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Media Room |
The House of Mondavi by Julia Flynn Siler The Sweeping Saga of America’s First Family of Wine “The House of Mondavi is a compelling, sweeping, and ultimately heartbreaking American story of ambition, lust, and wine. The reporting on the rise and fall of the Mondavis is stunning. Think ‘Barbarians at the Grape’.” In The House of Mondavi, The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty, veteran Wall Street Journal writer Julia Flynn Siler chronicles the turbulence that has roiled four generations of Mondavis and the family business they built into an empire. Once the Kennedys of American wine, the family’s rapid ascent from their immigrant past was matched only by its devastating decline. Based on meticulous research and over five hundred hours of interviews, The House of Mondavi is a fascinating behind-the-scenes portrait of a family that has produced as many sensational headlines as exceptional wines. Ms. Flynn Siler has performed a remarkable reporting feat, penetrating the inner circle of Mondavis and their closest advisors to create finely-textured portraits of the characters that shaped the story: from the Italian immigrants Cesare and Rosa who arrived at Ellis Island in 1906 and got their start wholesaling grapes, down to great-grandchild Carlo, whose promoting of his grape-based skincare business landed him in financial hot water. At the core of the drama is the bitter rivalry between Cesare and Rosa’s sons, the charismatic and visionary Robert and the guarded Peter, which culminated in the banishment of Robert from the family’s Charles Krug Winery. The resilient Robert promptly launched the hugely successful Mondavi brand which brought American wines and the Napa Valley to an international audience. The House of Mondavi provides deep insight into Robert’s fierce commitment to innovation in wine production and promotion that transformed the family business into a winemaking powerhouse. Early on Robert adopted European wine-making techniques; was among the first to offer tastings at the winery; and also demonstrated a nose for synergy by supporting top chefs. Yet Robert’s single-mindedness also took a personal toll on his family, which was wracked by such problems as alcoholism, suicide attempts, and the emotional repercussions of adultery as Robert pursued his passions. Tragically, Robert’s sons Timothy and Michael repeated the bitter rivalry of their father and uncle with equally disastrous effects on the Mondavi empire. This ultimately led the board of directors to strip the family of substantive operating control. The House of Mondavi provides both an engrossing story of a family’s struggles with international success and devastating setbacks, as well as a case study of the unique challenges family-owned business must successfully navigate to survive. Ms. Flynn Siler navigates the financial and legal twists with a sure hand, describing the effects of “corrosive nepotism,” Robert’s philanthropic overreaching, and the failed venture with Disney—all of which combined to bring the Mondavi empire crashing down. For the first time she reveals the closely-guarded secret that lay behind the board’s coup which explains why Robert Mondavi’s family members turned against each other during the boardroom drama. The House of Mondavi is both a complex, cautionary business story and a compelling family drama. A New York Times bestseller, it was honored as a finalist for a 2008 James Beard Foundation award, a 2008 Audie award, and a finalist for a 2008 Gerald Loeb award for distinguished business reporting. About the Author: Julia Flynn Siler is the author of The House of Mondavi and is at work on her next book, The Lost Kingdom, which will be published by Grove/Atlantic in 2012. An award-winning journalist and former foreign correspondent, she has written for The Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, and The New York Times. A Brown University graduate, she earned a Masters degree from the Columbia University’s School of Journalism and an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Business. She lives with her family in Northern California. |