial blends of the 2014 Opus One, although the wine I thought was the most complete of the three was not ultimately selected to be final blend. That just speaks to how potentially strong 2014 could turn out to be here. Although Opus gives off an air of exclusivity and luxury, behind the scenes Michael Silacci remains a student of the craft, one of the most thoughtful, introspective winemakers in Napa Valley.

It’s always a pleasure to taste with head winemaker Michael Silacci, as he has such a deep perspective on Napa Valley. In 2022, harvest began on August 24 for the Merlot and September 2 for the Cabernet Sauvignon (the earliest ever here) and ran uninterrupted through September 26. To be sure, larger estates like Opus One are especially pushed to the edge in difficult years because they are essentially forced to pick through the challenging weather, as the alternative is losing a portion of the crop. The just-bottled 2022 is still coming together, but it is promising, while the 2021 continues to impress.

Opus One has been on a run of late, as the most recent vintages have all been stellar. Michael Silacci, the estate's Director of Viticulture and Enology showed me a handful of wines to help put the 2016 in context. It's hard go wrong with any of these four wines. More than anything else, though, what is truly impressive about Opus One is the quality of these wines considering that production is 24-25,000 cases, the equivalent of a First Growth and many times the production of Napa Valley's elite wines.

Opus One fans will find three fabulous wines in these current and upcoming releases. Both the 2013 and 2014 show all the promise they had from barrel, while the 2015 may very well turn out to be the most compelling of the three! Winemaker Michael Silacci has really upped the game at Opus One in recent years, and it shows.

Opus One is going through a brilliant period, as these four wines amply show. In addition to the new and upcoming releases I also had a chance to revisit the 2010, a wine that is just as impressive as it has always been.

The timing of my visit this fall to Opus One was not the best, as the 2013 had just been bottled, and I was therefore not able to taste it again. I did have a chance to revisit the 2012, which is of course very young, but also beautifully balanced. I also tasted three trial blends of the 2014 Opus One, although the wine I thought was the most complete of the three was not ultimately selected to be final blend. That just speaks to how potentially strong 2014 could turn out to be here. Although Opus gives off an air of exclusivity and luxury, behind the scenes Michael Silacci remains a student of the craft, one of the most thoughtful, introspective winemakers in Napa Valley.

Opus One is going through a brilliant period, as these four wines amply show. In addition to the new and upcoming releases I also had a chance to revisit the 2010, a wine that is just as impressive as it has always been.

On my March visit, Michael Silacci explained how Opus One has been picking a bit earlier beginning with 2010, bringing in a higher percentage of its fruit at what he calls "the fresher fruit stage."(He showed me a time-by-ripeness chart that indicated distinct dips--"muted, neutral zones"--between the "aromatic" herbal, fresh fruit, ripe fruit and overripe stages, adding that the ripening of the fruit prior to harvest is not a straight line.)Silacci also told me that Opus One is now blending as early as possible:the estate's four clones are now being planted throughout each of four quadrants, rather than each block being planted with a single clone (Silacci described this as "random sectoring").But he noted that the new plantings will not start to go into the estate's flagship wine for another few years.Average skin contact has also gone down drastically here--from 44 days in 2000 to 18 or 19 nowadays.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

Opus One is going through a brilliant period, as these four wines amply show. In addition to the new and upcoming releases I also had a chance to revisit the 2010, a wine that is just as impressive as it has always been.

On my March visit, Michael Silacci explained how Opus One has been picking a bit earlier beginning with 2010, bringing in a higher percentage of its fruit at what he calls "the fresher fruit stage." (He showed me a time-by-ripeness chart that indicated distinct dips--"muted, neutral zones"--between the "aromatic" herbal, fresh fruit, ripe fruit and overripe stages, adding that the ripening of the fruit prior to harvest is not a straight line.) Silacci also told me that Opus One is now blending as early as possible: the estate's four clones are now being planted throughout each of four quadrants, rather than each block being planted with a single clone (Silacci described this as "random sectoring"). But he noted that the new plantings will not start to go into the estate's flagship wine for another few years. Average skin contact has also gone down drastically here--from 44 days in 2000 to 18 or 19 nowadays.

Opus One seems to really be hitting all the right notes these days. Winemaker Michael Silacci describes 2010 as the most difficult vintage he has ever seen. In 2011, Silacci opted for lower temperatures in fermentation, less contact on the skins, more co-fermentations and earlier bottling, all in response to the unique challenges of that year. I have also included a note on the 2008 Opus One from magnum, which is being released this year. Readers might also want to take a look at this complete vertical of Opus One from earlier in the year, along with a short video of Opus One I shot with Silacci in September 2013.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

Following the wet spring of 2010, Opus One left more leaves on the shoots in order to keep the roots more active and draw more moisture out of the soil, said winemaker Michael Silacci. "And we did not strip leaves in mid-August, just before the heat spell." The team here started harvesting way in advance of original predictions, and Silacci says he was shocked to find so much ripeness. But thanks to the use of an optical grape sorter and a decision to pick a substantial chunk of the crop on the weekend before another heat spike, Silacci noted, "we don't see a dehydrated character at all in 2010." Silacci described 2011 as a difficult year. Again, Opus picked early ("at the fresh fruit stage"), beginning on September 19 and picking nearly half the crop before the first big rain fell in early October. Over the years, Silacci has cut back significantly on maceration times. There were 44 days of skin contact in 2000, while in 2010 it was 19 and in 2011,18.

Opus One seems to really be hitting all the right notes these days. Winemaker Michael Silacci describes 2010 as the most difficult vintage he has ever seen. In 2011, Silacci opted for lower temperatures in fermentation, less contact on the skins, more co-fermentations and earlier bottling, all in response to the unique challenges of that year. I have also included a note on the 2008 Opus One from magnum, which is being released this year. Readers might also want to take a look at this complete vertical of Opus One from earlier in the year, along with a short video of Opus One I shot with Silacci in September 2013.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

Following the wet spring of 2010, Opus One left more leaves on the shoots in order to keep the roots more active and draw more moisture out of the soil, said winemaker Michael Silacci."And we did not strip leaves in mid-August, just before the heat spell."The team here started harvesting way in advance of original predictions, and Silacci says he was shocked to find so much ripeness.But thanks to the use of an optical grape sorter and a decision to pick a substantial chunk of the crop on the weekend before another heat spike, Silacci noted, "we don't see a dehydrated character at all in 2010."Silacci described 2011 as a difficult year.Again, Opus picked early ("at the fresh fruit stage"), beginning on September 19 and picking nearly half the crop before the first big rain fell in early October.Over the years, Silacci has cut back significantly on maceration times.There were 44 days of skin contact in 2000, while in 2010 it was 19 and in 2011,18.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

Winemaker Michael Silacci describes 2008 as one of his favorite vintages for Opus One, and very Bordeaux-like. "I like 2006, 2008 and 2010," he told me, adding that "2007 is more of a caricature." Silacci told me that 2008 featured small berries with a high skin-to-juice ratio but noted that this "does not automatically translate into higher total polyphenols or darker color." Opus One used a new optical grape sorter in 2009, which Silacci said is the best device for eliminating raisins, and they liked the results so much they purchased the sorter in 2010. Incidentally, Opus One will sell 50% of their wine this year outside the U.S.--"and not just to China," according to Silacci.

As the challenges of difficult growing seasons fade with time, two things happen. First, in the memory of winemakers, rain events magically become less extreme: the actual torrential rainfall that plagued a harvest shrinks to moderate precipitation and eventually to a vague recollection of moisture. Freakishly cool or brutally hot harvest weather or damaging hail storms are virtually forgotten, as the body has a short memory for pain. At the same time, as the wines themselves mature and are transformed, they reveal themselves to be less extreme after all, until at some point it can be next to impossible to find the insanity of the vintage in the bottle. I’ve seen these patterns play out again and again in temperate wine-growing areas like Bordeaux, Burgundy and northern Italy—and even in normally hot, bone-dry growing regions. Two thousand eight was such a year for California’s North Coast.

These are three stellar wines from Opus One. Michael Silacci continues to push the envelope of quality, which is remarkable for many reasons, the most important of which is the sheer scale of Opus One, which has no equal in Napa Valley at this level. One of the more recent developments at Opus One is an increased use of co-fermentations. As good as these bottled wines are, I am often just as impressed by the lots and blends I taste at Opus One that aren't bottled, as those wines say just as much about what the ambitions are at this reference point estate.

Opus One seems to really be hitting all the right notes these days. Winemaker Michael Silacci describes 2010 as the most difficult vintage he has ever seen. In 2011, Silacci opted for lower temperatures in fermentation, less contact on the skins, more co-fermentations and earlier bottling, all in response to the unique challenges of that year. I have also included a note on the 2008 Opus One from magnum, which is being released this year. Readers might also want to take a look at this complete vertical of Opus One from earlier in the year, along with a short video of Opus One I shot with Silacci in September 2013.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

Winemaker Michael Silacci describes 2008 as one of his favorite vintages for Opus One, and very Bordeaux-like. "I like 2006, 2008 and 2010," he told me, adding that "2007 is more of a caricature." Silacci told me that 2008 featured small berries with a high skin-to-juice ratio but noted that this "does not automatically translate into higher total polyphenols or darker color." Opus One used a new optical grape sorter in 2009, which Silacci said is the best device for eliminating raisins, and they liked the results so much they purchased the sorter in 2010. Incidentally, Opus One will sell 50% of their wine this year outside the U.S.--"and not just to China," according to Silacci.

Winemaker Michael Silacci told me his two favorite recent years here are 2008 and 2006. He described the 2007 Opus One as "uncharacteristic for what we do: too California." This was a view of 2007 that I was more likely to hear from French winemakers working in NapaValley. "In 2004, 2007 and 2008 we had heat spells in early September." said Silacci. "We needed to wait for the rest of the fruit to come back and then eliminate the bad stuff." The crop level of 1.9 tons per acre in 2008 was the lowest since Silacci arrived here in 2001-reflecting the influence of a dry springtime, losses due to frost, some rain during bloom, and the heat spell in September.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

Winemaker Michael Silacci told me his two favorite recent years here are 2008 and 2006. He described the 2007 Opus One as "uncharacteristic for what we do: too California." This was a view of 2007 that I was more likely to hear from French winemakers working in NapaValley. "In 2004, 2007 and 2008 we had heat spells in early September." said Silacci. "We needed to wait for the rest of the fruit to come back and then eliminate the bad stuff." The crop level of 1.9 tons per acre in 2008 was the lowest since Silacci arrived here in 2001-reflecting the influence of a dry springtime, losses due to frost, some rain during bloom, and the heat spell in September.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

According to general manager David Pearson, nothing much has changed here since the purchase of the Robert Mondavi Winery by Constellation Brands, with one important exception: the Opus One partners Mondavi and Baroness Philippine de Rothschild decided that it was necessary to be independent ("like a grown-up child leaving the house," said Pearson). Previously, Opus One was made by winemakers from both Mondavi and Mouton-Rothschild (and co-run by two CEOs). But Michael Silacci, who joined the project in 2001, has been head winemaker since 2004. Vineyard sources remain essentially unchanged in recent years (although the winery is now embarking on a replanting project): mostly from vineyards around the winery, east of Highway 29 in Oakville, and from their portion of the Tokalon vineyard on the west side of the road. Winemaker Silacci told me he has been a bit more flexible on elevage since 2004, doing less racking than in the old days. In addition to tasting 2004 and 2005, I was able to retaste 2003, 2002 and 2001, as well as the '91 and '87 vintages. Today's wines seem distinctly cleaner than those of the '80s and mid-'90s. There are roughly 25,000 cases produced every year, plus a small quantity of a second wine called Overture, which is sold at the winery.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

According to general manager David Pearson, nothing much has changed here since the purchase of the Robert Mondavi Winery by Constellation Brands, with one important exception: the Opus One partners Mondavi and Baroness Philippine de Rothschild decided that it was necessary to be independent ("like a grown-up child leaving the house," said Pearson). Previously, Opus One was made by winemakers from both Mondavi and Mouton-Rothschild (and co-run by two CEOs). But Michael Silacci, who joined the project in 2001, has been head winemaker since 2004. Vineyard sources remain essentially unchanged in recent years (although the winery is now embarking on a replanting project): mostly from vineyards around the winery, east of Highway 29 in Oakville, and from their portion of the Tokalon vineyard on the west side of the road. Winemaker Silacci told me he has been a bit more flexible on elevage since 2004, doing less racking than in the old days. In addition to tasting 2004 and 2005, I was able to retaste 2003, 2002 and 2001, as well as the '91 and '87 vintages. Today's wines seem distinctly cleaner than those of the '80s and mid-'90s. There are roughly 25,000 cases produced every year, plus a small quantity of a second wine called Overture, which is sold at the winery.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

Based on my tastings this spring and last, Napa Valley’s 1995 Cabernets don’t quite match the ‘94s for their density, suavity of texture and overall balance. But the up-and-down 1995 growing season was nonetheless an outstanding vintage, having produced many aromatically complex and ageworthy wines.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

This wine was part of a tasting of Napa Icons, held at Press, St. Helena.

There is something magical about Cabernet Sauvignon. In particular, Cabernet has the ability to develop and transform with age in ways that are often unpredictable. That is one of the reasons it is so interesting to follow wines along their entire lives. It was a real privilege to sit down with one of my tastings groups to check in on these iconic wines. We had a few disappointments, as always happens in settings like this, but for the most part, the wines were fabulous. I would like to thank Press in St. Helena for hosting us, and Sommeliers Kelli White and Scott Brenner for their advice and insights. Our dinner was top-notch, but will all due respect to the kitchen, on this night the focus was a bit tilted towards the wine end of things.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I walked into the massive Opus One winery a few weeks ago. The opportunity to survey an estate's entire production is not something that happens every day. At this level, wines can express so much; the spirit of the people involved, the characteristics of where they are from, and the personality of a vintage. Opus One is among the most famous wines in Napa Valley, but quality has been up and down over the years. How would the wines show? Well, that was answered loud and clear a few hours later. I found the best wines from the early days still in great shape, with a handful that remain truly outstanding. With the last few vintages, Opus One seems to have entered a newfound period of brilliance. There are some disappointments as well, hardly surprising given that production has grown by more than five times since 1979. Along the way there have been changes and bumps in the road, again quite natural, in wine as in life, when enough years are put together. It's hard to imagine just how revolutionary it must have seemed when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild decided to make wine together in Napa Valley. The Mondavis were a hardworking, up and coming family with roots in central Italy, while the Rothschilds were among Europe's elite. Their partnership would go on to bring an unprecedented amount of visibility and attention to Napa Valley. Opus One was initially conceived as a selection of the best lots at Robert Mondavi Winery. The early vintages were made by Robert Mondavi's son, Tim, and Mouton Rothschild's winemaker Lucien Sionneau. Although Tim Mondavi had grown up among the redwood tanks and used brandy barrels at his family's Charles Krug winery, he was still a young man at the beginning of the joint venture. Sionneau, on the other hand, was a veteran winemaker. The new project had access to all of Robert Mondavi lots in the cellar, capped at 50% of any specific lot in order to ensure the Robert Mondavi wines could maintain their qualitative standard. Tim Mondavi describes his personal style as one geared towards slightly richer, rounder wines, while Sionneau preferred a more structured, austere style. Mondavi also adds that his family was open to risk taking, while Mouton tended to be on the conservative side of things. As a result, Opus One was always filtered, a la Mouton, while the Robert Mondavi wines were not. Sionneau retired in 1984, and was replaced by Patrick Léon, who made Opus One with Tim Mondavi from 1985 to 2000. Genevieve Janssens, Robert Mondavi Winery's current Director of Winemaking, arrived in 1989. She spent her first two years working the harvest at Mouton before becoming more actively involved at Opus One, where she worked with Tim Mondavi and Patrick Léon from 1991 to 1997. Initially, Opus One was made at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 1991, Opus One moved all winemaking to its present day facility in Oakville. At the same time, a set of historic blocks that had been the backbone of Opus One were formally allocated to the winery to complement the vineyards that surrounded the new building. Opus One continued to have access to other blocks at Robert Mondavi as well. The vintage also signaled the end of a five-year drought period. Stylistically, the wines became richer. Skin contact increased, reaching 33 days in 1991, the longest ever at the time, although subsequent vintages saw even lengthier fermentations. Even today, the Opus One property looks modern, so it is hard to imagine the impression it must have made back then, well before Napa Valley became the super-wealthy region it is today. In 2000 Opus One hired Michael Silacci, formerly of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Beaulieu Vineyard to take over winemaking. Tim Mondavi's day-to-day involvement gradually receded, while Mouton Rothschild's new winemaker Philippe Dhalluin joined the team. Silacci is focused on moving the vineyards towards dry farming and increasing clonal diversity. Vineyards are now replanted with as many as four or five different clones that are interspersed within the rows, which Silacci believes increases complexity and nuance in the wines. In 2005, Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands, along with its 50% interest in Opus One. As part of the transaction, Opus One gained a new parcel known as To-Kalon South, which now augments the existing core holdings in To-Kalon North as well as the sites that surround the winery itself. The most recent releases suggest quality has finally reached a level of consistency that is finally worthy of Opus One's image and price.