Wine Spectator's Straight Talk

30: It's Not About Michael Silacci. It's About Opus One

September 26, 2025·25 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Few California wineries can match Opus One for global prestige. A famous partnership between Napa's Robert Mondavi and Bordeaux's Baron Philippe de Rothschild, the winery is still making elite Cabernets long after its founders' passing, thanks in large part to one man whose name you might not know: Michael Silacci.Silacci has guided Opus One for more than two decades, and his résumé lists a Who's Who of winemaking legends, from André Tchelistcheff to Warren Winiarski to Denis Dubourdieu. He joined host James Molesworth in our Napa studio to talk about his life in wine on the newest episode of Wine Spectator's Straight Talk podcast.And don't forget, there's always more free content at WineSpectator.com!• Wine Spectator's Nov. 15 cover Story: Composing Opus One• 2025 Wine Spectator New York Wine Experience Tickets & Info• James Molesworth's Notes on Tasting: Opus One's Old World Approach• Opus One Wine Scores and Tasting Notes• Meghan Zobeck Joins Opus One• Latest News and Headlines• Ask Dr. Vinny• Sign up for Wine Spectator's free email newsletters• Subscribe to Wine SpectatorA podcast from Wine SpectatorMarvin R. Shanken, Editor and PublisherHost: James MolesworthDirector: Robert TaylorProducer: Gabriela SaldiviaGuest: Michael SilacciAssistant producer, Napa: Elizabeth Redmayne-Titley Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Podzilla Summary coming soon

Sign up to get notified when the full AI-powered summary is ready.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.

Listen to This Episode

Get summaries like this every morning.

Free AI-powered recaps of Wine Spectator's Straight Talk and your other favorite podcasts, delivered to your inbox.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.