Carlo Mondavi

Carlo Mondavi, founder of the Monarch Challenge, is a fourth generation winegrower who has dedicated his life to permaculture, biodynamic and regenerative farming practices, and a hands-off winemaking approach in the cellar. Carlo began the Monarch Challenge challenge in 2016 to bring awareness to clean farming practices in order to protect the Monarch butterfly and other pollinators, as well as all farms, plants, forests, and even us as humans. It was through these conversations with farmers in the early years of the Challenge about moving away from herbicides that the solution of the Monarch Tractor was born. Carlo is both the co-founder and Chief Farmer Officer of this electric, driver optional tractor which removes the economic barrier farmers face when moving to organic.

A 4th generation winegrower, Carlo is co-founder of RAEN Winery in the Sonoma Coast alongside his brother Dante, Sorì della Sorba from Piedmont, Italy, which he created with his fiancé Giovanna Bagnasco, and is a partner in Continuum Estate which is led by his father Tim. He believes farming at the highest level is both essential to our planet, as well as the world-class wine he has a hand in producing.

Carlo went to college in France and has worked harvests in Burgundy and Barolo. Carlo's grandfather Robert Mondavi, who co-founded Continuum Estate, helped shape Napa Valley and the fine wine industry as we know it today. His family has been farming beyond organic since the 1970s.

To read or hear more from Carlo, through podcasts, articles and panel conversations, see here.