Wine: Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Red Blend

Country: USA

Region: California

Designation: California

Brand/Producer: Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi

Grape Varietal: Petit Sirah, Tannat, Petit Verdot, Zinfandel and Teroldego

ABV: 13.5%

Type: Red

Code: 6318

Tasting Notes

Combines some of the finest attributes of Petite Sirah, Tannat and Zinfandel resulting in a deliciously rich, full-bodied blend. The wine offers warm, toasty aromas of cinnamon rolls, fresh from the oven. Flavours initially are of jammy forest fruits, followed by dark cherries and ripe plums.  This is full, rich wine with a long finish rounded out with soft vanilla and baking spices.

Producer

Robert Mondavi grew up in an Italian winemaking family in California. His first job in the business was nailing crates together for carrying grapes during the harvest. He developed his passion for wine by study viticulture and oenology before eventually becoming one the greats of the American wine industry and founding the iconic Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa in 1966.

He also wanted to make great wine more affordable, thus in 1979 he established the Woodbridge winery, named after a nearby town in his childhood home of Lodi. The Woodbridge winery is now renowned for making fruit-focused wines for everyday drinking.

Winemaking

Part of the grape harvest is from the Lodi area in California and are the most fruit focused of the blend. The winery is a short distance away so winemaking starts while the grapes are in optimal condition. Fermentation is temperature controlled including skins to extract plenty of colour and flavour. The super charged fruit flavours are tempered by aging in oak for four months, just enough to add complexity while retaining fresh flavours and adding some toasted notes.

Fun Fact

Robert Mondavi introduced European winemaking techniques to California, including oak barrels for aging the wines and fermentation tanks made of stainless steel. He also introduced “Fume Blanc” as a name for Sauvignon Blanc which was not appreciated in California at the time.

Food pairing

A great partner for American grills and roasts and especially barbeques. 

Awards & Accolades

86 points Wine Enthusiast 

This ripe-tasting and lightly sweet wine has no shortage of fresh cherry and raspberry flavours, along with a smooth texture of light tannins.