Look East Look West: Opus One

Opus One is an important winery in Oakville, CA. It’s a very special place and tasting there is by appointment only. In 1980 The Opus One Winery was founded by the Baron Philippe De Rothschild, Legendary Proprietor of Chateau Mouton Rothschild, and renowned Napa Valley Vintner Robert Mondavi. The wine they created is among the best Bordeaux style blends in the world. Opus One is most often a blend of five grape varieties – Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot.

It's easy to pass the Opus One Winery and never see it. The main building is set a bit off the beaten path and has a grass covered hillside sloping up like a pyramid with a rooftop covered in grass. On top of the building is a view that offers spectacular views of the valley.

Opus One Driveway

One can either take a very informative tour of the wine making facility or simply taste Opus One in the lovely the surroundings. The tours cost from $50 (90 min) to $75 (120 min) per person depending on the tour and includes a tasting. Since we had taken the basic tour before, we moved directly to the tasting room.

After checking in with reception we were directed to the exclusive Partners Room where we were served two vintages of the rare Opus One Wines. It certainly wasn’t inexpensive as the 2008 vintage cost $35 for a 4 ounce pour and the 2003 cost $40. Bottles cost $200 or more.

Upstairs View Balcony

We took our glasses up the stairs to the beautiful balcony and tasted our wine while enjoying views of the surrounding countryside and vineyards. The 2003 was quite a bit smoother. But both wines were good. Opus One ages well, collectible and is best between 8-15 years in age.