By Matt Perrone

May 17, 2008 8:34 AM | Link to this

As someone who had the pleasure of working for Mr. Mondavi for close to a decade, I can say that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to get to meet and listen to Mr. Mondavi over the years. At the age of 53, at a time when many people are thinking of slowing down in life, Mr. Mondavi built his new winery, the first major winery since prohibition out on Highway 29 in Oakville. Many thought it was folly, but from those beginnings came a voice for California wine and the Napa Valley that was clear and direct - that California wines deserved to be on the table among the greatest wines of the world. He never wavered from this mantra or his pursuit of excellence, and his sharing of information and knowledge with other like minded vintners and wineries is legendary. In the end, his legacy should be less about the winery that still bears his name and more about his contributions to UC Davis and Copia in his never ending effort to bring the worlds of food, wine and the arts together. The good life indeed. We shall never see the likes of Mr. Mondavi again, a true pioneer and wine’s greatest ambassador.

By Ed

May 16, 2008 9:49 PM | Link to this

It’s rare in any business where one person can be as synonymouswith an industry as Robert Mondavi was with wine in America. Maybe Jobs and Gates, or Henry Ford? Robert Mondavi was a true pioneer, and much of what we enjoy today with American wine is thanks to what he built.

By Mark Fisher

May 16, 2008 9:38 PM | Link to this

Jim T.: My apologies. I have added a link to coverage by the San Francisco Chronicle as an alternative. Thanks for letting me know.

By Jim T.

May 16, 2008 8:54 PM | Link to this

You should have warned us that The Wine Spectator charges to read their remembrances of Mondavi. Not surprised at this, but when a true legend dies one would think the dollar signs could go away for one day.

By chiefwino

May 16, 2008 5:01 PM | Link to this

While I never met Mr. Mondavi, one of my most memorable wine dinners was at the Mondavi Napa Winery. During an American Wine Society tour of Napa and Sonoma, we had a terrific tasting in the afternoon at Mondavi followed by a dinner on the patio (under the arch seen on the label). Of course food and wine were flowing including several large format bottles from the reserve library. While we were having dinner the Napa Symphony began setting up in preparation for an outdoor concert to be held the next evening. When the dessert wine (a moscato I believe) was served; we moved out the sit on the lawn under the stars and listened to the symphony’s dress rehearsal. It does not get much better than this - food, friends, wine, music, and great outdoors. The epitome of the wine lifestyle.