Tvrtko Horvat, a casino expert and iGaming industry advisor based in Croatia, noticed something in the news that went beyond wine. Constellation Brands had committed more than $100 million to rebuild one of Napa Valley’s most storied properties, staking that a physical destination could justify the trip in an era when leisure budgets are constantly being reallocated. His observation, drawn from watching his own market, is that a premium winery visit competes not just with other travel destinations but with at-home entertainment that draws on exactly the same discretionary spending — and in Croatia, Croatian online casinos pull directly on that same budget before a traveler ever books a flight. The renovation numbers, Horvat noted, reflect how seriously the premium hospitality sector is taking that competition.
A Historic Napa Property Rebuilt from the Ground Up
The scale of what Constellation Brands has created at Robert Mondavi Winery is immediately apparent upon arrival. After a three-year renovation costing more than $100 million, according to The Mercury News, the company opened a sweeping new hospitality center in April 2026. The investment is among the most substantial in recent Napa Valley memory.
Architect Cliff May’s original Mission-style arch and bell tower were preserved, anchoring the property in its California heritage while the rest of the experience was rebuilt around them. Manicured formal lawns gave way to more natural landscaping, softening the grounds without abandoning their sense of occasion. Inside, staves from Mondavi’s original wooden casks line the tasting room ceiling — a design gesture that threads the winery’s production history directly into the visitor’s field of view.
The guided tour circuit now includes the new To Kalon Cellar, a purpose-built space with vineyard-facing windows and skylights that flood the room with natural light. Temperature-controlled fermentation tanks are visible throughout. Tours also stop at the Tower Room, a tasting area tucked beneath the bell tower itself. For walk-in visitors who arrive without a reservation, garden cabanas offer wine by the glass or by the bottle.
Tiered Experiences From Entry-Level to Reserve
The new Vineyard Room hospitality wing serves as the hub for seated tastings and more intimate private events. Its signature offering, the Mondavi Table, delivers a family-style meal built around seasonal Italian-inspired dishes — handmade ricotta cappelletti among them — paired with estate wines. At $95 per person, the Mondavi Table sits at what The Mercury News describes as a comparatively approachable price point by Napa Valley standards.
The broader tasting menu is structured around clearly defined tiers. The Pioneer Tasting starts at $60 and provides an introduction to the estate’s range. At the other end, the Legend Tasting and Tour is priced at $150 and features reserve wines alongside a more comprehensive look at the property. The spread between those two options gives visitors a clear choice between depth and accessibility, with the Mondavi Table occupying a middle tier that pairs food and wine without the full premium of the reserve experience.
Winemaking Shifts Toward Vineyard Expression
Winemaker Kurtis Ogasawara has been refining the winery’s approach to oak in recent years, still aging flagship reds in new French oak but pulling back the duration to approximately 20 months and using lighter toast levels. The goal is to let the vineyard speak more clearly through the wine rather than layering on the structural signatures of heavy barrel aging.
The foundation of that vineyard story is the To Kalon Vineyard, an organically certified property covering 440 acres that anchors the entire wine program. Its presence runs through nearly every bottle bearing the estate designation.
The current lineup reflects that shift in emphasis. The 2022 The Estates Oakville Fume Blanc is priced at $65. The 2021 The Estates Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon, at $95, offers spice aromas alongside subtle tannins and juicy black fruit flavors. The 2021 The Estates Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, priced at $105, shows concentrated black cherry and spice flavors supported by a firm tannic structure.
Constellation’s Premium Pivot and the Winery’s 60-Year Foundation
Robert Mondavi founded the winery in 1966, the first major winery built in Napa Valley after Prohibition’s repeal. His path to that founding ran through conflict — he had been pushed out of his family’s Charles Krug Winery, which the family had purchased in 1943. What he built at Oakville became the anchor of California’s modern fine wine reputation.
Constellation Brands acquired the winery in 2004 for more than $1 billion. In the years since, the company has shed lower-priced labels, including Robert Mondavi Private Selection and Woodbridge, concentrating its attention and resources on premium wine. The $100 million renovation is the most visible expression of that strategy to date.
The hospitality center opened in April 2026. Robert Mondavi Winery is located in Oakville, California, on Highway 29 in the heart of Napa Valley, and welcomes visitors through its new facilities daily.