New Arrivals - Continuum

The cultural belief that wine is a central part of the meal, was ingrained in the Mondavi family long before 1906 when Cesare Mondavi immigrated from Italy to the United States in pursuit of the American Dream. This ideal was threatened in 1919 when Prohibition was ratified. Cesare, eager to protect the mealtime beverage, legally began shipping grapes for the purpose of home winemaking. So began the Mondavi family’s entry into the wine business.

In 1922 Cesare moved his family from Hibbing Minnesota to the California wine country. From their humble beginnings in the grape shipping business, the Mondavi family has thrived and branched out in several directions. Today the combined presence of family members has established the Mondavi name as one of the foremost in the world of fine wine.

Continuum is yet another page in the Mondavi family legacy, a ‘5th beginning’. Founded in 2005, it is a partnership of the Tim and Marcia Mondavi families. It is a rededication and refinement of the family’s longstanding commitment to excellence in winemaking. Continuum’s goal is to produce a single wine from their Sage Mountain Vineyard that is recognized among the finest in the world.

The partners in Continuum represent three generations. At the helm is Tim Mondavi who led the winegrowing team at Robert Mondavi Winery for 30 years. He is joined in guiding the vision and direction by his sister Marcia. His father Robert was also an integral part in helping them create Continuum. Their combined passion and creativity are the primary inspiration for this important new beginning. Tim’s children, Carissa, Chiara, Carlo and Dante along with Marcia’s son, Brian, are actively involved with Continuum and represent the Mondavi family’s fourth generation in wine.

Continuum is the ongoing legacy of the Mondavi family, and a renewed commitment to excellence and artistic expression in grape growing and winemaking. The first three vintages - 2005, 2006, and 2007 - reflect their history in Oakville sourced from the To Kalon vineyard, which was owned and cultivated by the Mondavi family for decades. From 2008 onward the wine is a reflection of their present and future, coming from Continuum Estate’s Sage Mountain Vineyard, located along the Eastern ridge of Napa Valley in an area known as Pritchard Hill. It is a terroir driven estate grown wine.

The wines are raised with time honored and respectful techniques, acquired over four generations and more than 100 years of experience in wine. The grapes are organically farmed, hand harvested into small lug-boxes, hand-sorted and fed by gravity into small Oak Tanks for fermentation. The wines are aged in 65% new and 35% once-used French Oak barrels. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered.