Customer Rating: 
Summary: America's wine ambassador
Comment: With the passing of Robert Mondavi I felt compelled to learn more about the man who has done more for the credibility and quality of American wine than probably anyone else;no doubt he will tell you he has in this book. Besides, it was the perfect reading in the evening after a recent visit to Napa and Sonoma. That is another story. Anyway, the book does much more than examine his personal and families contributiuon to winemaking in America, it explains the early days in Napa and the energy that existed between various wineries as they expanded the American market from table wine to fine wine. The book reads like an epic story of one families rise to power and wealth in the wine business, with all the details of struggles and conflicts woven together to create world class wine. Granted Robert Mondavi does at times blow his own horn but he has a right to, he is responsible for creating the Robert Mondavi Winery after a bitter battle( he actully punched his brother) that had him essentially removed from the family businesss in the Charles Krug Winery. Families can be foes and the impetus for new beginnings. It is a remarkable story, how this man, with his old-Italian-roots and charisma, went around the world in praise of wine, specifically wine from the Napa Valley in California. The book explains his vision of world domination, merging talents with the great wine families of the world to create wine outside of California as well. Robert Mondavi's writing style reflects his enthusiasm. He loved wine, he literally ate and breathed every waking moment of life consumed with the wine busibness. Great men are possessed by a singular drive to be the best,in his case he wanted to produce the best wine. Along the way, in order to appease the business end of wine, it meant he had to create wine that was not of the highest quality(Woodridge) but a good "everyday" consumer wine. Than there is Opus One and the reserve wines from his To Kalon vineyard area; the top of the line of the the Mondavi wines. It is an easy to read biography, complete with two sections of photographs that bring the family and assorted characters to life. I for one applaud Mr. Mondavi for what he did in Napa and elsewhere. He was an ambassador for wine until the day he died. RIP Mr. Mondavi, your legacy lives on.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A book worth reading!
Comment: If you enjoy wines and want to read about how one man helped to change the perception of American wines, then this is a good book for you to read. I can agree with many other reviews that say the book is often repetitive and the writing in it is very amateur. That being said, take the book for what it is. It gives some great historical background on not only the Napa Valley, but also about what/what not to do when starting your own business. A great author he is not. An entertaining and fun read, the book is.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Wine, Money, Real Estate, Love and Life...This is it!
Comment: This is a fascinating tell of Mr.Mondavi's first life and his second life. His first life begins with his growing up on his family's vineyard. His second life, and where the real story begins, is his having to break away from the family, in his 40's, and start all over again from scratch.
Everyone knows Sam Walton's late entreperneurial start, more people should know Mr.Mondavi's story. By all accounts he was the father of the Napa Valley boom and every bit of the story is riveting.
I was thoroughly impressed by this work and learned a prime lesson on individuality. Mr.Mondavi had a dream that was counter to his family and he could do nothing but pursue it. He had to set the trend and he did. Wine lovers around the world should be grateful to him.
Thanks Mr.Mondavi, this book was really a Harvest of Joy.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Understanding the joie de vivre
Comment: A must read book for anyone who not only has a "joie de vivre", but wishes to explore the foundation for truly appreciating the best. Mr Mondavi provides such insights in a most enjoyable and readable manner. Baccus himself would be delighted to read this book.
Customer Rating:
Summary: the book's OK
Comment: I share some of the criticisms of other contributors on Amazon who have given the book the lowest possible rating. It is wordy, repetitive, and poorly edited. The author himself revealed that he is not a great lover of books and his literary style indicates it. Granted, it is worthwhile to have this book, in spite of its technical faults, for the sake of having access and insight to the history of the man who virtually pioneered the art of making fine wine in Napa. While I found several passages irritating to read, I could not put the book down. The chapter describing the inception of Opus One with the Baron is great stuff. Early on the author stated his intention to make state-of-the-art Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Johannisberg Riesling. As the text progresses the author trumpets the region's many successes in the first three noble varietals, and adds the favourable results obtained with Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot. He talks about his many trips to Bordeaux, Burgundy, Tuscany, Spain, and the Mosel, to learn how the established top estates operate. Inexplicably, he makes no effort to explain what happened in his quest to make fine Riesling. I find that very surprising in light of his comment late in the book that he drinks a lot more Sauvignon/Fume Blanc than Chardonnay.
The commentary provided by his sons and his second wife is very well presented, more tightly focused and cohesive than the rest of the book.
On a personal note I was glad he mentioned the Bible's approval of wine consumption; however, he should also have emphasized consumption in moderation (see Ecclesiastes 5).
The description of the Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville CA was needless to say entertaining. The author claims half a million visitors a year, and I can assert the reasonableness of this claim based on having seen it very busy during a very rainy Sunday while many of the other wineries in the area had no visitors at all. It's most definitely worth a visit, if you have a designated driver.
This book is recommended with reservations for the unique experience it offers.
