Dante and Carlo grew up living and breathing wine. No wonder: their grandfather was Robert Mondavi.

Robert was famous for his Bordeaux varieties. But Dante and Carlo's father, Tim Mondavi, made brilliant examples of Burgundy-inspired... Read More

Dante and Carlo grew up living and breathing wine. No wonder: their grandfather was Robert Mondavi.

Robert was famous for his Bordeaux varieties. But Dante and Carlo's father, Tim Mondavi, made brilliant examples of Burgundy-inspired Pinot Noir back in the 1970s—bottles that still drink beautifully today, if you can find them.

Pinot, in the end, proved to be more of an influence on the brothers than Cabernet. And after studying not just with their dad but also their grandfather at Opus One, they have set out on their own to produce elegant Pinot.

Back in Tim Mondavi's time, we didn't yet know that great Pinot—perhaps the greatest outside of Burgundy—could be grown on the cool western portion of Sonoma that overlooks the ocean, thanks to a unique combination of the cool Pacific breeze, steep slopes, and foggy days. But David Hirsch taught us that, and now we know. So this is where the brothers, and their winery, RAEN, have decided to focus their efforts.

The brothers also have the benefit of modern Pinot wisdom. They know how important it is to keep alcohol levels in check, and to preserve acidities. And unlike anyone making wine back in the 1970s, they make their wines with natural fermentation (ambient yeast only) and with whole clusters. As great as Tim's wines turned out to be, his sons' should be even better.

So far, they've proven to be excellent. And they've gotten better every year.

We are convinced that RAEN is destined for greatness. The way people are talking about the wines, and the way they taste, remind us of the moment when Rhys became a Pinot sensation in the Santa Cruz mountains. Now it's RAEN's turn, out on the Sonoma Coast.