Robert Mondavi, 1913 - 2008

The Napa Valley vintner died today at age 94.

The San Francisco Chronicle obituary.

He wasn't a winemaker by trade, but Mr. Mondavi found his calling when he broke from his family's Charles Krug winery in 1965 and struck out on his own. With help from a high-profile succession of winemakers, including Miljenko "Mike" Grgich, as well as his own son Tim, Mr. Mondavi's name soon became synonymous with the best of California wine. The Mission-style winery facade designed by noted architect Clifford May that graced his wine labels quickly became a symbol of the state's wine bounty. His winery rapidly gained renown for such modern techniques as the use of steel fermentation tanks and small French oak barrels. Mr. Mondavi quickly made his name as a marketing mastermind, especially after his decision in 1968 to make wine from Sauvignon Blanc, at the time an obscure varietal, in oak barrels. Recognizing the appeal of a fancy name, Mr. Mondavi christened the wine "Fumé Blanc" and watched sales quickly skyrocket.