Atlantica - 01.06.2006, Page 35

34 AT L A N T I CA
NAPA VALLEYa
columns and archways make me feel as though I’m walking onto the set
of the Da Vinci Code, searching for a lost sarcophagus.
Opus One is a boutique winery, producing about 25,000 cases
(Opus One packs 6 bottles per case) per vintage of only one varietal, a
Bordeaux style blend containing primarily cabernet sauvignon, along
with merlot, cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot. If you want to
purchase a bottle of Opus One, don’t dillydally because by the end of
each vintage year it’s completely sold out. This winery is exclusive. I’m
wishing I had dressed up for the wine tour, because apart from the pho-
tographer I’m the only one in shorts. The rest of the visitors wear loose-
fitting slacks and dress shirts that catch the gentle breeze; they look as if
they’re stepping out for dinner in a chic, open-air restaurant.
Hank Kaspar is an unimposing man with a touch of redness on his
cheeks, hinting at his close relationship to wine. He asks how he can
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