BIN 526 inks deal with Robert Mondavi, Jr.

Bin 526 owners Mike White and Bill Hoffman welcomed famed winemaker Robert Mondavi, Jr. to Daniel Island last week. The duo inked a deal with Mondavi, whose family name is synonymous with winemaking in both the Napa and Sonoma Valleys, to be Bin 526’s first “featured winemaker” for the opening two months, with an opening date on schedule for November 15.

Mondavi and his wife will be on hand during the opening as it times out perfectly with the end of the grape harvest in California. This means Bin 526 will be offering multiple tastings, bottle signings and classes featuring Rob Mondavi, Jr. and eight of his signature wines. All eight wines will be available to Bin 526 patrons through their Napa Technologies tasting machine stations.

Bill Hoffman explained the tasting machine stations, “Each station has four bottles in it which allows you to pour a taste - a half glass or a full glass of wine - so we will have 48 choices by the glass. In addition we will have champagnes by the glass.”

The tasting stations, which will be open every day at Bin 526, are very appealing to Mondavi, “I think that is absolutely remarkable because the ability to have a little taste is something that I, as a winemaker, really like because someone can take a look at my product and compare it to somebody else’s and then decide ‘wow I really like a or b.’”

“Forty-eight individual wines is absolutely astronomical,” Mondavi continued, “I can’t think of any restaurant across the United States that has more than a couple of handfuls of wine by the glass…so this is extraordinary”

White and Hoffman said that Bin 526 will also have food available on a daily basis, including wine, charcuterie and bread. Additionally, the pair explained that they will bring caterers onsite and plan to team with local island businesses to keep the store supplied with appetizers on a daily basis.

So just how did the pair nab such a renowned winemaker for their opening?

Chalk it up to a mixture of a longtime friendship, a great new store, and a 16 year old promise. White, Hoffman and Mondavi have a long time friendship as a result of the Charleston Wine and Food Festival. Mondavi expressed a clear appreciation for the new store and its owners. And Mondavi’s wife, whose family is originally from Charleston, had her hand in it as well.

“The Lowcoutnry is something special and I’m glad my wife set her foot down 16-years-ago and said ‘if I’m moving out of the south we are getting a place in the lowcountry.’”

The couple owns a home in the Beaufort area.

Asked about his favorite place for wine in Charleston, not surprising Mondavi offered, “I’ll be really honest. I brought a really nice cellar over so my house really isn’t too bad!” Mondavi also had praise for the entire wine community in Charleston, including private country clubs like the Daniel Island Club and Yeaman’s Hall Club, as well as the public restaurants and clubs.

If you’d like to see Mondavi in Charleston before Bin 526 opens in November, Mondavi and his family will be in Charleston for the eclipse and will be promoting their wine, Spellbound, and the launch of its national package refresh of the wine, which is all about the phases of the moon. For more information on the Spellbound package refresh launch, visit www.spellboundwines.com/.

Daniel Island Publishing

225 Seven Farms Drive
Unit 108
Daniel Island, SC 29492 

Office Number: 843-856-1999
Fax Number: 843-856-8555

 

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