One person’s name that oenophiles agree on as being responsible for changing the California wine industry forever is Robert Mondavi. Without Mondavi’s work, simply beating the French in that famous 1976 tasting competition would have yielded far fewer rewards.
In fact, good business decisions made years ago by the Robert Mondavi Winery still ring true today, “know your land and your vineyards”. And as it turned out, by integrating top notch winemaking along with French Oak barrel aging to Napa’s fruit producing potential, Mondavi put California permanently on the world’s wine map, starting in Napa.
Today there are very few supermarket shelves, bottle shops, or wine outlets where you can’t find a good bottle of Mondavi wine. Their success has been so sustained that just getting a handle on Mondavi’s product line is a challenge for most of us. There are bottles available featuring a wide range of varietals at an even wider range of prices. From Their Main Offerings to Opus One, and everything in between, there is something for every table.
Many people say that when Mondavi’s business “sold out” to Constellation Brands in 2004 the wines lost their nuance and character. Right then, they stopped being good values when compared to the competition.
This may have been true a few years back, but they still retain much of that superb vineyard land, plus the pride that their employees share is as strong as ever. So if you choose carefully, there are still great values to be had.
One of these gems is their 2012 Napa Valley Pinot Noir. Its bouquet starts with an unmistakable spicy character that develops a nice red cherry with plum aromas, so typical of Carneros. The color is deep purple with a full finish of soft acidity and tannins.
This Pinot is a perfect roast chicken or pork pairing companion. Also, it’s just right with salmon, but probably not with lighter seafood. Solo, it’s great and very appropriate to serve later in the evening. At Phoenix area Total Wine’s price of $23.99, this is a value.
When it comes to selecting wine, the best thing you can do is to try them for yourself before zeroing in on a value. The fact that a winery is owned by a huge corporation shouldn’t be the sole reason to pass them up. In an environment where every winery (even your current favorite) is a possible takeover target, it’s best to follow your nose and mouth when making a buying decision.
