![]() It was voted # 1 of 100 Napa Valley wines by James Suckling. They may only produce one, but it’s a great one. Opus One Winery only produces one style of wine a Bordeaux-style Cabernet Sauvignon blend, so be prepared for tasting one lovely red wine in a bit of a pretentious and pricey setting, although Opus One is worth the visit. The winery tours are by appointment only, so call in advance to secure your reservation, and if possible, note that their very best and most knowledgeable tour Docents are Sandy, Nancy, Vicki, Hank and Japanese-speaking, Kaede. It doesn’t get any more luxuriously sophisticated than this, so take plenty of pictures while there. This is a winery to just sit back, relax and absorb a wonderful glass of wine with the company of good friends. ![]() Looking out across Opus One’s vineyards from the upstairs terrace, you immediately sense the beauty of Napa Valley. The estate is impressive, especially when driving down the center driveway to the winery entrance. Opus One Winery delivers a luxurious, though somewhat formal wine experience. Constellation Brands acquired Robert Mondavi Winery in 2004 and entered into a management agreement with Baron Rothschild (Lafite) to manage Opus One Winery. This winery was originally a joint venture between Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe Rothschild who teamed up to create this magnificent winery focused on producing a single Bordeaux styled blend based on Napa Valley floor Cabernet Sauvignon. When the renovations are completed in 2020 Opus One plans to offer a new range of tasting experiences.(Posted with permission from Sill Family Vineyards) Opus One: A Collaboration Winery Tours of the vineyard and winery are also available as well as a gorgeous view of the Oakville Appellation from the winery’s rooftop terrace. The Opus One Tasting Room is open daily by appointment from 10 am to 4 pm. Seen from its center, the Grand Chai appears to curve into infinity. One thousand barrels are arranged side by side in the Grand Chai, where the wine is nurtured and aged in new French oak during the first year of its life. Beyond its glass walls an entire vintage of Opus One rests in the Grand Chai, a cool, semi-circular cellar. The architecture ushers guests toward the heart of the winery – the Opus One Tasting Room. A room furnished with seeming contradictions, the Salon is a deft merging of Old and New World sensibilities. Brightly glazed, modern ceramics line a fifteenth-century limestone mantel. In the Salon, the winery’s most formal space, eighteenth-century Italian opera chairs face contemporary chenille sofas and suede seating. The quiet profile of Opus One blends with the natural surroundings – the vineyards and rolling hills of the Napa Valley. The building now literally rises out of the earth, and through a mix of classical European and contemporary Californian elements, gradually discloses its distinctive beauty. In July of 1989, groundbreaking for the new winery took place and the construction of the facility was completed in 1991. Recognizing the untapped potential of the wine industry in California, the Baron travelled to a wholesaler. The Baron Philippe de Rothschild, perhaps the best-known member of the great winemaking family behind Bordeaux’ Chateau Mouton Rothschild, was visiting the United States. In 1984, Baron Philippe, his daughter Philippine and Robert Mondavi selected Scott Johnson, an architect of Johnson, Fain & Pereira, to design the Opus One winery. The story of the unique partnership behind Opus One began in 1970. The winery consists of 170 acres the first estate vineyard acquired in 1981, when Robert Mondavi sold 35 acres that was apart of his famous To-Kalon Vineyard. ![]() Their four vineyards are meticulously hedged and cultivated with passion and perfection, the vintners being well aware that great winemaking begins first and foremost in the vineyards. ![]() Looking out across Opus One’s vineyards, one immediately senses Opus One is different. The winery creates an exceptional Bordeaux blend, their one and only specialty wine. By combining the great winemaking traditions and innovations of both families, the founders’ singular goal was to create an exceptional wine in the heart of Napa Valley, in which they have succeeded. Opus One was founded by renowned Napa Valley vintner Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Château Mouton Rothschild, which is in Pauillac, France. ![]()
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