Robert Mondavi Winery Napa County | Oakville, CA

Robert Mondavi Winery Wine Tasting Notes

If you're in Napa you should make a stop at the legendary Robert Mondavi's winery. What makes it so great is the beautiful grounds, iconoclastic building (you might recognize from their wine labels), and the several educational tours. This is a classic big label winery stop, for sure. But even though Robert Mondavi has now passed on, (he died May 2008), and his family has sold most of the rights away, this place still has a certain class that you don't get from the other big names.

Full disclosure: I may be a bit bias because I happen to enjoy many of their wines, and Mondavi was one of the first wineries I visited in Napa in the early 1990's. This tour and tasting is what got me coming back to Napa again and again.

If you're interested in one of the tours, there are many, it's best to call ahead for an appointment (but not necessary). I would recommend taking the 75 minute "To Kalon Tour", which follows the life of the grapes from vineyard to bottle.

Yes, many of the wines are classic new world californian, but that's because Robert Mondavi is responsible for putting California wines on the map as it's ambassador around the world. If you want to know the difference between French wine and Californian wine, use a Mondavi wine against a classic French Burgandy.

If you don't take a tour, the general tasting room itself has a very corporate feel, like your tasting at a store in the mall. This is why I highly recommend you take a tour, because you taste in a much more favorable private room setting without the t-shirts and ceramic grape cookie jars.

Robert Mondavi Winery Wines

Ratings and tasting notes coming soon!