2004 opus one3/24/2023 ![]() A barrel of the 1979 vintage came up for sale. A full two years earlier excitement about the first release of this historic venture reached a crescendo at the first Napa Valley Wine Auction in the summer of 1981. When the name was revealed, Baron Philippe said in an interview: "A bottle of wine is a symphony to me". Hundreds of choices were considered but it was the Baron, a great patron of the arts and a lover of music, who suggested the name so closely associated with the art of music. The first vintage for Opus One was harvested in 1979, but it was not until October 1983 that a name for the wine was announced. Conceived to utilize French vinification techniques and traditional Bordeaux grape varieties, the wine would be grown and produced in California the winemaking decisions would be made jointly by Robert Mondavi's winemaker, Tim Mondavi, and his counterpart at Château Mouton, Lucien Sionneau (Sionneau, now retired, was replaced by Patrick Léon). Four years later in 1979 the good Baron announced a joint venture with his American counterpart, Robert Mondavi, to produce a Franco-American wine in the Napa Valley. He and Robert Mondavi met that year in Hawaii to discuss future possibilities. The seeds for Opus were sown as far back as 1970 when Baron Rothschild visited California and made the oft-quoted statement " California wines are like Coca- Cola - they all taste the same." By 1975 the revered Baron, the dynamo who revolutionized Bordeaux and brought great fame to his beloved Château Mouton, apparently had a change of heart. ![]() Opus One has proven itself beyond a doubt - it has, does, and will continue to produce exceptional wine. However, the 1990's have ushered in a new era for Opus One - this great winerey's place in the future scheme of things has now been accepted and the quality niche it has carved for itself is no longer being questioned by the wine community. The ambitious price of the first release, the doubting critics, the cynical consumers, and the overworked hype that has surrounded the wine from the beginning have all fueled the debate about its real quality. From its conception as an idea created by Robert Mondavi and the late Baron de Rothschild, Opus One has been enveloped in controversy. The ride to the top has never been easy for the folks behind Opus One. Over the span of a little more than two decades Opus One has become the most renowned name in American wine. **These wines are scheduled to arrive in September. To ensure moderate sugar levels and preserve freshness, the majority of Opus One’s fruit was harvested in the cool morning hours before sunrise.Ģ004 Opus One, Napa List $182.50 Sale $160Ģ004 Opus One, Napa (375ml) List $97.50 Sale $86Ģ002 Opus One, Napa Magnum List $450 Sale $396 A late summer hot spell prompted an early and compact harvest which began August 30 th and ended October 1 st. Cooler temperatures during the berry set affected flower pollination resulting in fewer grapes per cluster and the lowest per-acre yield since 1987. There are many other people making outstanding wine in California today, but there are no producers that come close to the quality of Opus One at this level of production.ĭry weather and unseasonably warm temperatures in March 2004 brought the earliest bloom in the history of Opus One’s vineyards. ![]() Opus One was the first and still is one of the few wines made in all of California at this quality level every year, especially when you consider the large production of Opus One. Thirdly, if there is any producer that is worthy of charging $100+ for a bottle of his wine it is Robert Mondavi, he was the first to believe that they could make wine in California that was on par with the great wines of France. Secondly, we challenge you to find a winery that focuses on making only one wine and that makes over 30,000 cases of that single wine. ![]() is a light and pink wine called White Zinfandel. First of all, most people realize that better depends on the palate of the drinker, remember that one of the most popular style of wines in the U.S. Some would argue that this wine is over-priced, over-rated, and that there are plenty of wines that are better for less money.
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