2021 Opus One Red Wine Napa Valley 750 ml

A few summers ago, we got an indispensable glimpse into Opus One with Michael Silacci, who took over as winemaker in 2001.

“We’re always pursuing nuances,” Silacci told us. “We never really make huge changes. It’s the sum of all nuances that make a difference, so we’re constantly fine-tuning what we do, whether that’s in the vineyard or the cellar.” Considering that 15 of Wine Advocate’s top 16 vintages of Opus One have come on his watch, the effort has been a success. 

Opus One’s goal is to make a wine that is true to its terroir. They mean what they say, going as far as isolating 50 different yeast strains from the vineyard and narrowing them down to their six favorites. Great pains are taken in the cellar to monitor the yeasts’ health during fermentation. The 2021 shows this diligent attention to detail, transmitting the voice of its Oakville soils with impeccable clarity.

Opus One grows on four unique vineyard plots in the choicest section of Oakville: the Ballestra and River Parcels, which flank the winery itself, and To Kalon North and South, located across Highway 29. At harvest, the fruit goes directly into the immaculate winery, where 170 acres’ worth of grapes are judged, one by one, as worthy or unworthy of Opus One. From vineyard to tank, the journey rarely takes over twelve hours. 

The 2021 vintage contains all five Bordeaux varieties and is dominated by 93% Cabernet Sauvignon. Raised for nearly 20 months in new French oak barriques, this is one of the greatest vintages the winery has produced in the 40+ years since the Bedroom Summit.