Opus One Winery LLC’s Post

Since 1949, May has been recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month. To support our employees and their ability to excel with a purity of focus and attention to detail, Opus One is invested in nurturing and respecting mental health in our workplace. We proudly support the National Alliance on Mental Illness' (NAMI) mission to eradicate stigma, extend support, foster public education, and advocate for policies that prioritize the well-being of individuals and families affected by mental illness.

Opus One’s founding visions are rooted in the power of art. Today those visions are carried forward through the selection of pieces from various corners of the world. In a recent Forbes article, “Understanding The Value Of Art At Work,” author Gregory Crawford illustrates the impact of art in a working environment. “Art and images provide opportunities for personal reflection, renewal and growth; cultivate group identity and unity; and unleash creativity, innovation and problem-solving that benefit the larger society.” He goes on to say, “I believe well-curated, excellent artwork can elevate an individual’s well-being, strengthen the organization's culture and enhance the quality of the larger community. Visual arts enrich any environment as expressions of human creativity, culture, passion and aspiration.” Featured piece: "An Aggregation” by artist Seon Ghi Bahk

The Opus One team heads out of the office and into the vineyard each year as they indulge in the art of winemaking. While encouraging bio-diversity in the soil, our team strives to continue the development of a diverse range of skills that support their personal and professional growth. Today various departments come together to learn new skills outside of their area of expertise.

Looking into the future, the Opus One winemaking team remains dedicated to the vision of becoming carbon-negative. When fermentation began last harvest, we captured more than three thousand pounds of liquefied CO2, the equivalent of a year’s work from sixty mature trees, and more than double from 2022. This was the first year the cellar team began training on CiCi, the Earthly Labs Carbon Capture unit. As Opus One works diligently to pursue innovative methods to support the winemaking process, we are also dedicated to supporting and uplifting our teams with new ways to expand their skillsets. You can learn more about our efforts here: https://lnkd.in/gf7Hwr7q

Opus One is pleased to share our ongoing commitment to our patrons and the planet by partnering with North Star Carbon Management to preserve the land and art of winemaking for years to come. “The collaboration between Opus One and North Star Carbon underscores our internal strategic pillar, together we go further – where synergies among diverse perspectives helps to correct issues that we are facing with climate change and inspires others to do the same.” - Michael Silacci, Opus One Winemaker. If interested to learn more, please read our recent WineBusiness feature. https://lnkd.in/gVgESDPQ

Gently grazing the vineyard, Opus One welcomes the return of sheep to invite new growth. Sheep replace tractor passes as living lawn mowers and fertilizers. This natural switch lowers fossil fuel emissions and our carbon footprint while their waste builds fertile nitrogen and phosphorous rich soil. Their hard work in the vineyard allows our team to dedicate their time and energy toward caring for the vineyard and other areas, from pruning and brush removal to vine cultivation and irrigation checks. 

As we near the end of the year, we are looking back on our incredible regenerative and environmental progress. In 2023, it was our honor to hire sheep to graze our estate vineyard blocks, set a feral bee trap to improve biodiversity, partner with @uppervalleydisposal to advance our cork composting program, capture carbon during fermentation, stay committed to our Napa Green certification qualifications, and so much more.

Did you know that one square yard of grass requires 291 gallons of fresh water annually? Given our devotion to global responsibility, we reviewed the resources needed to maintain our iconic grassy berms and realized they did not support our goals. As a result, we partnered with leading landscape architectural firm Reed Hilderbrand to replace the lawn with a drought-tolerant landscape consistent with Napa Valley's natural flora. We are currently conducting trials of the proposed plants and will share details with you soon.