The success story of what is probably California's most famous winemaking family began when Cesare Mondavi (1883-1959) emigrated from the Marche region to Virginia in the US state of Minnesota in 1906 and his wife Rosalia Angela (1890-1976) two years later. After a brief career in iron mining, Cesare opened a saloon. The family expanded with the addition of two sons, Robert Gerald (1913-2008) and Peter Rudolph (1914-2016). In 1922, the family moved to California and established a wholesale grape business in Lodi in the Central Valley. Wine was also produced for their own use. In 1943, the winery founded in 1861 by Charles Krug (1825-1892) was purchased for $75,000. The two sons shared the responsibility, Robert was responsible for marketing and Peter for the vineyards and vinification. They were assisted by the famous oenologist André Tchelistcheff (1901-1994).
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Egon Mark
Diplom-Sommelier, Weinakademiker und Weinberater, Volders (Österreich)