Robert Mondavi, American winemaking pioneer, died last Friday at his home in California. He was 94. We would like to recognize the contributions that Mondavi made to the growth of the appreciation of fine wine in the United States. The son of immigrants from Marche, Mondavi understood that the respect and attention winemaking received in Europe could also exist here as long as producers were willing to put in the effort to make top-quality wine. While we don’t sell American wines, we certainly value the contributions that producers like Robert Mondavi have made toward educating our country’s palates.