Toasting Mondavi's legacy

In My Glass

By Rob Kasper

May 28, 2008

Robert Mondavi, who died this month at age 94, put American wine on the world map. The son of an Italian immigrant, he presided over California's Napa Valley, where over the years he and members of his sometimes feuding family made a range of wines, some expensive, some affordable. But all the wines, Mondavi maintained, were consistently drinkable, ones that Americans could be proud of.

Known for grand gestures, Mondavi worked with the late Julia Child to found the American Institute of Wine and Food, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the pleasures of the American table. During a visit to Baltimore in 1994 for an event held at the National Aquarium, Mondavi donned a swimsuit and swam with the dolphins. "He was about 80 years old and was in really good shape," recalled Robert Schindler, co-owner of Pinehurst Wine Shoppe in Baltimore, who attended the AIWF event.

Mondavi's signature wines were his reserve cabernet sauvignons, Schindler said, notably those made in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These wines now command prices of $100 a bottle and up. His Opus One wines, made in partnership with French vintner Baron Philippe de Rothschild, were even more expensive, some bringing in $300 a bottle, but were not as well-regarded, Schindler said.

Mondavi's bulk wines, notably his Woodbridge line, were solid, Schindler said. "Those Woodbridge wines are good wines that don't break the bank," he said. "They are good wedding wines, ones to pour at events where you are serving a crowd."

Sales of the bulk wines were the financial backbone of the company, according to Julia Flynn Siler, author of the well-reviewed book The House of Mondavi: The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty. While the fine Mondavi wines generated buzz, "the Woodbridge wines paid the bills," Siler said.

One example of Mondavi's marketing flair, Siler said, was how he coined the name Fume Blanc for his white wine. The dominant grape of the wine, sauvignon blanc, was not then well-known. So Mondavi dubbed the wine Fume Blanc, a name that had cachet, and brought to mind the well-regarded French wine Pouilly Fume.

A perfectionist with a strong ego, Mondavi clashed with his brother and sons over business decisions. The winery that bore his name was sold in 2004 to Constellation Brands.

Recently, I tasted some Mondavi wines. The famed reserve cabernets were beyond my budget. But I did try his bulk wines from Woodbridge in large $10 jugs, and the Fume Blanc and lesser cabernets from the Oakville winery at about $15 to $25 a bottle. They showed well, a fitting legacy to an American wine pioneer.

Best sip
2005 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, Oakville, Calif.

15 percent alcohol by volume; $24.99 for 750 milliliters. Distributor: Premier Division of Reliable Churchill.

A lush California cabernet with layers of berry fruit flavors, slight spice and some oak. Mondavi was known for his cabernets, and this one, while not in the ranks of his fabled reserve cabs, was mighty fine.

Best bargain
2006 Woodbridge Zinfandel By Robert Mondavi, Woodbridge, Calif.

13.5 percent alcohol by volume; $9.99 for 1.5 liters. Distributor: Diamondback Division of Reliable Churchill.

A pleasant red with good fruit, a touch of pepper and a slight finish. Not as "brambly" as the zinfandels of years ago, but much easier to drink than the "alcohol bombs" that new zinfandels have become.

Also tasted
2006 Robert Mondavi Winery Fume Blanc, Napa Valley, Oakville, Calif.

14 percent alcohol by volume; $15.99 for 750 milliliters. Distributor: Premier Division of Reliable Churchill.

Crisp and barrelaged, this white had a creamy mouth feel and smooth body. Compared to the Woodbridge sauvignon blanc I tasted with it, this was the mature adult, while the sauvignon blanc was the edgy youth.

2006 Woodbridge Sauvignon Blanc By Robert Mondavi, Woodbridge, Calif.

12.5 percent alcohol by volume; $9.99 for 1.5 liters. Distributor: Diamondback Division of Reliable Churchill.

Bright and clean with apple and grapefruit notes, this is an uncomplicated wine, a good pour for a big party.

rob.kasper@baltsun.com

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