They say you never forget your first. And as the first American wine to be launched on the Vindome platform, we think Opus One is pretty unforgettable. Not only is it one of the world’s most coveted wines, but its been a reference for all of Napa Valley since its inception in 1979. If you want a wine that is greater than the sum of its parts, then let’s talk about Opus One.

The brainchild of two longtime friends, Opus One mixes the savoir-faire of the old world with the winemaking skills of the new. The friends were of course Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi. After a chance meeting in Hawaii in 1970, these two winemaking giants set about conceiving a wine that would be an equal expression of both their styles. After almost a decade of deliberation, they produced their first vintage, grown from the 14 hectares that Mondavi had donated for the joint venture from his To Kalon vineyard. The winemakers were Rothschild’s Lucien Sionneau and Mondavi’s (son and winemaker) Timothy Mondavi.

Unsurprisingly, the wine became an instant success, even more so as the first two vintages (1979 and 1980) were held back from public sale. The first release, in 1981 became California’s most expensive wine after a case was sold at auction for $24,000. When the 1979 and 1980 vintages were released simultaneously, they quickly followed suit, benchmarking the wine as the first Californian wine to be considered cult.

Forty years on and Opus One continues to go from strength to strength. This is partly to do with the vineyard’s uncompromising pursuit of excellence but also partly to do with the very unique character of Opus One. Is it a Mondavi? Is it a Mouton? No, it’s Opus One. Grapes are sorted by hand, barrels are frequently racked, no mechanized pumps are used to move the wine, and French barrels are never reused. The wine is made as per all left bank wines, with Merlot and Cabernet dominating the blend.

The American drinks giant Constellation Brands took over Mondavi’s 50% share in Opus One in 2004 when they bought the entire Mondavi estate for $1.36 billion. Rothchild still owns the other half, despite constant speculation that one party will take over the other’s share. Watch this space.