Michael Mondavi

Benchmark wines from a very famous family

Michael Mondavi is one of the best known names in Californian wine, and the eldest son of the late Robert Mondavi with whom he co-founded the Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa Valley in 1966. The Mondavi dynasty needs little introduction. The family can be credited with establishing the Napa Valley as a fine wine region and Cabernet Sauvignon as its signature wine.

The Emblem wines and the flagship ‘M’, are all 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and continue the Mondavi family tradition of producing elegant, refined wines that take the left bank of Bordeaux as their inspiration.

The grapes for ‘M’ are selected from Michael’s private, single “Animo” vineyard which was formerly used to supply grapes for Opus One. The wine has very quickly built a reputation as one of California’s very best.

View all producers

Blind Tasting against the Best

In a tasting at Bibendum, Michael Mondavi poured ‘M’ blind against Chateau Margaux and Opus One. All three were very different, but telling Bordeaux from Napa wasn’t as easy as one might think.