Peter Mondavi Sr. Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

ST. HELENA, CA, July 10, 2009-Peter Mondavi Sr. of Charles Krug Winery is one of three wine luminaries who received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the California State Fair on July 9th at California's Grape & Gourmet, the State Fair's annual celebration of California wine held at the Sacramento Convention Center. The prestigious honor is bestowed on individuals who have demonstrated pioneering wine industry leadership and have contributed significantly to the advancement of California and enology viticulture. Winemaker Zelma Long and viticulture professor Vincent Petrucci joined Mr. Mondavi in receiving awards.

"We are thrilled and honored that Dad is being acknowledged for his life's work," said Peter Mondavi Jr., Mr. Mondavi's son and co-proprietor of Charles Krug. The Napa Valley wine industry started in 1861 on the Charles Krug estate, which has been in the Peter Mondavi family since 1943.

In honoring Mr. Mondavi the selection committee noted his unselfish commitment to Napa Valley wine-making and more than 60 years of groundbreaking innovations.

Mr. Mondavi joins past Lifetime Achievement Award winners including Mike Grgich, Warren Winiarski and Peter Mondavi Sr.'s brother Robert.

After graduating from Stanford University, he pursued wine studies at U.C. Berkeley, where he experimented extensively with cold fermentation techniques. He later instituted those processes at the family winery, the first winemaker in California to do so. In 1963, Mr. Mondavi was the first to import French oak barrels to age wine and among the first to vintage-date varietal wines.