Angelina Mondavi becomes head winemaker at Charles Krug
Consultant winemaker Angelina Mondavi steps up to lead the winemaking team at the prestigious Napa winery, saying it is “her calling”. She takes the reins from Stacy Clark who is retiring.
Photo: Instagram @amondaviconsulting
Angelina Mondavi will become the first woman in her family to lead the winemaking at Charles Krug since the Mondavis acquired the estate in 1943. The move follows the announcement that longstanding winemaker Stacy Clark, who has held the role for 14 years, is retiring. The Mondavi family thanked Clark for her “years of dedication and artistry” which they said have “left an indelible mark” on Charles Krug’s legacy.
“This isn’t just a job—it’s my calling,” new head winemaker Angelina Mondavi said in a statement. “I’ve poured my heart and soul into this industry from a very young age, always with the hope that one day I would help carry my family’s legacy forward.”
“Stacy was one of my earliest mentors and helped shape me as a young winemaker,” she added. “It’s an honour to now take the reins where she left off, and to bring my own vision to the future of Charles Krug.”
Vineyard to bottle
Mondavi has been a consultant winemaker under Clark at Charles Krug since 2022, but in her new role she will be responsible for all winemaking “from vineyard to bottle”, including taking the estate’s Napa Valley, Limited Release, and Family Reserve wines forward with her own vision and style.
“I want every bottle we produce to feel like an extension of the Mondavi family table—whether it’s a wine for everyday enjoyment or a Family Reserve meant for life’s greatest celebrations,” she said. “This is a dream my grandfather always envisioned, and I am determined to see it fulfilled.”
Angelina Mondavi’s grandfather was head winemaker at Charles Krug from 1945 to 1990, with her father Marc taking over the role from 1990. Over the decades the winery has undergone significant evolutions including the adoption of cold fermentation for white wines, the first use of French oak for aging reds in Napa Valley, the establishment of estate vineyards, and a focus on site-specific Bordeaux varieties.
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With a chemistry degree from Villanova University in Pennsylvania and a Master’s degree in winemaking from the University of Adelaide in South Australia. Mondavi went on to work for Yalumba Wine Company in Barossa Valley, and on returning to California in 2007, joined Pine Ridge Vineyards as assistant winemaker to Stacy Clark until 2010. Clark joined Charles Krug Winery the following year in 2011.
Angelina also serves as a board director for C. Mondavi & Family.
Lightning strike
Founded in 1861, Charles Krug Winery claims to be the oldest wine estate in Napa Valley and home to California’s first tasting room. However, according to historical reports Patchett’s Grove Winery, founded by John Moyer Patchett, was in fact the first commercial winery in Napa, producing the region’s first vintage – six barrels of wine – in 1858. A young Charles Krug was himself hired by Patchett to work on that first vintage. Sadly, the Patchett’s Grove winery was hit by lightning in 1878 and completely destroyed.
Today, Charles Krug’s wine sell from US$40 to US$175 per bottle, with the highest price fetched at auction for a lot of nine bottles of 1961-1962 Charles Krug Vintage Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, which realised US$3,000 via a Christie’s sale in July 2020.
The winery also plays host to high profile events and fixtures. Earlier this year, Charles Krug hosted classical singer Andrea Bocelli for his elaborate ‘Weekend in Napa’, which included the reconstruction in the winery grounds of a ‘Bocelli Village’, complete with Italian food stalls and vendors.
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