Bronze St. Francis statue created by Beniamino Bufano at the entrance to Robert Mondavi Winery.
7801 St. Helena Highway Oakville, California 94562
Website: www.robertmondaviwinery.com/
Robert Mondavi is a Napa Valley icon. His energetic personality and passion for wine helped bring worldwide recognition to Napa Valley. Robert decided to start his own winery in Oakville in 1965 after a feud with his brother Peter drove him out of the Charles Krug Winery. With help from Robert’s second wife, Margrit Biever Mondavi, the Robert Mondavi Winery became a cultural center for wine, food, and the arts. The two of them have been major benefactors in various arts programs in Napa. Robert achieved many awards during his lifetime for his leadership in improving wine making technology, marketing strategies, and philanthropy. He was inducted into the Vintners Hall of Fame by the Culinary Institute of America in 2007. Robert passed away on May 16, 2008 at age 94, but his legacy continues on.
Robert was a perfectionist, and that came across in the way that he ran the winery. He used leading edge technology to produce premium wine, and he pushed his sons Michael and Tim to the highest quality standards. Robert’s autobiography Harvests of Joy and Julia Flynn Siler’s account of the Mondavi family in The House of Mondavi: The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty provide a detailed depiction of both the high and low points of the Robert Mondavi Winery. The winery experienced some financial strife in the 1980s, leading Robert to decide to go public in 1993. Unfortunately the financial and family troubles continued after going public. Due to all of the struggles they encountered, the family ended up selling off their special voting shares. Constellation Brands acquired the winery for nearly $1.36 billion in cash on December 22, 2004.
It is no surprise that the Robert Mondavi Winery remains a popular tourist stop on Highway 29. It is worth stopping in to see the well-known Mission style complex designed by Cliff May with its large archway that looks out over the To Kalon vineyard (meaning “the highest beauty” in Ancient Greek). Robert was committed to educating people about wine, and at the winery there are a number of different tours, each providing a unique experience to visitors. The winery also hosts many wine, food, and art events throughout the year. A calendar of events is available on their website.
Robert Mondavi tasting room and gift shop
What makes this winery unique is the number of different ways visitors can experience the winery. Art enthusiasts can stroll around the property to view the various works of art including sculptures, artifacts, and paintings. Wine enthusiasts can sample wine in one of the three tasting rooms or partake in one of the many tours. The Appellation Room offers wines from the Napa Valley and District tiers. For a Reserve tasting of multiple vintages of Robert Mondavi’s most prestigious wines, visitors can stop in at the To Kalon Reserve Room. There is also a separate room exclusively for wine club members called The Spotlight Room. Music fanatics can attend the concert series that run throughout the summer and feature some well-known artists. There is truly something for everyone, but keep in mind that this is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Napa and draws large crowds.
This was one of the first tours that I went on in wine country and my first experience tasting grapes right off the vine. The tour started out in the vineyard where our tour guide talked about how the grapes are grown and harvested. Then we walked through the winery, following the step-by-step process of how wine is made, and finished with a seated tasting led by our tour guide. At the end of the tour we were brought into one of the tasting rooms where we could sample additional wines and purchase bottles. It was a very nice, educational tour.