CK Mondavi recently unveiled a redesigned label and packaging for its wine portfolio. The brand has officially been renamed “CK Mondavi and Family” in a nod to four generations of family winemaking. The redesign also includes a modern label that showcases the hand-crafted nature of the wine, as well as the varietal, vintage and flavor descriptor on the front of the bottle. The new label includes the “Made in USA Certified” logo that indicates the wines are the first and only wines to be made 100% in the U.S. – everything from the grapes to the bottles, closures and labels. The new bottles have a suggested retail price of $6.99 and will be available nationwide on June 1.
CK Mondavi owner Marc Mondavi was recently in the Seacoast area of New Hampshire, where I live, and we had dinner to talk about the rebranding and the wine market in general.
“For 74 years our family has been committed to quality grape growing and winemaking practices that simply can’t be found in other wines at this price point,” he says. “Our wines showcase quality that matches much more expensive wines. We attribute this to our strong winemaking tradition and family-owned vineyards.”
Over the years, the company has turned down a number of acquisition offers, believing it’s important to keep the wines in the family.
“We don’t even entertain them – we just say we’re not interested,” he says. “It’s in our family. We’ve been in the wine business since 1934, and at Charles Krug since 1943. Distributors want to be able to see and talk to the owner. They want to know who’s behind the brand and feel their passion. If they’re going to get behind it, they want to know you’re behind it.”
The entire family travels the country promoting CK Mondavi, including Marc’s brother, his wife and their children. While they don’t have a formal educational program for wholesalers and retailers, the entire family is always eager to talk about the brand.
“My wife especially loves getting out and meeting people, talking about who we are, what we are and why we’re passionate about the business,” he says. “Somehow when we’re traveling together, she also sells more wine than I do.”
One point of differentiation with CK Mondavi is that most wines at its price point ($6.99) don’t designate a vintage.
“We’re vintage and we’re staying vintage,” Mondavi says. “I don’t know why our competitors aren’t vintage-dated. Just because a wine is sold below ten dollars, that doesn’t mean you throw quality out the window.”
