![]() ![]() because `98 was supposed to be a 'bad' year for wine in Napa. I picked up a few bottles of the 1998 O.O. I've been drinking through my small cache of 1998 Opus One for a few years now. But you're also paying for the result of really, really expensive production techniques, such as hand-sorting the best fruit for the final blend.Īnd here's the thing - you're also paying for a really, really good wine. It's also very expensive - usually $150-$200 per bottle.Īre you paying for the snooty chic factor? You bet. It also takes years to develop, and often comes across as astringent and tough when it's opened too early. There is usually very little that is subtle about this wine. Well, for one thing, it's totally over-the-top. So why does everyone love to hate this wine? I could immediately draw parallels to the manufacturing practices of premium chocolate brands like Ethel M. Here was a winery that was combining high-quality ingredients (arguably the best fruit that Oakville / Napa has on offer), old school techniques and know-how, ultra-modern equipment, and expensive "by hand" techniques to make a premium product. I've spent a lot of time working for major CPG companies, so I'm no stranger to touring manufacturing facilities - and what I saw at O.O. facility literally changed how I look at wine. (located on the main drag in Napa) is a modern temple to high-end winemaking. It also made Napa Valley wine more serious - after all, a First Growth was now involved. This style of international collaborative winemaking is fairly common now, but when founded in the late `70s, Opus One was pioneering stuff. The aim: produce and ultra-premium Bordeaux style wine, made with the best fruit that Napa had to offer. Opus One is a joint venture international premium wine venture between Napa legend Robert Mondavi and Bordeaux legend Baron Philippe Rothschild. Before I get into that, let's get a little background for those of you unfamiliar with the big O.O. Love it or hate it, Opus One is the wine that made me serious about vino. I'm talking about that over-the-top, over-priced, and oft-overlooked Oakville stalwart, Opus One. ![]() And it has to do with a wine that everyone loves to hate (oooohhhh. Going back to my roots is ultra-exciting for me, because it gives me a chance to explore why I got into wine in the first place. Well, back to my wine roots anyway - Plumboo is a plush toy with a plastic squeek for a head, so I'm not sure he's got any roots worth getting into. I say "ultra-exciting" edition because Lenn's theme has Plumboo and I going back to our "wine roots" (read Lenn's post for more details). This ultra-exciting edition of Tales of the Purple Monkey has Plumboo and I once again taking part in the Wine Blogging Wednesday blog carnival! Because it's an anniversary edition of WBW, it's being hosted this month by cool-guy and WBW founder Lenn Thompson at Lenndevours. ![]()
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