Harvests of Joy: How the Good Life Became Great Business [Hardcover]

Robert Mondavi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 1998

The story of one of the world’s greatest wineries is told here by the man who, at the age of fifty-two, revolutionized the wine business and put Napa Valley on the map. An inspiring business book by a master innovator whose goal was to “be the best” and who had the tenacity to achieve it. Photographs.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Wine is Robert Mondavi's business, but it is also his life. The founder of the Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa Valley, now in his mid-80s, tells the story of his business and his life, laying out the lessons he learned in each, with writer Paul Chutkow.

Beginning with the legendary fallout in the 1960s with his younger brother and the rest of his family over the direction of the family-owned Charles Krug Winery, Mondavi describes how, at the age of 52, he started the Mondavi Winery, with the vision of making his wines, and those of all California wineries, equal in reputation to France's. The way Mondavi tells it, he almost single-handedly built up not only his business, but also the reputation of Napa Valley as a tourist destination, and of wine as a source of good health. He emphasizes his vision, drive, perfectionism, willingness to innovate, and work ethic, attributing many of his values to his immigrant Italian parents.

But Mondavi acknowledges that there were many sour grapes, some of his own sowing: the fallout with his brother that led to a multimillion dollar court settlement, the breakup of his 40-year marriage, the friction between him and his two sons over the winery, and the financial crisis after the company went public in 1993. Now, happily remarried, relations improved with his sons, and the business a successful global corporation, Mondavi sums up his life's lessons: "What you need is common sense, a commitment to hard work and the courage to go your own way." He also highlights 15 basic components of his philosophy of success, such as having confidence in yourself and always staying positive. He writes, "Out of all the rigidities and mistakes of my past, I've learned one final lesson, and I'd like to see it engraved on the desk of every business leader, teacher, and parent in America: The greatest leaders don't rule. They inspire." --Dan Ring

From Publishers Weekly

In 1965, Mondavi and his brother were doing well running the Charles Krug Winery, which his family had bought some 20 years before. He was 52, hardly the age to start grand schemes such as an entirely new winery; and by his own admission, he's something of a monomaniac, which obviously helped him to establish Robert Mondavi Vineyards, a powerful and revolutionary force in the American wine industry. This book is a fascinating blend of autobiography and the story of how a nascent winery became a formidable challenger to the greatest names in wine making the world over. It assuredly has a place in the Mondavi marketing strategy of educating potential customers about wine. Mondavi also fashions himself a homespun Peter Drucker, dispensing advice on achieving excellence and management success. Despite occasional efforts to acknowledge his overpowering ego, Mondavi is portrayed as a thoroughly driven, egocentric individual who has destroyed much on his road to success. Yet the descriptions of his parents and their immigrant life, the transformation of Napa Valley from sleepy backwater to tourist and boutique winery haven, his relations with many celebrated names in wine and the insider track on 50 years of the American wine business are well worth reading. Regardless of one's feelings toward the man, one cannot help admiring his dogged determination?starting anew at an age when many are retreating into retirement?and his perennial willingness to experiment, take risks and also to share the fruits of his success.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 376 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; 1st edition (September 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0151003467
• ISBN-13: 978-0151003464
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,512,959 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An inspiring and quick read, October 4, 2000

By 

Carol Porter (Kohala Coast, Big Island of Hawaii) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harvests of Joy: How the Good Life Became Great Business (Paperback)

This overview of Robert Mondavi's life's work was easy to read and educational. His passion for making excellent wine is conveyed throughout, and his perspective on Napa Valley's development provides an interesting snapshot of California history. The book is nicely typeset as well, making it easy to finish during a 4+ hour plane ride. Wine lovers will appreciate Robert Mondavi's continuing love, care, innovation and commitment to quality and continuous improvement of each wine.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational, March 29, 2002

By 

Mauricio J. Motles (Santiago, CHILE) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harvests of Joy: How the Good Life Became Great Business (Paperback)

Besides being a well written and interesting story to read, the fact that Mr. Mondavi started a new business adventure at the age of 52 is very inspirational to any entrepeneur.
His passion for high quality and his vision for the wine industry brought a new dimension to this activity, not only in the Napa Valley, but also, in far away places as Chile.
I enjoyed very much the reading and the honest advices that Mr. Mondavi gathered in 85 years.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wine, Money, Real Estate, Love and Life...This is it!, April 12, 2003

By 

Super Trader - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Harvests of Joy: How the Good Life Became Great Business (Paperback)

This is a fascinating tell of Mr.Mondavi's first life and his second life.

His first life begins with his growing up on his family's vineyard. His second life, and where the real story begins, is his having to break away from the family, in his 40's, and start all over again from scratch.

Everyone knows Sam Walton's late entreperneurial start, more people should know Mr.Mondavi's story. By all accounts he was the father of the Napa Valley boom and every bit of the story is riveting.

I was thoroughly impressed by this work and learned a prime lesson on individuality. Mr.Mondavi had a dream that was counter to his family and he could do nothing but pursue it. He had to set the trend and he did. Wine lovers around the world should be grateful to him.

Thanks Mr.Mondavi, this book was really a Harvest of Joy.