The Evolution of Wine Legend Michael Mondavi

Jul. 28, 2017

Michael Mondavi not only comes from a legendary winemaking family, but he’s an industry legend himself, and he was destined to be so from a ripe age. Growing up 100 yards from the Charles Krug Winery, the winery’s cellar master doubled as Mondavi’s babysitter. “My mom would just call him up and say, ‘Michael is coming over.’ I'd head over and spend the day there…the tanks, the barrels, the equipment – those were my jungle gym.” 

Mondavi jokes that the reverse psychology from his parents always saying, “Don’t come into the wine business,” is exactly what persuaded him to do so. “Kids are going to do the opposite…from a very early age, I knew that I really wanted to be in the wine business.”

From opening a small winery in ’66 with just his father and one other employee, to founding Folio Fine Wine Partners in 2004, Mondavi has touched essentially every aspect of the wine business. “I did everything from making the wine to cleaning the bathrooms,” Mondavi said. After nearly 12 years in production, Mondavi transferred the winemaking responsibilities to his brother, allowing himself to focus his attention on marketing, sales and management of their business.

Business management was fitting, as Mondavi studied business at Santa Clara University – a detour from his father’s original plan. “When I finished my junior year in high school, my father said, ‘Let's go see the head of the winemaking school at UC Davis, Dr. Amerine, so he can suggest what electives to take to prepare you for Davis.’"

Amerine told the Mondavis that Michael could learn 90% of what he needed to know about winemaking from his uncle and father, and that he needed to go business school instead. “He told my father that if I could run a profitable business, then I would have the opportunity to produce great wine.”

Amerine’s advice proved valuable, as Mondavi went on to lead many successful endeavors in the wine business, including Folio, which today has grown to represent 17 family-owned wineries from across Italy, Spain, France, Argentina, and Austria.

“Working with these families, it's not just that they ship the wine over and we sell it; we visit their vineyards and wineries,” Mondavi said, “We have this idea exchange that takes place, and we’ve learned how to grow better grapes and make better wine in Napa because of importing wine from these families.”

With growing and learning of course comes trials. Mondavi admits his two biggest challenges have been the economy and Mother Nature. “You have your contingency plans, but Mother Nature is the one that's going to tell you what and how to use it.”

Challenges and successes aside, it’s more than just wine that has kept the Mondavis in the industry for so long, it’s what wine represents; it’s the culture surrounding it. “As my wife always says, ‘The most important thing around the table is the friendship and the conversation, followed by the food. Wine should be in third place; there to enhance the enjoyment of it all.’"

To learn more about the industry’s evolution, how Folio Fine Wine Partners came to fruition, and where the wine world is headed, check out this Q&A with Michael Mondavi.