As host for the May edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday, my thematic request of participants is to revisit a California wine that marked a memorable moment in their wine journey.
What is your California Inspiration?
With a widespread retelling of the special moments in which California wine played a role, these blog posts also act as homage to Robert Mondavi, who passed away on May 16, 2008.
One year later, Saturday, May 16,, 2009 marks my proclaimed “Robert Mondavi Day,” a day to pause briefly and reflect fondly on Robert Mondavi and his contributions to the California wine industry we know today, not to mention his philanthropic largesse.
A legend, Mondavi, in my opinion, did more to raise the quality and image profile of Napa Valley, and by extension, California, than any one person before or since.
Committed to an air of collaboration and information sharing, Mondavi took the nascent California wine industry of the 1960s and grabbed it by the lapels becoming something of a Patriarch to the industry in the process.
In a job interview years ago I was asked what men I greatly admired and why—my answer was, in no certain order: Michael Jordan, Frank Sinatra, Lou Holtz and Robert Mondavi.
Each achieved greatness and followed unlikely paths to their destination, inspiring millions along the way.
The specific wine for my California inspiration could be any number of memories with a bottle of vino central to the occasion, one of which I’ll elaborate more upon when I do the Wine Blogging Wednesday round-up, but for today, I merely want to raise a glass and toast to Mondavi.
I know he’s drinking the Angel’s Share wherever he is.