Tasting Opus One: 1979 to 2016

Tasting a 40-year vertical of any wine from its conception through to its latest bottled vintage is always exciting, because you are tracing a proof of concept, asking the question whether the belief and investment in this particular wine has proved to be justified. In the case of Opus One, it is particularly fascinating because from 1979 to today pretty much everything changed – the vineyards, the winery, the viticulture, the team.

‘Everything’, says CEO David Pearson, ‘but the idea, which at its heart remains extremely simple – marrying the potential of Bordeaux and Napa, and to create an American First Growth’. The first name was ‘napamedoc’, becoming Opus in year two.This was only the second-ever complete vertical of Opus One since Pearson took over as CEO in 2004, and both have taken place this year – once in South America a few months ago, and another this weekend in Bavaria, held at Unger Weine in Frasdorf’. Together with a small group of collectors, we were taken through the history not only of the first high profile joint venture between Bordeaux and Napa, but also through the evolution of two families and the recent history of the wider region of Napa Valley – all things that came out clearly in the glass.

Back in 1979, we were hard on the heels of the Judgement of Paris, and although Insignia and a few other Bordeaux blends already existed in Napa, the idea of Baron Philippe de Rothschild starting a joint venture with Robert Mondavi was viewed as a risk. The idea has first been floated between the two men back in 1970, but it was only in 1978 that it became a reality – proof, as I have always thought, that the smart French winemakers were excited not threatened by the possibilities offered by the success of Californian wines in the now-legendary tasting.

One point is worth making right up front. Some of the vintages that were less celebrated at the time over in Napa had clear appeal to the tasters in Europe this weekend. The wines with more bottle age, from 1979 to 2003, are very much regarded as ‘old style’ Opus when the two founding families were still directly involved in the winemaking. They were less consistent than the recent vintages, but when they were good they were brilliant; working perfectly with food and so full of nuance and joy.Their ageing ability was standout, and clearly signalled to me and others present that Opus rewards ageing. Many also underlined that the cooler years in Napa should never be dismissed. The 1980, which has blown me away every time I’ve tasted it, is the result of a long, slow and relatively cool growing season (until a burst of heat at the end). The alcohol is barely above 12%abv and yet it remains intense, well spiced, complex and deeply coloured. Hugely impressive and a reminder of how much natural power is found in the soils of Napa without having to push.

It’s also clear, having said that, that Opus has become a more complete, fully-realised wine in more recent years. The first standout improvement comes in 1997, the first vintage to use all five grape varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. The arrival of winemaker Michael Silacci in 2001 is also immediately evident, paving the way to greater precision and flesh as the wine heads towards becoming fully independent in 2004, with its own winemaking team and entirely estate-owned vineyards.

The biggest difference in recent years is in consistency, and in hitting its stride as a Californian wine; with all the exuberance and pleasure that entails, while still retaining a crushed mint and saline finish that speaks of choices such as slightly earlier harvesting than some icon Napas, and viticultural choices such as leaving leaf cover around the grapes. Opus remains a wine that respects vintages, and the light and shade that it offers is essential for any winery that aims at greatness.

There are so many layers of interest here, it’s hard to know where to start. To break down what to expect when you are tasting these wines, it’s helpful to see the evolution of Opus in three (or perhaps four) main stages.

The early years cover 1979 to 1990 where the wine was made in the Mondavi winery by Lucien Sionneau from Mouton and Tim Mondavi, with vines from the Mondavi’s To Kalon vineyards. Then 1991 in their own winery but still with the Napa-Bordeaux winemaking team of Patrick Léon (from 1985) and Tim Mondavi, with vines coming from plots across the Valley. The biggest step change was the arrival of Michael Silacci (fresh from Warren Winiarski at Stag’s Leap, and before that André Tchelistcheff at Beaulieu) in 2001 – and finally the move to full independence from 2004, when the Mondavi family sold to Constellation Brands (the Rothschilds retained their 50%) and Opus became its own self-contained entity, headed up by David Pearson with its own winemaking team and entirely estate-owned vineyards (69ha spread over four main plots, as they had been since 2000, half from To Kalon vines and half from plots around the winery).

This was also the point at which they began a 25-year replanting programme that is still on-going, changing not only grape plantings in places, but also row orientation, pruning, trellising and irrigation techniques to drive the roots from 1m to 3m underground. The vineyard has always been farmed organically, with biodynamics in place for the past 11 years since 2008 (not certified).

Then there’s the backdrop of the wider politics and wine styles of Napa. Opus came under criticism at various times over the first two decades for being too European, too ‘food-friendly’ was one criticism, particularly once the snowball of Icon Napa became a potent force from 1998 onwards. Negative comparisons to Screaming Eagle and others were real, and in some ways deserved. Was Opus taking too much note of its Bordeaux heritage and not enough of its location?

It’s fascinating to look at just one statistic that I have included in every tasting note – the differing length of skin contact, a step in winemaking that extracts colour, flavour compounds and tannin by keeping the skins of the grape in contact with the juice after alcoholic fermentation is finished. Just this one thing tells a story all by itself – the lowest being 9 days in 1982 and the highest 43 in 1994 (usually closer to 20 days again today). The racking intensity has also changed, from six times during ageing in the early days (‘because that’s how it was done in Bordeaux at the time’), down to four, and as low as twice during ageing today, as winemaking becomes less interventionist and the emphasis very definitely shifts out to the vineyard.

All in all a thought-provoking tasting that delivered both discussion and pleasure. Hard to argue with that.

The bottles were kept upright for one week then opened at 12pm on each day of the tasting (held over two consecutive evenings). Bottles not magnums. Tasting held with Opus One, with wines provided directly by them or from their importer. 

Tasting Opus One 1979-2016