Opus One

When I worked as a buyer for a wine importer in Japan, one of my responsibilities was signing off the salesmen’s “indent” orders – special orders from our customers for fine and rare wines offered by overseas brokers.  After my first couple months of doing this, I was struck that there was one wine repeatedly featuring on the purchase orders: Opus One.  Out of exasperation as much as curiosity, one day I cornered our sales manager and asked him who was drinking all this Opus One.  He hesitated before replying that this was the house wine at a number of his accounts.  Dubious, I pressed him to know what kind of place serves Opus One as a house wine.  Eyes averted, he muttered into his tie, “Hostess bars.”

During his recent visit to Singapore, I mentioned this story to Roger Asleson, director of public relations at Opus One.  He winced before the punch-line.  “It’s a situation that we’re aware of,” he confided.  Japan is by far their largest market in Asia.  “All the more reason to be in Singapore!” he announced.

Opus One’s Michael Silacci (left) and Roger Asleson (right)

In April 2009, Asleson and Opus One’s winemaker Michael Silacci were in Singapore on the final leg of a tour of southern Asia.  They were certainly making the most of their visit – I attended three separate events here arranged by three different organisers.  But it was actually a pleasure to be able to spend so much time chatting with this passionate and knowledgeable duo.  What’s more, the three events gave me the opportunity to taste (and sometimes re-taste) nine different vintages of California’s original ultra-premium icon wine.

The events included a small dinner at Morton’s Restaurant with the staff of Corner Stone Wines (Hock Tong Bee), a press and trade event organised by Ch’ng Poh Tiong at the Tower Club and an Opus One Masterclass as part of the World Gourmet Summit (WGS) that was on in Singapore during that period.  There was also a WGS Opus One dinner but since there were no different vintages for me to taste, I didn’t attend.  From having a small hand in working with the World Gourmet Summit, I do know that their two Opus One events were easy sell-outs.  Such is the pull of this legendary name. 

Yet a lot of Opus controversy was raked to the surface during the events in Singapore.  Whispers about the quality, price tag and management of this brand were rife.  With nearly three decades of vintages now under its belt and a lot of newer California contenders having since muscled in on their icon position and price point, is Opus One still the one or just a washed-up icon label better resigned to hapless chumps in Japanese hostess bars?

Thirty years since its inception, Opus One still makes only one Grand Vin.  Though they do declassify some barrels into the little seen second wine, Overture, we may never get to see an Opus Two.  Nonetheless, production of this one wine has peaked at an impressive current level of around 20,000-25,000 cases per annum arising from what is now (though has not always been) 100% estate grown grapes.  Made predominately of Cabernet Sauvignon, these days the blend normally includes all five permitted Bordeaux red varietals: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and an increasing quantity of Petit Verdot.  This mix of grapes planted to 56 hectares / 139 acres of prime Napa real estate spread over four vineyards (including two at To Kalon) should result in ample wiggle room to create a pretty impressive blend every year.  Though it would be naïve not to consider the bottom-line aspirations and dare I say egos of the wine behemoths formerly and currently involved, which have most certainly played a significant role in the quality of their Opuses. 

In my view, of critical importance to consistently creating the vinous equivalent of Beethoven’s numbered works is the forging of a single vision for a wine manifested via vineyard and winery management decisions.  That vision should result as much from the winemaker’s experience and expertise as from his/her understanding of how the varietals employed can best express their unique terroirs.  But this was all easier said than done in the days when both co-owners would nominate equally powerful and famous decision-makers (e.g. Patrick Leon and Tim Mondavi) at the winery, each with their own opinions on the composing.  Until recently Opus One had two chief winemakers and rather unorthodoxly was not produced as the annual masterpieces of a single composer but made more or less by committee.

The Opus One vintages I tasted of the 1980s and 1990s are indeed very good compositions, but I wouldn’t call them masterpieces.  I recall NK Yong’s summary at the World Gourmet Summit masterclass: “I think you’d be hard-pressed in Napa to find another winery so close to Bordeaux in style.”  This was probably an accurate assessment of many of the older vintages.  I think it was meant as a compliment but frankly I was expecting something more of the wines.  Although I repeat that they were all very good, consistently scoring low 90s for me, they lacked that special something that only the land and vines can express coaxed by the diligent hand of a visionary.    

Since 2004 when Constellation Brands acquired Robert Mondavi Winery and therefore half of Opus One, there have been a few changes in the management and distribution.  In a nutshell, Constellation turned to Baron Philippe de Rothschild, S.A. and said, “You do it.”  So for the first time, a single person was appointed CEO of Opus One, David Pearson, and a single person was entrusted to assume full responsibility for viticulture and winemaking: Michael Silacci.

I’m generally impressed by the direction that Opus One now seems to be going in and particularly the changes that Silacci has been steadfastly implementing since he started in the cellars of Opus One in 2001 and his appointment as sole winemaker in 2004.  “The way we work with people is being developed, beginning with staff education,” Silacci was eager to point out to me during his visit to Singapore.  It was Silacci that gave the Opus One vineyard workers their first taste of the wine they were helping to produce.  Among his goals was to teach pruners to think and treat each vine as an individual, to be able to rationalize for themselves the right number of buds to maintain per vine and to see the affect it was having on the wine.  Silacci was instrumental in pushing for the wine to be the product of 100% estate grown grapes.  He has also significantly decreased their reliance on irrigation and is actively pursuing a greater proportion of dry farming, which progressively encourages deep rooting.  Looking to the future, a large replanting project has been undertaken and he is even experimenting with biodynamics.

In the winery, the amount of skin contact appears to be gradually decreasing from a peak of 44 days in 2000 to 25 and 24 days in 2004 and 2005 respectively, resulting in improved mouth-feel and slightly better balance.  I commented to Silacci that while brett was notable in quite a few of the earlier vintages, those that I tasted since 2001 were much cleaner, provoking a suppressed grin from the winemaker.  Silacci further confessed to me that the last few vintages have produced small crops and the blending has been rigorous, resulting in a lot less Opus One to sell, much to the chagrin of the corporate bean-counters to which he also must answer.  But he just smiles and shrugs this off, “What can I do?  In 2006 yields were low, in 2007 they were very low and in 2008 very, very low.”  (2008 was hit by a triple whammy of frost, poor fruit set and a heat spell in September.)  While the pressure may still be there to achieve winery capacity, Silacci is a strong minded man with a vision.

The recent vintages of Opus One are really starting to express Napa terroir first and foremost as opposed to its Bordeaux winemaking.  What I’m noticing on the palate of these later vintages (2004 and 2005) is the manifestation of greater aroma/flavour purity and intensity.  I’m sincerely looking forward to the opportunity to taste the 2006 – 2008 vintages, fascinated to assess the fruits of Silacci’s efforts.  But if Opus One keeps going the direction of the 2004 and 2005 vintages, I might soon very well find myself forced to make expensive conversation with a very pretty Japanese lady, just to be able to secure a few anticipated sips.

Tasting Notes

Opus One Proprietary Red 1986
91 points
Deep brick colour.  Appealingly evolved nose of leather, game, tobacco, espresso, stewed prunes, bacon and tea.  The palate still provides a good amount of elegant fruit that builds in the mouth.  Light to medium level of silky tannins remain with medium to high acidity to provide freshness.  Long finish.  Fully mature.  Should keep a further 2-3 years.  Tasted April 2009.

Opus One Proprietary Red 1987
93 points
Deep garnet-brick.  Mature Cabernet notes of warm cassis, dried herbs, mushrooms, black pepper and sweaty saddles.  The medium to full bodied palate provides plenty of gamey, dried berry fruit with a medium level of silky tannins and medium to high acidity.  Great balance.  Long finish.  Drink now to 2013.  Tasted April 2009.

Opus One Proprietary Red 1988
91 points
Medium to deep garnet-brick colour.  Savoury / earthy notes of soy, hung meat, sweaty leather, tobacco, truffle, a suggestion of cardamom and a slight medicinal / menthol character.  The palate gives a high level of acidity with a medium level of silky tannins and a good concentration of spicy, savoury fruit.  Long finish.  Drink now to 2013.

Opus One Proprietary Red 1991
92 points
(tasted twice)
Deep garnet brick.  Complex notes of meat, game, dried plum, black olive and dried Mediterranean herbs with a whiff of brett influence giving notes of sweaty saddles and a distinctive medicinal / band-aid character.  The palate is nicely structured with a medium+ level of finely grained tannins and a crisp backbone of acidity fleshed out by an ample concentration of evolved fruit flavours.  Long finish.  Drink now to 2014.  Tasted April 2009.

Opus One Proprietary Red 1993
93 points
Deep garnet-brick colour.  Fragrant aromas of dried cranberries, prunes, cinnamon and cumin giving way to subtler earthy notes of leather and tar.  A lot of discernable fruit remains on the palate framed by crisp acidity and a medium level of grainy tannins.  Very long, layered finish.  Drink now to 2018.  Tasted April 2009.

Opus One Proprietary Red 1995
93 points
Medium brick colour.  Intense nose of dried blackberries and cherries laced with complex aromas of coffee grounds, tobacco leaf, cumin and soy.  Nice concentration of mature berry and spice fruit balanced by medium to firm, slightly chewy tannins and medium to high acidity.  A more structured style of Opus.  Very long finish.  Drink now to 2020.  Tasted April 2009.

Opus One Proprietary Red 2001
91 points
(tasted twice)
Deep garnet-black colour.  Still a lot of primary fruit with dark cherry and blackberry aromas complimented by cloves, cardamom and a hint of mint.  The medium to full bodied palate provides a medium+ level of very finely grained tannins and medium+ acidity.  Long finish with lingering earthy / mineral flavours.  Drink now to 2019.  Tasted April 2009.

Opus One Proprietary Red 2004
93 points
Deep garnet-purple colour.  Intense, very purely fruited nose of warm cassis, mocha, black pepper, black olives and cigar boxes.  Great concentration of juicy fruit on the palate, which is well supported by a firm backbone of medium to high acidity and a medium to high, fine grained tannins.  Nicely balanced though the oak is still dominating slightly.  Long finish.  Drink now to 2024.  Tasted April 2009.

Opus One Proprietary Red 2005
95 points
(tasted twice)
Deep garnet-purple colour.  The nose begins a little mute with a suggestion of freshly crushed blackberries and blackcurrants, forest floor, cinnamon and a touch of loam.  The palate is wonderfully concentrated with layers of macerated blackberry, cloves, vanilla and dark chocolate.  A medium+ level of acidity and medium to firm fine and ripe tannins give excellent structure to the richness of flavours.  Very long finish.  Drink now to 2030.  Tasted April 2009.