The Mondavi Heritage

Originally from the Marche region of Italy, Cesare and Rosa Mondavi moved to the United States in the early 1900s looking for work and opportunity. Initially, Cesare worked in the iron mines of Minnesota and Rosa ran a boarding house. Once they had gathered enough money, the young couple bought a saloon just before the start of prohibition. Not to be discouraged by unfortunate timing, Cesare looked for new opportunities.

“According to prohibition law, each head of household could make 200 gallons of wine.” says Michael Mondavi. “In 1919, my grandfather took the train to California to learn where he could purchase the best grapes for winemaking.”

Cesare determined that the Lodi area was the best because of the Zinfandel grape, which made a good red wine but also had thick skins and could be shipped across the country in rail cars or trucks without spoiling. He fell in love with the land of “plenty and sunshine,” and in 1920, he and Rosa moved their family to Lodi, California to ship wine grapes and winemaking supplies to Italian families throughout the country.