You're watching...
Peter Mondavi Jr., Napa Valley winemaker and co-proprietor of Charles Krug, explains the growing demand in organic wine and what's it's like to be par...
Also in this playlist...
Auto-advance: ON
Auto-advance
This transcript is automatically generated
I'm glad it is Wednesday that means you outlined with me I love talking about line on Wednesdays and we are gonna continue to do so.
And the real today to have that one of the biggest names in the -- industry right now appear on -- junior.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- He getting very very quick history -- okay causes -- could arguably -- complicated bid bid.
It is quite complicated I'll do my best -- get a string it out.
Because my family -- -- with Charles for -- -- way back when my Charles Krueger a -- immigrant.
Founded the Charles -- -- 1861.
The very first commercial wind in Napa Valley last eight -- -- -- forefathers and apple by one industry.
Fast forward 1908 my grandparents.
Emigrated from Italy through Ellis Island ended up in northern Minnesota.
And during probation which -- in 1920 even started shipping wine grapes from California.
-- local Italians to make homemade wine which is legal to make about four barrels -- 200 gallons laugh during probation.
That's what got them to California.
And then after repeal they wanted to get directly -- the wine business.
We have the opportunity to purchase Charles -- winery they did that 1943.
And analyst is here uncles Pieter and -- right this is my dad Peter your -- I'm sorry that my uncle Robert and the right.
Mammogram Christians are -- of of course bought it but it's my dad Peter -- -- our Mondavi who built it up reestablish the Charles crew brand name.
And then in 1965.
My uncle Robert Mondavi split off from us in 1966.
The next year he started his -- just about seven miles south of us and Napa Valley Chris Robert Mondavi morning.
And then shortly after that we bought out -- ownership that he had Charles true.
So today Charles -- remains a 100% family -- My half of the family that -- of an obvious senior half of the family owns that a 100% we're now moving into the fourth generation.
Wanna so rather my daddy goes on my computer goes the other way that's that's I think the part that people probably confused yet -- I was daily news started all Charles crude.
And 1943 with the family right and in 1965 is when that's what.
And right so they offer came first Charles -- there firstly we hit 61 so it was -- behind -- decision process to keep the name.
Yeah what happened is in 1943.
The -- name had no meaning.
Going industry my -- -- -- yet had nothing to well Charles -- had an established.
You know.
Certain I agree to a -- President you know they've been shipping lines -- well since the 1860s so.
It was originally the first winery in Napa Valley the first commercial -- -- some homemade wine and stuff like that small production in Napa Valley but this is the first commercial.
Basis for -- -- -- that it -- -- you know some years earlier.
So but at that point Charles crew was certainly the name to have and keep its what you're saying yes -- -- -- keeping it and you take it over and it it.
You know it was a strange competing with your uncle.
From -- is a little but yeah.
We are definitely right about yeah he's in -- return you know you just yet another competitor right but it's it's actually.
Remorse on those -- -- Very friendly competition there is only -- -- Warner's yeah valley that.
I mean there's probably maybe -- dozen -- so.
Today over 400.
Well it's changed dramatically in Napa Valley.
-- I mean of but it's in it for someone like myself is trying to learn it's it's overwhelming really because there's so many different.
You know there's little -- there's big vineyards you don't even know where to Begin and everything could arguably taste different coming out of the same region.
Absolutely and it is confusing as complicated.
But you can I -- how to Parse through -- this Q1 step at a time if you have the opportunity to visit wind current area.
It can greatly simplify things as far as we understand -- here and there you see you see the winery.
And being inserted the name -- And go to any last minute on that's my plan actually my big plan is to get out there in October.
OK so it's a 150 years -- you're celebrating the 150 anniversary.
Of the Charles who -- -- 2011 of their 150 -- well.
-- itself well.
OK so and it's a silly question but what's changed besides everything.
We have everything and nothing almost.
What we've done is Charles could start -- -- Some different varieties then he started to get into the European varieties.
Brought some of those in.
And then we into your throat or ten years well 40506070s.
Even in the eighties we had a myriad of different varieties were offered -- up almost twenty different rights -- -- -- twenty different lines that we need to point out and since then in the last -- two decades or so.
And after always really become understand what it's all about its -- war soils what -- best for rare and it's really focusing in now.
On we refer to as -- -- that's primarily cabernet.
-- And then some blunders carry -- -- -- -- back.
