Robert Mondavi, the father of American wine, died today. He was 94.
Mondavi is widely credited for Napa Valley’s respected place in the world of wine. For more than 50 years, he was tireless in his promotion of the region, its ability to grow superior grapes and make world-class wines. He was a marketing genius, launching tours, blind tastings, and food and art programming. He helped make wine a part of American culture.
What’s more, he helped hundreds of other winemakers and students of the grape find their way in the industry. He was a true patriarch of the land and the region.
Before he started his own brand, Robert Mondavi Winery, in 1966, American wines were cheap and lacked sophistication and respect. It was the first major winery in Napa Valley since the repeal of Prohibition.
It was a small operation and went on to become the one of the largest wineries in the United States, producing more than 500,000 cases a year. Two years ago, at 92, he sold the empire off to Constellation Brands. Rather than stop, he pursued new projects, teaming up with son Tim, daughter Marcia and his wife, Margrit, to launch the Continuum wine brand. Their first release was this spring.
Mondavi is credited with pioneering many winemaking techniques in California, including cold fermentation, stainless steel tanks and the use of French oak barrels. He popularized dry-fermented oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc, calling it Fumé Blanc. This ultimately helped the grape variety find a place in America.
A 1936 graduate of Stanford University, Mondavi was born June 18, 1913, in Virginia, Minn., to parents who emigrated from the Marche region of Italy. Details on any public memorials to follow.
