Opus One

A Franco-American landmark in Oakville

Opus One began as the collaboration between Napa Valley vintner Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Château Mouton Rothschild. Their first shared vintage was 1979, and the estate remains one of the clearest expressions of Bordeaux tradition translated through western Oakville fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon leads each vintage, supported by Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec in proportions that change with the growing season.

The winery's low limestone profile is as deliberate as the wine. Designed by Johnson Fain and completed in 1991, the building is set into a crescent-shaped berm so that it appears to rise from the vineyard. A later project added nearly 55,000 square feet of tasting, office and winemaking space, including the glass-walled Partners' Room. The route from the Salon to the laboratory, fermentation cellar, Grand Chai and rooftop keeps production, hospitality, art and landscape in one continuous experience.

Opus One and Overture

The estate now presents two related but distinct wines. Opus One is the grand vin: a Cabernet-dominant Bordeaux blend built for structure, balance and long development in bottle. Overture is the second wine, selected from estate vineyard blocks for a softer and more immediately approachable expression. Historically produced as a multi-vintage blend, Overture became vintage-dated beginning with the 2021 release.

That distinction matters when planning a tasting. The winery is not a broad portfolio winery, but it is also no longer accurate to describe it as producing only one wine. Comparative flights can place multiple vintages of the grand vin beside Overture, making the differences in season, age and selection easier to understand.

Michael Silacci and Meghan Zobeck

Michael Silacci joined the winery in 2001 and became sole Winemaker in 2003. He remains Winemaker through the 2026 harvest and will continue to assist during the transition after retiring. The estate has said its formal search for a successor will begin in 2027.

Meghan “Meg” Zobeck joined in 2025 as the winery's first Director of Winemaking. Her responsibilities span the cellar, harvest, laboratory, bottling and wine blends. She previously led winemaking at Burgess Cellars and held roles with Trois Noix, Atelier Melka and Screaming Eagle, alongside harvest experience in Chile, Piedmont, Bordeaux and the Barossa Valley. The winery has not publicly named her as Silacci's successor, so the two roles should remain distinct until the estate makes a further announcement.

Choosing an Opus One tasting

The winery currently offers three public formats. The 60-minute Estate Tasting includes two vintages of the grand vin plus Overture, ending on the rooftop terrace without a winery tour. The 90-minute signature experience adds the current release, two library wines, an Estate Ambassador, a winery tour and a culinary complement. Art of the Table is a 2.5-hour private experience for groups of four to eight, pairing selected vintages with a four-course seasonal menu and an in-depth estate tour.

For a first visit, the 90-minute experience provides the strongest balance because it includes both comparative wine context and the working winery. Art of the Table is the more immersive choice when food and wine pairing is central to the appointment. All guests must be at least 21, and advance reservations are required. Pearl members can request help planning the visit through the concierge.

Planning the visit

The winery is located at 7900 St. Helena Highway in Oakville. Appointments are generally offered from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. subject to holiday closures. Reservation inventory is released up to two months ahead on the first day of each month. The estate is polished and formal in its precision, but the purpose of the architecture and service is to bring attention back to the vineyard and the wine.

For a firsthand look at how the winery develops in bottle, En Primeur Club's Opus One 2013 market analysis adds collector context to the estate visit.