Opus One names Zobeck as its first director of winemaking
Meghan Zobeck will oversee all wine operations for Napa Valley gem Opus One in a newly created position at the company, writes Roger Morris.
Opus One winemaker Michael Silacci on Friday 21 March named current Burgess Cellars winemaker Meghan Zobeck to the new post of director of winemaking for the lauded Napa Valley winery. He noted he will retain final approval for blending, harvest and operational activities.
Zobeck has had a host of different winery roles as employee, or intern, for Trois Noix, Atelier Melka and Screaming Eagle in the US, and abroad with Michel Rolland wineries in Bordeaux, as well as Clos Apalta in Chile and Bethany Winery in Australia. In an earlier career, Zobeck negotiated player contracts for NFL team the Denver Broncos.
In her new role, Zobeck will have oversight “of the cellar, harvest, laboratory and bottling departments to ensure conformance to winemaking standards including wine blends,” Opus One announced.
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Deepening commitment
“At Opus One, I see Meghan as a leader who brings people together, fosters collaboration and builds consensus,” Silacci said in an email interview.
The winemaker at the estate since 2001, Silacci hesitated in describing his new position as being analogous to that of a winery director in Bordeaux. “My role at Opus One is about mentorship and stewardship—nurturing Meghan and the team while deepening my commitment to the estate’s long-term vision,” he stated.
Speaking of her appointment, Zobeck said, “I have immense respect for Michael’s philosophical approach to winemaking, his spirit of innovation both in the winery and the vineyard and his dedication to fostering the professional growth of his team. He has assembled an exceptional group of talented and driven individuals, and I am excited to collaborate with Michael and the entire Opus One team to see what we can accomplish together.”
Founded in 1978 as a joint venture between Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Bordeaux and Robert Mondavi of Napa Valley, today Opus One is a highly collected wine and is listed on most wine exchanges. In the Bordeaux manner, it makes two red wines – Opus One, the estate or first wine, and Overture, the estate second wine, also a blend of Bordeaux grapes
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