Robert Mondavi passes at age 94...

Just read the news on BBC newsfeed.

I believe he pionnered a number of techniques now commonplace.

The Wikipedia article mentions the movie/documentary "Mondovino", which is both fun to watch and enlightening ("more oxygen..!").

It is probably available at your local movie rental.

EvilTOJ said:

For those of us who don't know WTF Robert Mondavi is click here

Click to expand...

From Wiki fir those who don't like following links:

Robert Gerald Mondavi (June 18, 1913–May 16, 2008[1]) was a leading American vineyard operator whose technical improvements and marketing strategies brought worldwide recognition for the wines of the Napa Valley in California. From an early period, Mondavi aggressively promoted labeling wines varietally rather than generically. This is now the standard for New World wines.

R.I.P.

That's strange---on Saturday night, the wife and I celebrated 10 years together by opening a bottle of the Napa Cab (1990 Dunn) that I opened when I proposed to her. And it was amazing. It's not often that we drink stuff from Cali...

Heh, yeah, Mondovino doesn't exactly portray him in the best light...right up there with Michel Rolland. He's seen by many old-world winemakers as the embodiment of how capitalism can corrupt the artistry of winegrowing. They blow it out of proportion, of course, but there is some merit to their criticisms.

The most important person to the U.S wine industry.