Robert Mondavi changed the landscape of the US wine industry when he founded his eponymous winery in 1966, inspired by his belief that he could produce world-class wines in Napa Valley. Since that time, the Robert Mondavi Winery has become known as one of the world's leading innovators, producers and marketers of fine wine, firmly establishing America's rightful place on the world wine stage.

Born in Virginia, Minnesota, to parents who emigrated from Sassoferrato in the Marche region of Italy, Robert was greatly influenced by Old World traditions of the pleasures of wine and food. The family moved to Lodi, California, during Prohibition and he attended public schools there.

A 1936 graduate of Stanford with a degree in economics and business administration, Robert understood that marketing was as critical as winemaking expertise in achieving success in the wine industry. He joined his father at Sunnyhill Winery in St. Helena, a bulk wine producer. After convincing his father to purchase the Charles Krug Winery there, he upgraded the technology, determined to raise quality -- a commitment which never faltered. He began to offer public tours and tastings in the 1950s, something unheard of in Napa Valley, and not even done in the established wineries of France.

In 1966, at age 53, he established the Robert Mondavi Winery, the first major winery built in Napa Valley since the 1933 Repeal of Prohibition. Robert hired architectural designer Cliff May for his fledgling winery, which he intended as an enduring landmark to California history, reflecting this in its iconic, mission-style architecture. Using an architect was already enough to raise the eyebrows of locals, but to their amazement, Robert also included public spaces for education and entertainment, which completely bewildered his neighbors.

At his winery, Robert pioneered many fine winemaking techniques in California, including cold fermentation, stainless steel tanks and the use of French oak barrels. As a marketing leader, he initiated blind tastings of Napa Valley wines with other world-class wines, allowing consumers and the trade to evaluate wine quality and value. By the l970s, Robert Mondavi wines were recognized for their quality internationally, and California's fine wine industry benefited from Robert's pioneering work in the export market.

Dedicated to fostering a wine culture in America, Robert also expanded his educational tours and wine tastings. Under his tutelage, and with his wife Margrit, for four decades the winery has celebrated the pleasures of wine, food and the arts; and provided creative settings for jazz and classical concerts, art exhibits and comprehensive cultural and culinary programs including the Great Chefs program, which has featured such luminaries as Julia Child, Paul Bocuse, Alice Waters and Joel Robuchon.

Never one to rest on his laurels, in l979, Robert joined forces with Baron Philippe de Rothschild, creating the Opus One Winery in Oakville. An immediate international success, Opus One created a world sales record for California with a $24,000 case price at the first Napa Valley Wine Auction. He and his wife, Margrit, were among the founding members of that auction, which is now recognized as the major wine auction in the U.S.

Firmly committed to the everyday enjoyment of wine and food, Robert wanted to see a bottle of wine on every American table. To that end, in 1979 Robert bought a winemaking cooperative that he named Woodbridge, after a nearby town. Innovations at Woodbridge included the first value-priced US wines with barrel aging; traditional cork finishing; a gentle, direct-to-press method for white wines; the first US premium varietal wines with vintage dating; and the first winery to operate Quality Enhancement Teams with a "small lot" program, through which grapes are kept individual vineyard lots during fermentation.

Robert further expanded his horizons through international partnerships with the Frescobaldi family in Italy and Eduardo Chadwick of Vina Errazuriz in Chile.

During the late l980s, Robert launched the Mission Program to counteract anti-alcohol campaigns that were gathering force around the world. The Mission educated media, trade and consumers about the cultural and health benefits of moderate wine consumption. This program was the stimulus for CBS' "60 Minutes" program on wine and health, which changed America's view of wine.

In 1994, Robert introduced Robert Mondavi Private Selection, a line of high quality, affordable fine wines that reflect the distinctive vineyards of California's Central and North Coast appellations.

In recent years, Robert was a major benefactor of cultural and educational institutions. Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts, a world-class pioneering cultural center, opened in 2001. With a history of extraordinary contributions to California's wine industry, Robert and his wife made a substantial personal gift in 2001 to the University of California, Davis to establish the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science and to name the campus' new Center for the Performing Arts, which opened in 2002. He also made significant gifts to the Oxbow School and the Cantor Center of the Arts at Stanford University.

An uncompromising perfectionist, Robert believed that if you wish to succeed, "... you must listen to yourself, to your own heart, and have the courage to go your own way." These and other lessons from his life are the subject of his autobiography, "Harvests of Joy," published in l998 by Harcourt, Brace & Company. He was honored by countless national and international institutions, including France's Legion of Honor (2005), the government of Italy and many U.S. institutions including being the first "Pioneer" inductee in the founding year of the Culinary Institute of America's Vintners Hall of Fame in 2006. In August 2007, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Robert Mondavi's induction into the California Hall of Fame at The California Museum for History, Women and the Arts.

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    Robert remained an active ambassador for the winery until his death.
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While services will be private, a remembrance book will be available in Le Marche, the winery's visitor center, and at the visitor center of Woodbridge winery in Lodi, CA for the next four weeks for anyone wishing to share a message or condolence. The books will be given to the Mondavi family.

In addition to his wife, Margrit Biever Mondavi, Robert Mondavi leaves three children, Michael, Marcia and Timothy; nine grandchildren; and his brother, Peter. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Copia; the University of California at Davis; The Oxbow School; and Stanford University.

Richard Sands, chairman, Constellation Brands, Inc., remembers Robert Mondavi's contributions. "Robert Mondavi was unique in a very special way. He had a vision about the potential for developing great California wines. Robert was a pioneer who acted on his vision and was both passionate and relentless in his pursuit of ever-better wines, especially from the Napa Valley. He championed the marriage of fine wine, excellent food, arts and culture, and relationships that enrich lives. He was an inspiration and he will be greatly missed. Robert's passing leaves a void in the world of wine which can never be filled. Our hearts and our thoughts are with the Mondavi family."

Rob Sands, president and chief executive officer, Constellation Brands, Inc., adds, "Robert's longevity allowed him to influence generations of winemakers and wine consumers around the world. We are proud and privileged to have known the father of contemporary California wine, someone whose influence spans the globe and is timeless. His contributions to viticulture, viniculture and Constellation Brands are immeasurable. Robert's desire, and his legacy, was to fill peoples' wine glasses while filling their hearts and souls. I believe he succeeded on all counts. The Robert Mondavi Winery in the Napa Valley will serve as a lasting reminder of all which he stood for, and we will do our best to uphold Robert's quest for perfection in wine. He served as chairman emeritus of The Robert Mondavi Corporation after it was acquired by Constellation Brands in December 2004."

Contact: Mia Malm

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               707-967-6361
               mia.malm@robertmondaviwinery.com
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SOURCE: Icon Estates

Mia Malm, +1-707-967-6361,  mia.malm@robertmondaviwinery.com, for Icon Estates

In July, the Pocantico Hills teachers will participate in training sessions with Denise Martabano, the Health, Wellness and Sustainability Coach for the Katonah-Lewisboro school district. They will learn about organic gardening techniques together with the garden's varied applications for curriculum. Students will work in the garden weekly, managing it year round. In order to maintain the year-round garden, students will utilize outdoor beds, a greenhouse, and cold frames. They plan to produce three harvests in conjunction with three annual events to feed the entire school with organic crops grown in the school garden. Additional partners for the project will include the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture and Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES.

The Pocantico garden complements the efforts by Westchester schools to create curriculum that integrates sustainability concepts into everyday teaching. Using a global framework and an interdisciplinary approach, curriculums are being developed in math, social studies, English and the arts that are unified under the overarching principle of environmental sustainability. These subjects come alive for the students in an edible classroom.

The first edible classroom was created by noted American chef, Alice Waters, in Berkeley, California. In her urban program, students planted, prepared, served, and ate homegrown food in order to appreciate the earth and healthy eating habits. The school garden at Pocantico will be mentored by Martabano, who says, "when kids grow their food, they own it, and they want to eat it."

For more information, contact: Gail L. Fuller, 212-812-4242 or gfuller@rbf.org.

((AScribe - The Public Interest Newswire / http://www.ascribe.org))

"I have always believed that the greatest strength of California is our people, so it is an honor for me to showcase these Californians, whose achievements are legendary, in the California Hall of Fame," said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. "I know that their life stories will inspire millions of their fellow Californians, and people all over the world, to dream, work and achieve."

Maria Shriver, who created the California Hall of Fame, said, "This year's inductees all share the same strength of character and determination. We honor these sons and daughters of California, men and women who have dared to achieve and in doing so, changed the world. Each inductee is extraordinary in his or her own way, and their stories and accomplishments will continue to inspire people for generations to come."

"The California Hall of Fame reflects the diversity of this great state," stated Claudia French, Executive Director of the Museum. "Only in California and only at The California Museum will Dave Brubeck meet Alice Waters, who will introduce Jack LaLanne and Jack Nicholson."

"As diverse as these inductees are, they each have two things in common," said California State Librarian Emeritus, Kevin Starr. "First of all, each of them has developed his or her talents to maximum effect. Second, for each of them, California -- as place, as stimulus to creativity -- enabled them to make a major contribution to the larger American society."

The California Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Wednesday, December 10 at The California Museum in Sacramento. The ceremony will be followed by a reception and unveiling of the new exhibit installation, featuring artifacts and mementos personally loaned by the inductees, their families and organizations, including many items that have never been exhibited before. All living inductees and family of posthumous inductees are scheduled to participate in the presentation of the Spirit of California medals by the Governor and First Lady.

The 2008 California Hall of Fame presenting sponsors are Chevron Corporation and Accenture.

"To be inducted into the California Hall of Fame humbles me beyond words," said Quincy Jones. "I have had the pleasure of calling California my home for more than 40 years and having traveled all over the world, I can say without hesitation that there is no state or region that can compare to the beauty or diversity of cultures represented in California."

Jack LaLanne, often called the Godfather of Fitness, stated, "I am so honored to have been selected by the Governor and First Lady as an inductee of the 2008 California Hall of Fame. Sharing this honor with eleven other remarkable individuals, and the previous years' inductees, fills me with pride as well as humility."

Please visit The California Museum website, http://www.CaliforniaMuseum.com for more information, to watch the video and to access images and biographies of each of the candidates.

About The California Museum for History, Women and the Arts

The California Museum for History, Women and the Arts, home to the California Hall of Fame, is a non-profit, historical and cultural institution dedicated to telling the rich history of California and its unique influence on the world of ideas, innovation, art and culture. The Museum seeks to engage, educate and enlighten a broad public audience about California's history through exhibits and programs incorporating the experiences of women and other underrepresented groups. The California Museum inspires men, women and children to dream the California dream and to dare to make their mark on history. The California Museum is located at 1020 O Street in Sacramento. For more information about the Museum, visit http://www.californiamuseum.org.

              The 2008 California Hall of Fame is presented by:

                      Chevron Corporation and Accenture

  Comcast is the exclusive multimedia partner of the 2008 California Hall of
                                    Fame.

                         In kind support provided by:

                               United Airlines

     Contacts:  Ashley Robinson (916) 651-3030
                Francisco Castillo (916) 445-4571

SOURCE The California Museum

http://www.californiamuseum.org

"Seminal books like Fast Food Nation and The Omnivore's Dilemma have highlighted the sometimes disturbing process by which our food reaches us. COME TO THE TABLE is a vital contribution to this ongoing conversation. In addition to providing inspiringly beautiful photos of Californian farms and recipes we've adapted from the farmers themselves, the book casts light on important, impactful alternatives in the way we eat and the way we think about what we eat," says editor, Shannon Welch. The book will be published on September 16, 2008, $25.95.

"There are consequences to the decisions we make every day about what we eat. If we support the people who take care of the land, cook the food ourselves and come back to the table, we will discover a delicious way of life. COME TO THE TABLE is a celebration of those people who are at the heart of this philosophy -- our nation's small, organic farmers," said Alice Waters, founder of Slow Food Nation.

Rodale, a global multi-platform media company with a mission dedicated to the health and wellness of the individual, community and planet, is a major sponsor of the Slow Food Nation event, brainchild of renowned chef Alice Waters.

Slow Food Nation will bring together tens of thousands to experience an extraordinary range of activities highlighting the connection between plate and planet. Participants will taste delicious food at Taste, a 50,000 square foot pavilion; meet farmers and producers at a marketplace surrounding a 10,000 square foot newly-planted urban garden in the heart of the city; learn from visionary speakers; and engage in political discourse to shape a more sustainable food system. COME TO THE TABLE profiles some of the farmers who will be featured at the marketplace at Slow Food Nation.

"Farmers hold the key to solving our global climate and health issues. We are honored to support this unprecedented event celebrating American food and its role in improving the health of our people and the planet," said Maria Rodale, Chairman of Rodale.

About Rodale

Rodale is a global multi-platform media company with a mission dedicated to the health and wellness of the individual, community and planet. The company, which reaches more than 70 million people worldwide, publishes some of the best-known health and wellness lifestyle magazines, including Men's Health, Prevention, Women's Health, Runner's World, Best Life, Bicycling, Running Times, and Organic Gardening, and is also the largest independent book publisher in America with a collection of international titles, including The South Beach Diet, An Inconvenient Truth and Eat This, Not That. Rodale's broad range of media platforms includes magazines, books, video, and extensive Web sites. The company is also a leader in direct-response marketing and has more than 25 million active customers in its database. Visit the web site at www.Rodale.com .

About Slow Food Nation

Slow Food Nation is a subsidiary non-profit of Slow Food USA and part of the international Slow Food movement. It was created to organize the first- ever American collaborative gathering to unite the growing sustainable food movement and introduce thousands of people to food that is good, clean and fair through enjoyable, accessible and educational activities. Slow Food Nation is dedicated to creating a framework for deeper environmental connection to our food and aims to inspire and empower Americans to build a food system that is sustainable, healthy and delicious. Visit the web site at www.slowfoodnation.org

    Beth Davey
    Beth.davey@rodale.com
    212-808-1627

SOURCE Rodale

http://www.rodale.com