Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Peter Mondavi: Wine-maker who led his family's Charles Krug firm through the rise to global prominence of Napa Valley

Mondavi worked to preserve the family holdings, investing $24m over a nine-year period to replant most of the vineyards and farm them sustainably

Kristin J. Bender
Tuesday 23 February 2016 16:21 EST
Comments
Mondavi: he worked hard to keep his firm in the family
Mondavi: he worked hard to keep his firm in the family (AP)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Peter Mondavi was a Napa Valley innovator who led his family's Charles Krug Winery through more than half a century of change. Mondavi, who fought his more famous brother Robert for control of Charles Krug, began his career at a time when the Napa Valley was known chiefly for cheap wine, but saw it grow into one of the world's leading wine regions.

He played a part in that rise, pioneering a number of improvements to California winemaking, including the use of cold fermentation for white wines and sterile filtration. Charles Krug has been in the hands of the Mondavi family since 1943, when it was bought by Mondavi's parents, Cesare and Rosa. Peter and Robert ran it together after Cesare's death in 1959 but were unable to agree on management styles and split, with Robert founding the Robert Mondavi Winery in 1966. Later, the brothers reconciled and in 2005 celebrated their reunion by making a special blend of wine together.

After graduating in economics from Stanford, Mondavi studied oenology at the University of California, Berkeley, researching the effects of cold fermentation on white and rosé wines, which then were being fermented at higher temperatures, losing their fruity character through oxidation.

Determined to keep the winery in the family despite corporate buy-outs happening throughout the valley, Mondavi worked to preserve the family holdings, investing $24m over a nine-year period to replant most of the vineyards and farm them sustainably. Today, Peter Mondavi's family owns 850 acres of prime vineyards in the Napa Valley.

Peter Mondavi, wine-maker: born 8 November 1914; married 1950 Blanche Hurtzig (died 2010; one daughter, two sons); died 20 February 2016

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in