Every day, for months, the man would sit there among the vines in St. Helena, thinking. Robert Mondavi was trying to see the future. His present was fairly bleak. It was near the end of 1965, he was 52 years old, and his own family was forcing him out of the winery he had spent two decades building into one of the best in Napa Valley. Mondavi was general manager of Charles Krug, a historic cellar in St. Helena. Under the leadership of Robert, who oversaw sales and operations, and his younger brother Peter, who oversaw winemaking, Krug was recapturing its pre-Prohibition glory.
But the two brothers squabbled constantly. One day, Peter accused his older brother of misappropriating funds; Robert punched him. Their mother, the winery's leading shareholder, settled the dispute by putting Robert on a six-month leave of absence. Before that leave was over, she would fire him from the family business.
Robert had no savings. He lived in a house on the winery property owned by the family. He had three kids and college tuition to pay. What's more, he had pride that was nearly impossible to swallow. While he'd ultimately struck his brother over money, the two had been fighting for years over Krug's future. Robert wanted to be bold; Peter wanted to be cautious. Meekly saying he was sorry and working under Peter's leadership was not possible for Robert.
So every day for weeks that winter, as 1965 turned to 1966, Robert walked out of his home on the Krug grounds, past the winery where his brother worked and the house where his mother lived, and stepped into the vineyard. He carried a card table and a chair. Once he was out of sight, surrounded by vines, he set up the table and sat. The leaves turned red and gold and then fell from the vines. Robert considered his future. He considered Napa's future. He considered American wine's future.
He decided to bet big on that future.
Denne historien er fra November 30, 2022-utgaven av Wine Spectator.
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Denne historien er fra November 30, 2022-utgaven av Wine Spectator.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
New Zealand's Success Story - From small beginnings, the country's wines have ascended to global prominence
Since then, New Zealand has become one of the world’s most successful wine nations. Currently there are 102,000 acres planted, and 40 million cases were sold in 2023, according to the New Zealand Winegrowers. The tiny country produces less than 2% of the global wine supply, but it’s the world’s sixth-largest exporter of wine by value. Another thing that’s evolved? The image of corks no longer applies, as most vintners there eschew cork (only about 15% of the wines we review still use the closure).
Wine Is Healthiest Choice for Drinkers - Decades of research has linked light to moderate drinking, especially of wine, to a range of health benefits.
There’s also strong evidence that alcohol consumption raises the risk of certain cancers and that heavy drinking carries serious health risks. But the reasons why moderate drinking seems to be neutral or beneficial for some people and harmful for others remains a mystery.A new study sought to solve that puzzle. Looking at health and lifestyle information for a large population, the researchers found that while any alcohol posed risks for adults with existing health problems from poorer areas, healthy adults from wealthier areas suffered no additional risks from moderate drinking, and those who drink wine with food even enjoyed better health.
In Pursuit of the Perfect Crust
“Dough is always the hardest challenge for any home chef,” explains chef and restaurateur Tony Gemignani. “But it’s the foundation of any great pizza.”
SEAVEY VINEYARD
In Napa’s Conn Valley, a family-run winery marches to its own drum
CALIFORNIA RHONES Show Their Range
RECENT VINTAGES DELIVER EXCELLENT REDS AND WHITES IN AN ARRAY OF STYLES
Tuscany Comes of Age
Anchored by the 2021 vintage, Tuscan reds set a new standard of quality
The Absolute Best Places to Eat and Drink in America
PROFILES OF THE 63 WINE SPECTATOR GRAND AWARD WINNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TODAY, AS THE PROGRAM MARKS ITS 44TH YEAR
Events- A Grand Tour for Wine Spectator- a perfect day with an evening of outstanding wines.
A young couple in shorts and festival shirts sped into the ballroom of the New Orleans Marriott on a mission.
Big Wine Players Target Pinot Noir - Plenty of small winery owners are cashing out, either because they're looking to retire or they see selling as the best way to keep their label growing
Plenty of small winery owners are cashing out, either because they’re looking to retire or they see selling as the best way to keep their label growing
Restaurant Awards- Lazy Bear- Lazy Bear bills itself as a modern American dinner party. But it's so much more.
Lazy Bear bills itself as a modern American dinner party. But it’s so much more. This Mission District restaurant effortlessly strips away the formality of a multicourse dinner and replaces it with conviviality, nostalgia and curiosity. With reverence for time and place, Lazy Bear is an ode to California where guests dine in concert with the season and can explore diverse wines, including an impressive collection of older California vintages.
