41st blessing of the grapes at Mondavi

By L. PIERCE CARSON
Register Staff Writer

Wine industry icon Robert Mondavi, wife Margrit and granddaughter Chiara teamed up with director of winemaking Genevieve Janssens and estate manager Christopher Barefoot for the 41st annual  blessing of the grapes at the Robert Mondavi Winery Tuesday.

Father Gordon Kalil, from St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Napa, conducted the traditional harvest ceremony in the winery’s To Kalon Cellar where he blessed petit verdot grapes, harvested that morning from the vineyard’s “T Block” section.

Thanking the hardworking team at the winery, winemaker Janssens noted that “the wine is never made by itself, or by one person, it takes a group effort.” She thanked all hands for continuing “this journey that Mr. Mondavi started to make great wine.”

Pointing out that the current harvest began about two weeks early, Janssens said the winery’s sauvignon blanc and pinot noir are already in the cellar.

“The weather is a friend this year, spectacular,” added Janssens. “The pace in the vineyard is getting slower and the fruit is beautiful."

“We have finished picking 100 percent of our sauvignon blanc from To Kalon and Wappo Hill. The sauvignon blanc arrived at the winery very fruity, balanced and in wonderful condition. This is another great year for our sauvignon blanc," Janssens said.

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