Robert Mondavi Archives - Dr. Liz Thach, MW

Napa Valley’s First Growth Vineyard Arrives: Inside the New To Kalon Collective

The Legendary To Kalon Vineyard at Robert Mondavi Winery. Photo Credit: Adam Potts When I interviewed Robert Mondavi chief winemaker Genevieve Janssens in the early 2000s while writing a chapter on the To Kalon Vineyard for the book Call of the Vine, I remember being struck by her words: “It is a privilege to work in To Kalon. I have been here since 1978 and it is my driving reason – raison d'être – for working at Robert Mondavi Winery. To me, To Kalon is the superstar of Napa Valley. It is a First Growth vineyard.” Today, Genevieve has transitioned [...]

Casa Valduga – Brazilian Wine So Rare Thieves Steal It

(June 2018) It was a bright sunny morning when I visited Casa Valduga in the Serra Gaucha wine region of Southern Brazil. Elisa Walker, Export Coordinator, met us at the front door with a large smile, gesturing for us to enter the spacious tasting room and retail shop. Immediately I was reminded of Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa Valley, not only for the large size of place with countless different types of wines for sale, along with grape-based cosmetics, glasses, and souvenirs, but because the winery was the first in the region to focus on tourism – just like Robert [...]