Robert Mondavi long ago garnered an exalted spot in the history California wine. He was one of only a handful of vignerons responsible for making the Napa Valley into a world-class wine region. His legacy has only been elevated by his grandsons, Carlo and Dante Mondavi, who have contributed yet another impressive layer to the family name with their project, RAEN (see video). Standing for Research in Agriculture and Enology Naturally, RAEN exclusively produces Pinot Noir from meticulously managed single vineyards on the Sonoma Coast. Their focus on single-vineyard Pinot Noir production from the far, northwest corner of Sonoma is not merely a reflection of terroir, it is faithful to the centuries-old ideology and reverence for vineyard-specific sites in Pinot Noir’s native soil of Burgundy. Carlo and Dante’s unrelenting passion for Pinot Noir was first introduced by their father, Tim Mondavi, at the family dinner table. Their thirst for Pinot evolved even deeper as their grandfather brought them on adventures through Burgundy where they visited many of the region’s greatest domaines.

 

True to the Pinot Noir’s roots, the brothers are guided by Burgundian tradition and strictly adhere to old school methodology to let the true character of each vineyard shine through in the glass. The Cuvèe Royal St. Robert is a homage to their grandfather, is sourced from a special hillside site just west of Freestone and roughly five miles northeast on the Pacific coast near Bodega Bay. The grapes are all harvested during the cold night to ensure pristine freshness. 70% are pressed whole cluster underfoot and they utilize only native yeasts in fermentation. The wine is aged for ten months in 60-gallon, neutral French oak as well as one puncheon, and only the best casks are selected to craft this special wine. The wine is bottled without fining or filtration, revealing a pure expression of terroir with the most nuanced and elegant characteristics of Pinot Noir.

 

The Royal St. Robert Cuvèe exhibits a concentrated ruby red core with a light garnet rim. The delicate, restrained nose reveals freshly cut wild strawberry, pomegranate and a kiss of candied rhubarb over an array of wet rose petals, white tea, grape stems, thyme, damp forest floor, crushed rocks, and subtle, integrated exotic spices. The palate is medium-plus in body with firm, fine-grained tannins similar to a youthful Gevrey-Chambertin that will evolve into velveteen softness and grandeur after resting in the cellar. Although charming in its youth, the true beauty of this wine will not ultimately unfold for another 2-3 years and should peak around its tenth birthday. For those of you who can wait, your patience will be greatly rewarded. If you do enjoy a bottle in its youth, decant for 45 minutes and serve in Burgundy stems at 60-65 degrees alongside a serious meal. One of my favorite dishes with young Burgundy is traditional Boeuf Bourguignon. Since this wine has so many attributes of a young fine Burgundy, I feel this classic recipe from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking is called for. Cook it for at least as long as Julia instructs, if not longer, and the result will be well worth the wait. Bon Appetit.