To Kalon:
"2011 Vineyard of the Year"
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We are excited to announce that To Kalon Vineyard was awarded “Vineyard of the Year” by the California Farm Bureau!
The California Exposition & State Fair presented this award to To Kalon for its consistent and superior quality grape production each year.
The 450-acre To Kalon Vineyard of Robert Mondavi Winery lies against the hills on the Oakville bench. Here, optimum sun exposure and annual rainfall combined with lowfertility, well-drained, gravelly clay loam soils allow deep rooting and the development of complex flavors in the grapes. The unique growing conditions of this region prompted Hamilton Walker Crabb, one of Napa Valley’s winegrowing pioneers, to purchase land and first plant it to vineyard in the late 1800s. The outstanding quality of his grapes inspired Crabb to name the vineyard “To Kalon,” Greek for “the beautiful.” Before the turn of the century, Crabb’s To Kalon wines had won national and international prizes.
In 1966, another winemaking pioneer selected the site for his own winery. “This vineyard stood head and shoulders above those around it,” said Robert Mondavi, founder of Robert Mondavi Winery. “It was a vineyard with a distinguished history and a magical nature. Ideal soils, sunlight, and rain—to my eye, the vineyard was a treasure.”
Today, Robert Mondavi Winery considers its To Kalon Vineyard the ideal location for the cultivation of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Because of outstanding clones, soils, microclimates, and cultivation techniques, grapes from the To Kalon Vineyard are rich in character and have impeccable balance. They produce expressive, complex wines with great structure and aging potential.
Other owners of To Kalon Vineyard include Opus One, UC Davis, and Beckstoffer Vineyards, with a combined total of 150 acres.