ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY REOPENS ITS HISTORIC OAKVILLE ESTATE FOLLOWING A MULTI-YEAR TRANSFORMATION
Timed to its 60th anniversary, Robert Mondavi Winery officially reopens its doors to visitors on April 20th, introducing new guest experiences now open for reservations alongside a limited-edition commemorative release.
OAKVILLE, Calif., April 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a three-year transformation, Robert Mondavi Winery—the historic heart and visionary leader of Napa Valley fine wine—today announces the grand reopening of its iconic Oakville estate. Timed to its 60th anniversary, the reimagined winery introduces a fully modernized destination, including a new hospitality wing, expanded indoor-outdoor tasting experiences now available for reservation, enhanced culinary and visitor spaces, and state-of-the-art winemaking facilities. Marking the most significant transformation of the property since its founding in 1966, the reopening is also commemorated with the debut of a limited-edition 60th anniversary Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Guided by the pioneering spirit upon which Robert Mondavi established the winery, this transformation balances preservation and progress. Cliff May's emblematic arch and tower have been carefully restored, while new architectural and landscape interventions—led by Aidlin Darling Design (architecture) and Surfacedesign (landscape architecture)—deepen the connection between guests, the vineyard, and the surrounding Napa Valley landscape.
"This transformation reflects a renewal of Robert Mondavi's original vision," said Peggy Hemphill, Brand Marketing Director for Robert Mondavi Winery. "As we reopen, we're proud to carry that legacy forward—welcoming guests to experience Napa Valley in a more thoughtful, elevated way while setting the stage for the winery's next era."
At the core of this next chapter is an evolved approach to winemaking, anchored by the estate's vineyards, including the renowned To Kalon Vineyard. Now certified organic by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), To Kalon produces fruit of exceptional purity and balance, forming the foundation of the winery's most celebrated wines.
The new To Kalon Cellar introduces advanced technology—including optical sorting, gravity-flow systems, and temperature-controlled fermentation and barrel spaces—allowing for smaller, more precise lot vinification. These enhancements support a more nuanced and site-driven approach, resulting in wines that reflect both immediacy and age-worthiness.
"The reopening reflects the evolution happening behind the cellar doors," said Kurtis Ogasawara, Head Winemaker, Robert Mondavi Winery. "While our approach is grounded in decades of tradition, we continue to refine how we farm and vinify—bringing greater precision to each decision. This allows us to highlight the distinct character of the vineyards we work with and the intention behind every wine we produce."
The redesign restores key elements of Cliff May's original vision while introducing a contemporary architectural language that opens the estate outward. A new inverted gable canopy—referencing the winery's iconic arch—anchors a series of indoor-outdoor tasting spaces, terraces, and gathering areas with panoramic vineyard views. Adjacent, a new culinary building with an indoor-outdoor veranda supports an expanded wine and culinary program rooted in the surrounding gardens, while a linear water feature—inspired by traditional agricultural aqueducts—runs through the south wing, reinforcing the winery's commitment to sustainable water stewardship and reflecting its historical role in Napa Valley winemaking.
"It's hard to overstate the impact of Robert Mondavi's partnership with Clifford May—a meeting of two pioneering minds that produced one of California's defining midcentury landmarks," said David Darling, co-founder of Aidlin Darling Design. "Our work carries that spirit forward, using design to strengthen the winery's connection to its site while shaping its future."
Extending beyond the cellar, the physical transformation of the estate is designed to bring guests into closer connection with the land. Surfacedesign's landscape vision builds on the site's geological and ecological history, shaping an experience grounded in the relationship between viticulture and environment. Plantings, pathways, and terraces are designed to reflect the natural forces that formed the To Kalon Vineyard and the broader Napa Valley.
"The design begins with an exploration of the forces that shaped this place—the tectonic shifts, volcanic activity, and sedimentary deposits that created the unique conditions for To Kalon's world-class wines," explains Roderick Wyllie, Principal, Surfacedesign.
Interior furnishings and guest environments by San Francisco-based firm BAMO introduce a counterpoint of intimacy to the estate's expansive architectural vision. Drawing on the textures and palette of the Mayacamas Mountains and the To Kalon Vineyard, the spaces unfold as a series of thoughtfully designed environments, each inviting pause, exploration and connection. Original elements, including hand-painted tiles by Margrit Mondavi, have been thoughtfully preserved and integrated alongside works from the Mondavi collection, linking the winery's cultural heritage with its contemporary identity. Materials from earlier structures were carefully repurposed throughout the estate, reinforcing a sense of continuity between the winery's past and present.
"This project reflects a deep respect for the legacy of a pioneering Napa Valley family and a shared belief in its future," said Michael Booth, Principal, BAMO. "By bringing together a team aligned in vision and long-term stewardship, the result is an experience designed to endure as an iconic destination for years to come."
Designed to showcase winemaking at every stage, the transformed north wing now houses production, private tastings, and immersive guest experiences. The To Kalon Collective introduces three dedicated tasting spaces, offering access to wines sourced from To Kalon Vineyard, including Robert Mondavi Winery, To Kalon Vineyard Company, Schrader Cellars, and Double Diamond, providing a comprehensive view of the vineyard's range and expression. The estate's iconic bell tower has also been reimagined as the Tower Library, an intimate tasting space that offers a new perspective on the winery's history and wines.
To mark its 60th anniversary, the winery will release a 2023 Commemorative Edition Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($125). Sourced from exceptional blocks within To Kalon and Wappo Hill Vineyards, this limited-edition wine will be available beginning April 20th at the winery, on robertmondaviwinery.com, and through select U.S. wholesale and fine wine retail partners.
Guests can now book a range of new visitor experiences, including guided cellar tours, curated tastings, and walking tours of the property that offer a firsthand look at the estate's transformation. Offerings include the Pioneer Tasting, featuring Napa and Estates wines; the Visionary Tasting, focused on terroir across the Estates collection; and the Legend Tasting and Tour, highlighting the winery's most prestigious Reserve wines. Reservations are available via the winery's website and Tock.
ABOUT ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY
Robert Mondavi established his namesake winery in 1966 with the vision of creating wines from California's Napa Valley that could compete with the world's finest. Through tireless innovation, an uncompromising commitment to quality, and boundless enthusiasm, he made believers of wine lovers around the world. Under the leadership of winemaker Kurtis Ogasawara, the team continues to build on this legacy, pursuing ever greater precision with each vintage. Located along Highway 29 in the heart of Napa Valley, Robert Mondavi Winery offers an immersive experience rooted in exceptional winemaking, refined hospitality, and a longstanding commitment to the arts. At the heart of the winery is To Kalon Vineyard, a 440-acre site of exceptional provenance that anchors the winery's Napa Valley, Estate, and Reserve wine programs. Widely regarded as one of the premier vineyards in North America, To Kalon is renowned for producing some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc in the world.
The winery's recent transformation reinforces its position as a defining luxury leader in Napa Valley, spanning every touchpoint—from sustainable viticulture and farm-to-bottle craftsmanship to the multi-year renovation of its winemaking facility and visitor center. To learn more, visit robertmondaviwinery.com or follow @robertmondavi on Facebook and Instagram.
ABOUT OUR PARTNERS:
ABOUT AIDLIN DARLING DESIGN
Principals Joshua Aidlin and David Darling founded Aidlin Darling Design around a woodshop in 1998 with a shared interest in exploring design across a wide range of scales, programs, and disciplines. Maintaining a closely held conviction that design can enlighten the human spirit by engaging all of the senses, they have cultivated a diverse and collaborative studio that acts as a creative hub for an extended network of builders, fabricators, engineers, chefs, and artists. An open and impassioned exploration enables a clear understanding of appropriate design solutions. The individual character of each project emerges through an understanding of site and through poetic spatial relationships, material richness, and exacting detail.
The connection between people and place is explored through a wide range of project types as far afield as Doha and Hong Kong. Projects include The Center for Architecture and Design in San Francisco, the Windhover Contemplative Center at Stanford University, the Contemplative Commons at the University of Virginia, a conference pavilion at Expedia's new waterfront headquarters in Seattle, a brewery in San Leandro, and several restaurants and wineries.
The firm's diversity and quality of work are reflected in recognition ranging from their recent induction into Interior Design Magazine's Hall of Fame, two James Beard Awards for restaurant design, and the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt's National Design Award for their complete body of work.
ABOUT SURFACEDESIGN
Surfacedesign is an award-winning landscape architecture and urban design firm based in San Francisco, California. Winner of the 2017 Cooper Hewitt National Design Award for Landscape Architecture, our diverse and multidisciplinary firm creates dynamic public parks, campuses, plazas, waterfronts, civic landscapes, and private gardens. Surfacedesign is an LBE-certified, LGBTQ-owned C-corporation led by the two design partners — James A. Lord and Roderick Wyllie.
Integral to the firm's ideology is a focus on cultivating a sense of connection to the built and natural world, pushing people to engage with the landscape in new ways. With a significant portfolio of public projects aimed at educating and inspiring our approach emphasizes and celebrates the unique context and imaginative potential of each project. The studio's design process is rooted in asking novel questions while listening to a site and its users — a process that has led to engaging and inspiring landscapes that are simultaneously rugged, contemporary, and crafted.
ABOUT BAMO
BAMO creates interiors that balance artistry, context, and innovation across residences, wineries, hotels and resorts worldwide. For over three decades, the studio has helped shape the definition of contemporary luxury through design that is both evocative and enduring. With studios in San Francisco, Providence, Miami, New York City, and Barcelona, BAMO approaches every project with curiosity, a collaborative spirit, and a global perspective.
The studio's philosophy is consistent across every commission: to design environments that are distinctive to their setting, finely crafted, and lasting in character. From homes to resorts to branded residences, BAMO's work is recognized for its originality and sophistication, creating spaces that enrich daily life and define destinations.
ABOUT CONTAGIOUS
Contagious creates distinctive brand experiences for the wine and drinks industry, shaping how people connect with place, product, and brand. As a trusted partner to brands, from start-ups to global giants, Contagious offers a connected brand journey, encompassing branding, packaging, retail and visitor experiences, as well as trade and consumer activations and education.
ABOUT CELLO & MAUDRU
Cello & Maudru was founded in 1987 when Kris Cello and Bill Maudru partnered to renovate a Napa Valley Winery. Today, the firm's five partners collaborate with clients through a shared approach rooted in listening, questioning, and creating. Working alongside visionary architects and inspired owners, they craft beautiful, enduring places that elevate and protect the environment. Cello & Maudru specializes in the planning, construction, and maintenance of distinctive commercial hospitality and estate residential projects. Decades after their first collaboration, their commitment to exceptional quality—and to a rewarding client experience—continues to guide every project. Over the past four decades, Cello & Maudru has built many of Napa Valley's most significant properties.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Lindsay Zurlo, Public Relations Manager
Robert Mondavi Winery
[email protected]
Alyssa Paugh, Assistant Vice President
Nike Communications
[email protected]
SOURCE Robert Mondavi Winery
Share this article