Robert Mondavi set out to create a thriving wine culture in America and ensure that superb California wines were served at every table more than 40 years ago. He founded the Woodbridge Winery in 1979 to produce daily fruit-focused wines close to his childhood home in Lodi, California.
The Mondavi family's beginnings in the wine business may be traced to the early 1900s, when Cesare and Rosa Mondavi, newlyweds from Sassoferrato, Italy, arrived in Minnesota. However, the National Prohibition Act of 1919 dashed their hopes of manufacturing wine. Fortunately, a loophole permitted some limited home winemaking, leading Cesare to send wine grapes from California to Italian-American families. When Cesare saw potential in the Lodi region of California, he moved his family there—including a young Robert Mondavi—and started his own grape shipping company.
His parents inspired Robert to pursue a thorough wine education, studying viticulture and enology at the University of California, Berkeley, and commerce and chemistry at Stanford University. Robert developed the renowned Robert Mondavi Winery near Oakville, California, the first significant winery constructed in the region since the repeal of Prohibition in 1966, motivated by his conviction in Napa Valley's winemaking potential.
After the success of his Napa Valley winery, Robert turned his attention to crafting delicious wines for everyday enjoyment. Being familiar with Lodi's grape-growing potential from his upbringing, he acquired a local cooperative of grape growers in 1979 and named it Woodbridge Winery after a nearby town.
Woodbridge Winery aimed to create fruit-forward wines that could be savored on any occasion. The winery's focus on approachable and affordable wines aligned with Robert's mission to bring wine to the tables of everyday consumers.
Today, Woodbridge wines continue the Mondavi family's commitment to quality winemaking and accessibility. The brand's history, rooted in Robert Mondavi's passion, remains integral to his legacy in California's wine industry. Woodbridge wines carry forward his vision of making great wine an everyday pleasure for wine lovers worldwide.
Some Top Wine Products of Woodbridge
- Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Rum Barrel Aged Chardonnay
- Woodbridge Robert Mondavi Bourbon Barrel Aged Red Blend
- Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Riesling
- Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon
- Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Malbec
- Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir
