INTRO

At the age of 53, with little money but full of energy and vision, Robert Mondavi changed the course of the US wine industry. Realizing a long-held dream—to create excellent Napa Valley wines that would stand in the company of the great wines of the world—he founded the iconic Robert Mondavi Winery in 1966, opening the door to the future of American fine wine.

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GROWING

Robert Mondavi knew that the first place to begin, when he started his winery, was in the vineyard. For the home of his fledgling winery, he chose a 12-acre site in the To Kalon Vineyard, a historic property long regarded as one of Napa Valley's finest.

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HARVESTING

Once the grapes have reached their optimum ripeness, they are harvested in the cool morning hours. They are picked by hand and placed into small bins in order to avoid bruising and premature crushing of the fruit. They are carried the short distance from the vineyard to the winery, where they will be sorted by hand prior to being de-stemmed and crushed as they go into the fermenters.

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FERMENTATION / WINEMAKING

After the grapes go into the fermenters, the temperature in the fermenter is lowered using specially designed cooling jackets inside the wooden tanks. The grapes will be allowed to soak for several days. Afterward the temperature will be raised and fermentation of the sugars will begin and continue on for approximate 8-10 days.

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CELLARING

Robert Mondavi Winery only uses French Oak barrels for storing its wines. The degree to which new french oak barrels will be used varies depending on the wine and style destined to be bottled.

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