Monday, December 14, 2009

Fine California & Mexican Wines thanks to Italian Migrants

'Vino-Tourism' by Steve Dryden

 

Peter Mondavi, Jr., was in San Diego in November for the Sixth Annual San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival, where I presented him with a bottle of L.A. Cetto’s 2004 Nebbiolo from Baja California, Mexico. Peter is the son of Peter Mondavi, and the nephew of Robert Mondavi.

 

The parents of Peter senior and Robert (Rosa and Cesare Mondavi) purchased Napa Valley’s first winery, Charles Krug Winery, in 1943.

 

At the age of 60 when he purchased the winery, Cesare Mondavi sparked a revolution in the California wine industry with innovative ideas that included the use of selected rootstock, keeping a keen focus on certain varietals, and managing the vineyards to enhance quality over quantity. By the early 1950’s Cesare was “the inspirational leader” in developing techniques that dramatically improved the quality of Napa Valley wines.

 

Following his death in 1959, the operation and management of the winery was turned over to Robert and Peter Jr. Following Robert’s departure, to start his own winery in 1966, Peter took over the helm of the beloved family winery.

 

Today, under the leadership and guidance of brothers Peter and Marc Mondavi, Charles Krug Winery continues to capture the world’s attention with superior wines. In addition, Peter Mondavi, Sr., plays an important role in the business, still living and working at the original family winery near St. Helena, California.

 

The similarities between the Mondavi family of California and the Cetto family of Baja California are quite interesting. For example, both families were Italian immigrants who came to the Americas in search of a new start, eventually becoming early pioneers in the wine industries of California and Mexico.

 

Peter Mondavi, Sr., attended both Stanford and Berkeley universities, where he was involved in research with cold fermentation tanks and new technologies. Don Luis Cetto studied in Mexico City (after inheriting his father’s love of making wine) and managed Pedro Domecq Winery before establishing the L. A. Cetto family winery in Guadalupe Valley.

 

Several members of the Mondavi family, as well as individuals of the Cetto family, have been instrumental in guiding their country’s wine industries to “world class” levels. The Cetto family winery has won more international awards for their wines than any other winery in Mexico, while the Mondavi family at Charles Krug continues to make one of the best Cabernet Sauvignon wines in the world.

 

Both of these families are examples of Italian immigrants moving into unknown territories and becoming dominant leaders of an industry in a relative short period of time. The keys to success for these two dynamic Italian families have been vision, innovation, dedication, hard work, perseverance, determination and the use of creative marketing strategies. 

 

I spoke with Peter Mondavi, Jr., at the San Diego Wine and Culinary Center before attending a vertical tasting of several vintages of their Cabernet Sauvignon. During the conversation I asked him, “As Napa’s first winery founded in 1861, tell me where are you today as far as producing quality wines?"

 

Peter replied, “We continue to advance and improve the quality of the wines, we implemented some very sweeping changes during the last decade, addressing every aspect of winemaking.  We’ve replanted most of our vineyards because they were getting old, virus infected and diseased, thus their production was low. We needed to replace them, and in doing so we’ve got much more density with an increase from 500 vines per acre up to 1500 vines per acre. In addition, we’re now using special clones available through UC Davis and France. These are exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon clones that we’ve planted throughout our vineyards. Also, we’re using some of the newer trellising techniques as well, so we’ve dramatically changed the dynamics of our vineyards."

 

"In the winemaking process," he said, "we’ve gone to much smaller fermentation tanks so we can keep our blocks of selected grapes separate, and we’ve gone to an exclusive French oak barreling program, which has helped immensely. We continue to evolve and change our wines to keep up with what’s happening on the international scene. For example, with our Sauvignon Blanc, we have changed it from a typically California-style Fume Blanc to more of a New Zealand-style. This is just one example of how we are opening up some of our winemaking techniques. Even though we have been immersed in the industry for so long, we still continue to improve, change and advance our wines.”

 

The vertical tasting that followed this interview spoke volumes about how the qualities of the various vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon have evolved over the last two decades. One fact is certain, Charles Krug Winery continues to produce some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon wine in the world. 

 

This year’s San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival included the Baja California wine pavilion. Erica, of Monte Xanic Winery, poured their flagship wine, Gran Ricardo, a Bordeaux blend which was well received by many of the international wine lovers in attendance. Cavas Valmar and Vinisterra wineries gained much attention and admiration by exposing guests to generous samples of their premium wines.

 

I spoke with several people who were surprised that Mexico makes high quality wines from grapes grown in Baja California. Mexico’s “silent revolution” in creating premium wines still remains a well-kept secret on the north side of the international border. Most likely, Mexico will gain more exposure and prominence on the global stage once wineries begin to export their wines onto the international marketplace. Up until the recent economic turndown, most Mexican wine was purchased and consumed within the country, mostly by experienced wine lovers in Mexico City.

 

Today some wineries have unsold inventories for the first time in recent history, and they are once again looking abroad for marketing possibilities. One challenge Mexico faces is an abundance of international wines of high quality from countries like Chile, Argentina, Australia and Spain that were being sold at reduced prices.

 

In the meantime, despite a slow consumer market Mexicans continue to emerge and expand the wine industry.

 

The L.A. Cetto family winery is one example of a Mexican winery that has gained international acclaim. And despite the current economic situation, they continue to grow, expand and profit. Their success has been that they span the full range of pricing, from $5 per bottle up to $60 for their premium boutique labels.

 

Mexican families that are transitioning from a beer and tequila culture towards greater wine consumption can afford their products, and their pricing matches the current global trend as far as costs are concerned.  L.A. Cetto’s 2004 Private Reserve Nebbiolo is probably the best red wine in Mexico when it comes to quality for the price.

 

So, it was a great pleasure to offer this fine Baja California wine to a member of one of California’s most famous wine families. As well, the Peter Mondavi family at Charles Krug Winery can now experience and taste what another Italian family is doing with a famous Italian varietal (Nebbiolo) in Mexico’s premier wine country.

 

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For a Baja California Wine Route map, click on MexiData.info "Links," and go to "Mexico Maps and Time Zones"

 

Steve Dryden is a wine, food and travel writer living in Valle de Guadalupe, in northwestern Baja California, where he guides individual and small group wine tours. He can be reached at sbdryden@hotmail.com. Visit his new blog at www.winefoodguide.com.