Heritage
Opus One 2016 Napa Valley (750 ml) stands as a benchmark of precision, harmony, and timeless elegance in fine winemaking. A joint creation of Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi, Opus One is meticulously crafted from estate vineyards in Oakville, at the heart of Napa Valley.
The 2016 vintage — widely regarded as one of the finest of the decade — reflects near-perfect growing conditions, allowing each varietal in the Bordeaux-inspired blend to achieve optimal ripeness. Aged in new French oak barrels for 18 months, it reveals remarkable depth, polish, and longevity. Every detail, from vineyard management to barrel selection, reflects Opus One’s pursuit of balance, finesse, and the seamless expression of Napa Valley terroir.
Tasting Profile & Food Pairings
Tasting Notes A poised, classical Napa Bordeaux blend from a superbly balanced vintage. The nose opens with blackcurrant, ripe blackberry, and dark cherry layered over violet, graphite, cedar, and a hint of pencil shavings. The palate is satin-textured yet driven—cassis and black plum framed by fine, powdery tannins, lifted acidity, and elegant oak tones of cigar box, cocoa nib, and baking spice. It gains savor with air—bay leaf, tobacco, dried rose—and finishes long, cool, and mineral with a lingering echo of cassis and cacao.
Food Pairings Starter Beef carpaccio with Parmigiano and arugula, duck rillettes on toasted brioche, or roasted beet salad with walnuts and aged balsamic to tease out the wine’s floral and graphite notes. Main Course Dry-aged ribeye with herb butter, lamb racks with rosemary and garlic, or cocoa-rubbed venison; slow-braised short ribs or oxtail risotto spotlight the wine’s depth and supple tannin. Vegetarian Wild-mushroom ragù over fresh pappardelle, truffle potato gratin, or charred eggplant with miso glaze to mirror the savory graphite and cocoa tones. Cheese Clothbound cheddar, aged Gouda, Comté 24-month, or a firm sheep’s milk cheese like Manchego Reserva—salty, nutty profiles that reinforce structure without overwhelming fruit. Dessert Not overly sweet: 70–80% dark chocolate, flourless chocolate torte, or black-cherry clafoutis; alternatively, finish with roasted nuts and dried figs beside the glass.
Craftsmanship
Opus One is a partnership born from the meeting of two visionary wine dynasties — Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Bordeaux and Robert Mondavi of Napa Valley. Their shared ambition was to create a wine that blends Old World elegance with New World vitality, and since its inaugural vintage in 1979, Opus One has become a benchmark for ultra-premium, Bordeaux-style wines in California.
The winery is built on a philosophy of precision and restraint: minimal intervention in the vineyard, careful site selection, and rigorous quality controls in the cellar. Opus One’s vineyards are managed intensely, focusing on low yields, selective harvesting, and sustainable practices to ensure that each cluster ripens with balance and clarity.
In the winery, each lot is handled separately — small lots, gentle extraction, gradual oak aging — before final blending. The goal is not to dominate the wine with oak or heavy extraction, but to reveal the nuances of terroir, microclimate, and vintage. Over time, Opus One has maintained one of the most consistent and recognizable profiles of any California “cult” wine: rich yet graceful, powerful yet poised, and always built for longevity.
In short, Opus One stands as a symbol of collaboration, precision, and aspiration. It is not merely a wine label, but a statement: that world-class, ageworthy wines can be made in the New World without surrendering sophistication or sense of place.
