C. Mondavi Debuts Purple Heart Wines
Launching with a red blend, the Napa Valley brand aims to honor veterans through a partnership with the Purple Heart Foundation.
Purple Heart Foundation chairman Jeff Roy (left) accepts a check from C. Mondavi & Family winemaker Ray Coursen (middle) and vice president of marketing Paul Englert (right).
C. Mondavi & Family joined with the Purple Heart Foundation to unveil a new wine brand at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City on April 19th. The 2013 Purple Heart red blend ($19.99 a 750-ml. bottle) was created by winemaker and Vietnam veteran Ray Coursen and comprises 84-percent Merlot, 7-percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 6-percent Cabernet Franc and 3-percent Petit Verdot. The grapes were sourced from C. Mondavi & Family properties in the Napa Valley.
The 2013 Purple Heart red blend has already sold out, but the 2014 vintage is expected in September.
C. Mondavi & Family patriarch Peter Mondavi Sr. was a veteran of World War II, and the company aims to honor America's military heroes through its partnership with the Purple Heart Foundation. At the launch event, Coursen presented Purple Heart Foundation chairman Jeff Roy with a check for $10,000, which will be used to help veterans recover from wartime injury and trauma and for other programs spearheaded by the organization. C. Mondavi & Family will continue to make annual donations of up to $50,000 to the foundation.
The 2013 Purple Heart red blend is available nationwide, although its 7,500-case run is already sold out at the distributor level. The company expects to release the 2014 vintage in September.
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