THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE AUGUST 2016
WINEMAKER MINUTE Robert Mondavi Winery Alison Bailin Batz » The Entertainer!
Ever wanted to know the stories behind your favorite wines—from red to white to blends, and everything in between? The Entertainer! has you covered! Each month, we will interview winemakers nationwide whose varietals are popular in the area to give you the inside story of what goes into a good bottle. This month, we sit down with Joe Harden, a winemaker at the iconic Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa Valley, which is celebrating its milestone 50th anniversary. First, tell us about you! What’s your story? Harden: I grew up in the winegrowing region of Lodi, California, and my dad worked for a wine distributor, so I was surrounded by wine 24/7. In fact, my parents actually became winegrowers when I was about 10 years old, planting 30 acres on the family estate in Woodbridge with Cabernet Sauvignon vines in the early 1990s. Fruit from our Harden family vineyard was ultimately sold to Robert Mondavi Winery, a huge moment for us! I distinctly remember being in awe as a child when my dad took me with him on a visit to see Mr. Mondavi himself. While wine was clearly in my DNA, I
had a parallel love of sports, too. Standing 6-feet-7-inches tall by high school, this led me to basketball, and eventually a scholarship to play at Notre Dame University. But while playing college basketball was a dream—the harsh Midwest winters were not my cup of tea. So much so, in fact, that I transferred back to California and to UC Davis, where I was able to pursue both of my passions—enrolling in the oenology program and playing basketball at the same time. I really immersed myself fully in oenology studies once I got to UC Davis. Having the opportunity to “play with grapes” from the vine to the bottle was revelatory. But upon graduation, I found
myself at a crossroads: I had an opportunity to continue playing basketball at a professional level. Presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I just had to test the professional basketball waters while I was still young, so I signed with the NBA D-League Warriors in California and later with the Ballarat Miners in Melbourne, Australia. Happy with the athletic adventure, but tired of the professional circuit, I returned to the United States in 2012 with my sights set on winemaking as my career. How did you end up working at Robert Mondavi Winery? A serendipitous interview that same year with the winery’s Director of Winemaking, Genevieve Janssens, resulted in an enviable, one-year internship working on all aspects of winemaking— from the vineyard and the barrel room, to the warehouse and the lab. When a fulltime oenologist position became available at the end of my internship in 2013, I jumped at the opportunity. By 2014, I was asked to take the reins as Winemaker for the red wine program at Robert Mondavi Winery working on their Bordeaux varietals. Under Janssens’ lead, I am now involved with all winemaking decisions from field to bottle. And yes, I have to pinch myself frequently to make sure this isn’t a dream. Most readers have certainly heard of Robert Mondavi Wines, but that wasn’t always so. Tell us how the winery made its mark? Robert Mondavi established his namesake winery in 1966 with a vision to create Napa Valley wines that would stand in the company of the world’s finest. He was one of the true pioneers of the Napa Valley we know and love today. In time, the path Mondavi cleared would lead to the creation of some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignons, Chardonnays, Merlots and Sauvignon Blancs in the world.
25
Food is a passion of yours as it was for Mr. Mondavi. Tell us about pairings with your wines? In his autobiography “Harvests of Joy,” Mondavi describes his love of wine and food and his passion for sharing “the good life” with others. In homage to him, we actually have a “Harvests of Joy” wine lunch at our winery, where we invite guests to come sample our wines paired with our chef ’s recommendations rather than simply sit and do a tasting with us. Having done a few, I can definitely recommend pairing our Napa Valley Fume Blanc with fresh, summer ingredients and most fish. Similarly, our Napa Valley Cabernet stands up well with a hearty pork chop. Time to brag—tell us about any awards you, your wines or the winery have won? One of the milestones we always touch on here at the winery was one of our first honors—earning the LA Times Vintners Top Wine Award for our Cabernet Sauvignon in 1969. And then in 2005, The Republic of France bestowed the Legion d’Honneur, France’s highest presidential honor, upon Robert Mondavi. The award was in recognition of his work to establish a stronger relationship between the wine industries of France and the United States. And more recently, our Director of Winemaking, Genevieve Janssens, was named the 2011 Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast. Where are your wines available in Arizona? We should be almost everywhere, including all local grocery and wine stores. For more information: robertmondaviwinery.com facebook.com/robertmondavi instagram.com/robertmondavi twitter.com/RobertMondavi WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM