Renewing a Napa Icon: Robert Mondavi Winery

US$ 200 million renovation has transformed one of Napa Valley’s most influential wineries while preserving the vision of its founder. Mira Advani Honeycutt revisits the legacy of Robert Mondavi and explores the estate’s new chapter

When vintner Robert Mondavi established his winery in 1966, it was the first major winery in Napa Valley since Prohibition. Its iconic Mission style arch and bell tower were clearly visible from the busy Highway 29 thoroughfare. The winery and its visitors centre were regarded as revolutionary at the time, ushering in a new era of wine culture in the US.

In recent years, in need of an update and a facelift, the building went through a threeyear transformation to the tune of US$200 million. The newly designed Robert Mondavi Winery re-opened to much fanfare in April. Marking the 60th anniversary of the historic estate, the celebration also commemorated the launch of the winery’s limited-edition 60th anniversary Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Long before the famous Paris Tasting of 1976 known as the Judgement of Paris, where Napa wines bested those of France and secured Napa’s name on the global wine map, there was Robert Mondavi who had firmly laid the foundation with the launch of his winery in 1966.

Regarded as the region’s Godfather, Mondavi (1913-2008) tirelessly promoted the idea of Napa Valley. I recall at our first meeting in late 1990s at his winery, his message was clear. He pounded the pavements to promote not just Robert Mondavi wines but Napa Valley wines.

Mondavi’s benchmark was French wines and his mission was to convince people that Napa Valley wines can stand up to that standard. From his trips to France and Italy he brought back ideas, fostered friendships and business relationships leading to long term collaborations. A visit to Tuscany and a friendship with the legendary Frescobaldi family resulted in the launch of Lucé estate in 1997.

Partnership with Bordeaux’s esteemed Rothschild family gave birth to their joint project, Opus One, launched in 1978 and considered one of Napa Valley’s most expensive wines at the time.

In 1999, I had the honour of attending Opus One’s 20th anniversary celebration at the newly-designed winery in Napa. A weekend of gala parties attended by Baroness de Philippine Rothschild and the Mondavi family included a 20-vintage vertical tasting (19 vintages from magnum bottles and the 1998 from a barrel). That evening Mondavi recalled his first trip to Europe in 1962 and discovered the marriage of food and wine. “I vowed that one day I would make a wine that would have harmony and could balance well with food.”

The seed was planted that wine is an essential part of the table, family and friendships. He passionately embraced that concept, and among many culinary initiatives was COPIA: The Center of Wine, Food & the Arts (now renamed The Culinary Institute of America at COPIA), founded by Robert and his wife Margrit Biever Mondavi in collaboration with legendary chef/author Julia Child.

The Mondavis also ushered visual and performing arts into the fold and a host of fundraising events. The legendary Auction Napa Valley founded in 1981 continues to draw international wine aficionados, raising millions of dollars for various local non-profit organizations.

He corralled strong bonds in the wine community and would always be on hand to help. I would hear stories from fellow winemakers that at short notice Mondavi would go over if someone’s pump broke in the middle of the night or help out with other issues at neighbours’ wineries. Such stories abound in the valley.

Mondavi was the first to use varietal names (like Cabernet Sauvignon) on bottles. Inspired by his trips to Bordeaux, he ventured into producing Sauvignon Blanc which was not popular in California at the time and labelled the dry oak-aged wine Fumé Blanc. Such ideas were regarded as revolutionary at the time. Robert Mondavi was born in Virginia, Minnesota to Cesare and Rosa Mondavi. The family later moved to Lodi, California where his father established a business of packing wine grapes that were shipped to the east coast for home winemaking. In 1943, Cesare and his sons Robert and Peter acquired Charles Krug winery in St Helena. After a family feud with his brother, Robert left the partnership in 1965 and set up his eponymous winery in Oakville. In 2004, the Robert Mondavi Winery was sold to Constellation Brands for over one billion US dollars.

Keeping in line with Mondavi’s pioneering spirit, the transformation balances preservation with 21st century progress. The contemporary design of the buildings is the work of Aidlin Darling Design architecture firm; plantings, pathways and terraces are laid out by Surface design. The renovation of the 214,855-square-foot building includes a new hospitality center, expanded indoor/outdoor tasting spaces and state-of-the-art winery. The symbolic Cliff May-designed arch and tower have been carefully restored fronted by a burst of drought-resistant native grasses and shrubs welcoming visitors.

An expanse of open space and a view of the famed To-Kalon vineyards beyond welcome us as we walk under the arch flanked by two buildings – to the left, the south wing holds the visitors center, retail shop and a collection of indoor-outdoor tasting lounges. The north wing houses state-of-the-art winery, a wine library and the special To Kalon Collective, offering private tastings and immersive visitor experiences. Inside the reception area, an entire wall is graced with a collection of vintage photos and a welcome splash of 2021 Sauvignon Blanc is handed to visitors. My guide Mark Ray takes us on a tour.

Contemporary and eclectic furniture fills interiors and exterior spaces; meandering pathways and terraces offer a leisurely immersive experience in wine tastings. Cozy cabana nooks are divided by concrete walls and pillars repurposed from the older building. Ray points to the textured concrete which evokes layers of soil. Materials from older structures are re-used throughout the estate reinforcing a sense of continuity between past and present. The repurposed theme continues in the spacious state-of-the-art winery where the previous 16-ton oak fermentation tanks are now replaced by new steel tanks. The old wood staves are dramatically re-crafted to form the shiny polished wood ceiling.

Optical sorting, gravity-flow systems and temperature-controlled fermentation are among the advanced technologies used in the winery. Ray added that technology also allows winemakers to track fermentation progress from their laptops on functions such as temperature adjustments and pump overs. Stainless steel tanks in different sizes allow flexibility of fermenting from small lots. Such advancements offer a nuanced and site-driven approach to the singular expression of Robert Mondavi wines.

To Kalon Vineyard – known as Napa’s Grand Cru vineyard – spreads regally with the majestic Mayacamas Mountains rising behind in Napa’s Oakville appellation. The 440-acre certified organic vineyard is at the heart of Robert Mondavi Winery. With its exceptional fruit the vineyard is the foundation that anchors the winery’s Estate and Reserve Wines, producing some of Napa’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.

Planted to red and white Bordeaux varieties, To Kalon Vineyard’s well-drained gravelly soil allows the roots to reach deep for moisture and nutrients. Plus, the region’s diurnal shift and a combination of sun and fog provide an ideal blend of growth and rest, allowing complexity in the fruit’s flavour development.

Planted in 1868, To Kalon (Greek for “highest beauty”) is divided among noted vintners with Robert Mondavi Winery owning the largest contiguous parcel.

We experienced our tasting in the airy Vineyard Room, its floor-to-ceiling windows offering a sweeping view of the Mayacamas Mountains and the chef’s garden in bloom.

Under the direction of winemaker Kurtis Ogasawara, the portfolio reflects the Robert Mondavi hallmark of depth, complexity and well-rounded structure. We began our tasting with the 2023 Reserve Fumé Blanc from To Kalon Vineyard. The barrel-fermented and aged Sauvignon Blanc blended with 8% Sémillon was aromatic on the nose, citrusy and redolent of stone fruits on the palate.

Lush with plums and cassis, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville District textured wine displayed velvety tannins and a delightful finish.

The 2022 Reserve Red Blend, To Kalon Vineyard, Cabernet Franc-led Bordeaux blend was juicy with wild berries on the palate with a touch of black pepper. Silky tannins expressed an assertive edge.

The 2021 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, To Kalon Vineyard, was aged in 100% new French oak for 20 months and bottle-aged for one year. The age-worthy wine was a carousel of red and blue fruits with hints of dark chocolate, backed by luxurious tannins. The Visitors Center offers varied tasting series ranging from The Mondavi Table, a 90-minute food and wine experience, and the Legend Tasting & Tour to the To Kalon Collective Experience.

On my recent visit, I heard about the declining visitor traffic. Perhaps the renovated Robert Mondavi Winery will generate renewed energy for the region in the spirit of Robert Mondavi’s legacy and vision, which began 60 years ago.