Michael Mondavi to sell Carneros winery

Michael Mondavi Family has agreed the sale of its “start-up” Carneros winery, tasting room and 13-acre vineyard with plans to establish a new “boutique winemaking facility”, it has been reported.

Michael Mondavi with daughter Dina and son rob jr in their Animo vineyard

According to a report by Shanken News Daily, the Napa winemaking family has agreed to sell its 100,000 case facility in Carneros, set up eight years ago to kickstart its brand, to Vietnamese-born businessman, Kieu Hoang, for an undisclosed sum.

Hoang, who owns the Kieu Hoang Winery in Napa Valley, produces wines exclusively for export markets and only started making wines in Napa in 2012.

Rob Mondavi Jr. said in a statement: “Over the past eight years the (Carneros) winery has been home to Folio Winemaker’s Studio, a custom-crush facility, and recently, Michael Mondavi Family Estate.”

“As planned, the facility supported our start-up plans allowing maximum flexibility; however, the current case capacity far exceeds our vision to produce the small-lot, prestige wines we desire to produce under the Isabel Mondavi, Emblem, Animo and ’M‘ by Michael Mondavi labels.”

The company said it was now now looking to establish a “boutique winemaking facility and tasting room in Napa Valley” for its Carneros-produced wines under the Michael Mondavi Family Estate name.

Wines from the 2014 Carneros harvest will be produced by Rob Mondavi Jr. and Tony Coltrin at a leased facility in Napa.

Kieu Hoang Winery COO and winemaker Craig MacLean told Shanken News Daily: “The goal has been to establish a US home for the brand that would support the growth of our portfolio and give us the tools to control wine processing from grape to bottle, and we found that in this facility.”

No brands or other vineyard holdings are included in the deal.