michael mondavi

Michael Mondavi Launches Private Cellars Wine Club

Filed under: Wine

Wine scion Michael Mondavi has announced his newest creation, the Private Cellars wine club. The club features luxury wines from around the world. As Mondavi puts it in the video above, his career in the wine business creating the Robert Mondavi wines led to relationships most renowned wine-making families in the world.

The club will feature a selections from a variety of wineries including some of the legendary "Supertuscans." The club launches with the Marchesi de' Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo Brunello, a four time Wine Spectator 'Top 100' wine. Marchesi de' Frescobaldi is one of the most prestigious houses in the world of wine. The wine is made from 100% Sangiovese grapes has a deep ruby red color and a rich bouquet, with ripe fruit on the nose, followed by spicier notes of coffee on the finish. It is sold through the wine club for $55.

Members who joined Mondavi's Private Cellars club by the end of the 2010 received a bottle of Castelgiocondo as a unique gift of entry but its not too late to join the club. You need not be a club member to purchase these wines, however club members receive special pricing and access to Member Only wines.Club Members receive 10% off most wines. Other benefits include personalized visits, VIP access and introductions to top wineries and winemakers around the world and invitations to special wine and culinary events with Michael Mondavi. Mondavi will also host Blend Your Own Wine Experiences in Napa Valley. All shipments are a maximum of $600 and shipping is included. You may choose to receive your wines monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly.

Tags: michael mondavi, mondavi, supertuscans, wine, wine club

M by Michael Mondavi Wine

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

After reading the ins and outs of the Mondavi clan in The House of Mondavi book, I'm even more intrigued to see what former Mondavi CEO and chairman Michael Mondavi has cooked up with his first wine. The 2005 M by Michael Mondavi is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from his Animo vineyard in Atlas Peak, Napa. The wine was aged for 22 months in French oak and bottle aged for a year.

You can pick up M by Michael Mondavi this fall for a steep $199. In a recent interview with Steve Heimoff, Mondavi explained how he reached this price. He explained that his team bought a bunch of top cult wines and did a blind tasting asking themselves how much they would pay for each wine. Because their wine came out strong they prices it below some of the super-pricey cult wines and above some of the ones it showed better than. Of course the costs of managing the 15-acre vineyard were also a factor.

Heimoff's interview also reveals that Mondavi has learned his lesson about rapid expansion. He says that at his Folio Wine import and production company they have just two rules, only work with those they respect and want to spend time with, and only sell wines they would like to serve to family and friends.

Tags: cabernet sauvignon, michael mondavi, napa valley, NapaValley, red wine, RedWine, wine