It’s a fascinating story. Mondavi was once considered “America’s First Family of wine.” Rags to riches; back to medium rags to comfortable means. Robert Mondavi, a visioner, was kicked out of his successful family’s jug wine business due to differences of opinion. Starting from nothing, he created Robert Mondavi Wines, which became California’s biggest success story leading the trend for Californian’s varietal wine boom beginning in 1966. This new family business became so large that they decided to go public in 1993 and incorporated creating a board of directors that included Mike and Tim Mondavi. In its great wisdom, the board devised a plan to sell off the company’s less profitable but iconic Napa wines, including Robert Mondavi Luxury brands, Ornellaia, and 50% of Opus One. This restructuring plan was to reinvent the Mondavi wine company as a purveyor of inexpensive wine. This caused more family in-fighting, where Tim and Mike left the board of directors. In a compromise, the Mondavi wine company was sold to Constellation Brands at a bargain price of $1.03 billion, which kept the company whole in name. Tim and Mike went on to start Continuum winery, accessing premium grapes contracts with Mondavi. Mike Mondavi also created Folio Fine Wine Partners in 2004 with his son Robert Michael Mondavi Jr. and daughter Dina Mondavi. Today, Folio has grown into an international wine company representing winemaking families from Italy, Spain, France, Argentina, and Austria, and their business is growing in double digits year after year. Folio’s Spellbound wines, headed up by Rob Mondavi Jr, were created to make the best wine possible using longtime family sourcing at very reasonable pricing. Spellbound was an instant success with wine-by-the-glass pours in restaurants and everyday store purchases.

Spellbound’s first wine was one of Californian oldest wine varietals. In California, growers began planting the Petite Sirah grape as early as 1884. Originally of French origin, known as Durif in Southern France and today hard to find in France at all except in one appellation in Provence. In California’s heyday, 7,285 acres were planted to Petite Sirah in the 1930s, and it was immensely popular with home winemakers during Prohibition. “There’s nothing petite about Petite Sirah” is the common refrain for this robust red grape with a one-two punch of complex tannins and searing acidity, making it an excellent candidate for aging in the cellar. “Petite” here refers to the small, intensely colored berries that make Petite Sirah such a distinctive variety. The wines it creates are surprisingly modern in that big boozy way. It’s also the wine that nourished a generation of Northern California gold miners. Currently, nearly 10,000 acres of vines are planted to Petite Sirah in California, with 170 wineries bottling the varietal and the sixth most popular red grape grown in California today. Although this may sound impressive at its face value, it is still small compared to other grapes. California has 620,0000 acres planted for wine grapevines as of 2020. A quick note, Petit Sirah wine should not be confused with Syrah grape. They are entirely different animals.

Spellbound wines are sourced from wine-growing regions throughout California, where the warm sun and cool moonlight nights result in expressive, approachable, balanced wines. These wines are true to their roots, expressing ripe varietal character with a style that elevates every occasion—from special events to everyday meals around the family table.

Spellbound Petite Sirah has an intense color and generous bouquet of rich blackberries and blueberries, vanilla bean, and roasted coffee, all in a remarkably approachable glass. The wine is crafted to unleash dark and luscious characteristics while managing tannins to deliver an opulent and juicy Petite Sirah.

Spellbound Petite Sirah 2019

I remember liking this wine before, and this vintage was just as good as I remembered. I brought the wine down to the kitchen to taste with the staff, which garnered quite a bit of attention. Ripe fruit, blueberries, dark berries, mocha, balancing acid, and tannins. Amazing to everyone that all this wine can be packed into a bottle for less than $10. In this case, way less. I can see why this wine would be so popular as a wine-by-the-glass program. It has something to appeal to everyone. Stock up now for the upcoming holidays.

Everyday Low Price: $10.98

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Wine is packed in a 12-bottle case

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Cheers!

John Hannum,

Fine & Rare Wine Specialist