![]() ![]() In 1981, Mondavi sold part of his share of the vineyard to the newly launched Opus One venture, providing high-quality grapes that serve as the backbone of the blend. It is generally regarded as the best winemaking land Napa has to offer. The To Kalon vineyard is jointly owned by a number of famed Napa producers. Of The Blend Comes From Napas Legendary To Kalon Vineyard Following years of planning, they formed a joint venture in 1980, to which Mondavi sold 35 acres from his famous To Kalon vineyard in Oakville, Napa. ![]() It all started in Hawaii at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel in 1970, where Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi met for the first time. They originally established Opus One to combine the best of Old and New World wine making expertise in one of the most sought after plots in the Napa Valley. Sadly no longer with us, they have both been responsible for great innovation which will continue to shape the fine wine industry for the foreseeable future. The Opus One index is up 33% in the last 5 yearsĬalifornias famous Opus One is the product of the shared vision of two of the most influential winemakers of all time, Chateau Mouton Rothschilds Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Napa Valleys Robert Mondavi.UK remains the largest overseas market for Californian investment wines.Californian investment wines account for 7% of trade share on Liv-ex in 2021.The Liv-ex California 50 index hit an all-time high in August 2021.We look at one of the regions iconic cult wines the product of a marriage between Bordeaux aristocracy and New World talent Opus One. Although accessible now, the 2003 will benefit from another 4-5 years of cellaring and should keep for two decades.Californias investment wines are enjoying a golden era and the US West Coast is now home to the second most expensive fine wines in the world after Burgundy. The significant tannin in the wine provides a slight austerity, but this is a full-bodied, rich effort that marks the beginning of a period when Opus One finally began to live up to the enormous potential first announced in the late 1970s by the late Baron Philippe de Rothschild and the late Robert Mondavi. It possesses a Bordeaux-like personality, as one might expect since Opus One is owned by Baroness Philippe de Rothschild and the winemaking team comes primarily from Pauillac. "This blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec aged 17 months in French oak is a strong effort offering creme de cassis, cedarwood, white chocolate and spice box. Guided by the vision of our founders, winemaker Michael Silacci combines intuition and technical acumen with the dual perspective of viticulturist and winemaker. From tasting berries to careful sorting and extended aging in new French oak barrels, each stage of the winemaking process is afforded the same meticulous consideration and attention. After 18 months, the Opus One wine is bottled and held an additional 15 months until release on October 1st each year.īlend: Cabernet Sauvignon 91%, Cabernet Franc 3%, Petit Verdot 3%, Merlot 2%, Malbec 1% Place, often defined as terroir, represents the geography, the climate and the essential human element which is captured in the wine’s balance between power and finesse, structure and texture. ![]() The essence of time is expressed in Opus One wine by the character of each vintage. The facial profile of the two founders is visible on their iconic label. Producing luxury wines from its Napa Valley vineyards, the partnership made its first vintage in 1979 and has made wine at Opus One since 1991. Opus One is a partnership founded by Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Chateau Mouton Rothschild in Pauillac, France \and renowned Napa Valley vintner, Robert Mondavi. ![]()
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