It was in 1978 when Robert Mondavi and his daughter, Marcia, discussed a collaboration with Baron Philippe de Rothschild at Château Mouton. The subject was the baron’s interest in California Cabernet and Mondavi’s enhanced reputation for establishing one of Napa Valley’s best wineries. And here, in Bordeaux, the two-hour meeting would result in a significant partnership with winemaking responsibilities split between Mondavi’s son Tim and Lucien Sionneau, technical director for Baron Philippe’s wine operations. Opus One would soon be released, a New World wine that exemplified the shared vision of an equivalent first-growth Bordeaux wine. The 1979 vintage would be the very first one—hitting shelves for US$50 five years later and selling out immediately.
Fast forward nearly half a century and half a world away, we find ourselves in the modish dining room of Sabayon of EQ Kuala Lumpur. Here, amid triple-volume ceilings and a view of the dramatic Kuala Lumpur skyline, Opus One winery’s CEO Christopher Lynch stands amid a select group of guests paying tribute to the two men who started it all.
In the presence of both the ambassadors of United States and France to Malaysia, Lynch states: “It is very true when I think about Opus One—what makes it special is the partnership between two icons in the wine industry, the Baron Philippe de Rothschild of the Bordeaux First Growth Château Mouton Rothschild, and Robert Mondavi, who was the pioneer who put Napa Valley on the world map for producing exceptional wines.”
Lynch speaks of the shared vision between the two men, who wanted to produce exceptional red wine from Napa Valley vineyards that embodied the essence of Bordeaux, and would one day be recognised on the world stage as one its finest wines. “We’re close to that,” he says. “After 45 years, the perception of Opus One is very strong, and all the efforts of the people these past years have contributed to that. But, really, the essence of the wine is in the partnership and friendship that is as strong today as it was in 1978, when both the baron and Mondavi put their signatures on a cocktail napkin to signify the commencement of their venture.”
This evening’s Opus One dinner, carefully curated between Bordeaux Liquid Gold, who distributes Opus One in the market, and the EQ Kuala Lumpur team, showcases masterpieces in all forms. As David Schnurr, general manager of Sky51, which Sabayon is a part of, explains: “Tonight is a special night for us because we’re always excited when something like Opus One—a top-rated wine—happens. So, this dinner is one for all senses, including what Opus One means, as a composition of cultures.”
The evening then swings into a cadence of gastronomy, Opus One vintages, and the melodious tinkling of ivories by Malaysian pianist and winner of the Arthur Rubinstein International Music Society award, Hii Mei Lin. As the latter suffuses the restaurant with her virtuoso rendition of Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue, the kitchen provides the palatal pleasures with truffles on wild mushrooms and Bordelaise sauce on butter-poached French turbot.
This interplay of French and American nuances also sees the ambassador of the United States to Malaysia, His Excellency (HE) Edgard D Kagan, and the French ambassador to Malaysia, HE Axel Cruau, and Lynch toasting to the fabulous vintages on offer. First up is the Malaysian debut of the Overture, the second wine of Opus One and released as a vintage for the first time (2021), bearing notes of dried rose petals, fresh plums, and cherry. “A second wine is a very classic chateau mentality—and Overture is made with the exact same winemaking and barrel-ageing techniques as Opus One,” Lynch says. “And with the selection of vineyards that are sourced from our estate, it becomes a bit more fruit-forward, beautiful ripe fruit, and ready for consumption upon release.”
In the Opus One of 2021, the current vintage out on the market, the release is a vibrant expression of a wine that has proven its ageing potential over time. Produced in a year that proved to be the second driest in Opus One history, the 2021 vintage is made from smaller yields with exceptional concentration and flavours: crushed cassis, blackberry with violet, baking spices, and vanilla bursts. Next comes the Opus One of 2014—a “perfect harvest”, according to the tasting notes—with subtle florals and fresh herbs giving way to the silky entry of red fruits and then segueing into hints of black olive.
Opus One’s area manager for Southeast Asia and Taiwan, Louis Cancel, then takes to the floor to explain how 2015’s dryness put the vineyards under stress, thus bringing a distinct profile of black tea, with red and green pepper expressions, before its customary lingering finish.
The 2016 vintage, paired with the Beef Wellington, offers a bouquet nuanced with fresh red and blue fruit, as well as sage, before juicy black cherries and creamy tannins flood the palate. To round it up is the 2013 vintage, one borne of an “unseasonably dry and warm winter”. The result: layers of complexity with velvety tannins and a dark chocolate finish.
The resounding appreciation of the wines, coupled with the dining courses, and, of course, the transcendental music, gives the dinner a remarkable and ethereal glow, a lasting moment encapsulating the evening’s high points. In many ways, the night harks back to the very words by Philippe Sereys de Rothschild, Opus One board member, as well as chairman and CEO of Baron Philippe de Rothschild, who said some five years ago: “I sincerely believe that truly great wines are one of the last privileges of our time. From the outset, Opus One has been built on the values that have forged the reputation and success of top wines around the world—namely scarcity, elegance, rigour, and excellence.”
