Generous Spirit

Robert Mondavi’s generous spirit coupled his wife Margrit’s love of the arts has had a profound impact on the cultural and viticultural landscape of Napa Valley. It has all been a part of Robert’s vision of making Napa Valley a model for gracious living.

A History of Charitable Donations

It started in 1969 with the first annual Summer Music Festival held on the lawn of the winery and designed as a fundraiser for the Napa Valley Symphony. The Summer Music Festival has been offering the local community and visitors top-notch performances ever since, while also generously providing needed funding for the Napa Valley Symphony as well as other local charities.

In 1981, Robert and Margrit Mondavi co-chaired the first Auction Napa Valley which raises funds for local youth, healthcare and housing services in the Napa Valley.

A legacy of generosity

Over the years, The Lincoln Theater, the renovation of the Napa Valley Opera House, and the Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts at the University of California at Davis have benefited greatly from Robert and Margrit’s personal patronage.

Beyond just giving to the local art community, Robert has also personally contributed greatly to the food and wine community as a visionary and major benefactor for the creation of Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts. "Margrit and I had a vision of a place that would celebrate and explore the abundance and diversity of this country’s fine food and wine." In addition he is also a co-founder of the American Institute of Wine and Food, which has chapters across the country. One of his most recent donations will enable the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Sciences to be built at UC Davis. The institute will be a world-class facility dedicated to furthering the study and production of wine and food.