The man who invented Napa: remembering Mondavi

Sunset, August, 2008 by Sara Scheider

Robert Mondavi was the single most important force behind West Coast wine's international standing, and its only real celebrity. Post-Prohibition, he set out to prove that California wine could rival the best anywhere. And he spent a lifetime making it happen--devising new methods, building institutions, and selling his dream to the whole world

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THE INNOVATOR Cold fermentations for white wine, steel tanks, small French oak barrels--they all seem like standard operating procedure now. But Mondavi was the first to experiment here with such novel winemaking tools. TRY Robert Mondavi Unoaked Chardonnay 2006 (Napa Valley; $28; available only at robertmondaviwinery.com).

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THE BRILLIAN MARKETER Sauvignon Blanc got no respect in this country until Mondavi turned it into a serious white wine--and repackaged it as Fume Blanc.

THE CHAMPION OF WINE AS A LIFESTYLE

With his good friend Julia Child (right), Mondavi founded the American Institute of Wine & Food, which turned on a generation of foodies to the simple, Old World notion that wine was meant to be drunk with good food and lots of family and friends. (Why didn't we know this already?)

THE AMBASSADOR Networker ahead of the word, Mondavi forged partnerships with legendary French and Italian wine families to make wines here that helped clinch California's reputation (most notably, Opus One, with Baron Philippe de Rothschild, above). IF ONLY ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, TRY Opus One 2004 (Napa Valley; $180). Silky but beautifully structured, with dark berry fruit over earthy cedar and tobacco notes.

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HIS SON REMEMBERS

"When I was a kid growing up at Charles Krug [Winery], the guy who took care of the vineyards had chickens, and he'd bring my father eggs once a week or so. Every time, Dad would invite Tony in, give him a cup of coffee, and put a little brandy in it. They'd chat, pass the time of day. Dad was always busy, but he always had time for people.

"I think his power to inspire came from his respect for himself and other people and seeing good in everyone. My father was an incredible man. He was not a great manager, but he was an incredible leader of people. And Dad was driven by a dream about unifying people--so broad and high that it enveloped the dreams of others, motivated them to follow, share, and make the dream their own.

"Today we look back on the things he dreamed of, and we take them for granted. It's not that they were so extraordinary; they were just ahead of their time. He saw the future in a clear way and made it happen." -TIM MONDAVI

THE POINEER He built it: the first important West Coast winery after Prohibition. And they came: Robert Mondavi Winery became Napa's first real tourist draw--the harbinger of "wine country" as we know it. (Incidentally, the magnificent building is a ringer for Sunset's own headquarters: Both were designed by Cliff May, the legendary creator of California ranch-house style.)