Disneyland, Winery Team for Attraction

Robert Mondavi Winery, the quintessential promoter of California wine, said Thursday that it is moving in next door to the Happiest Place on Earth.

The Napa Valley winery is the first outside sponsor of an attraction at Walt Disney Co.’s new theme park, California Adventure, which will open in Anaheim beside Disneyland in 2001.

Angled more toward adults than Disneyland, the park is part of an effort by Disney and Anaheim to make the city a multiple-day stop for more tourists.

Mondavi will build a $10-million “wine country experience” on one acre of the 55-acre park, with educational films, wine-tasting areas and grapevines. No wine will be made on the premises.

Customers can purchase bottles and cases of wine, but will have to pick them up at a site outside the park. Officials said identification checks and monitoring of customers’ behavior will be tight.

“It’s the same thing we do at the winery,” said Greg Brady, Mondavi’s vice president for new business. “We don’t like to see anyone getting out of control.”

Disneyland has never served alcoholic beverages to the general public, although they are available at the private Club 33 in the New Orleans Square area of the park.

Food and wine samplings will range from $10 to $20.

Mondavi has led the industry in promoting wine as a healthy part of everyday life, including labels that mention biblical references to wine. With 7.5 million visitors expected annually at California Adventure, the new park seemed a good way to extend the franchise, said Chief Executive Michael Mondavi.

For Disney, the inclusion of Mondavi furthers a long trend of expanding into more adult-oriented ventures, ranging from the often-controversial Miramax film studio to cruise ships to upscale restaurants like California Grill at Disney World in Florida.

Mondavi will pay Disney an undisclosed fee under terms of its 10-year contract, which it has the option to extend. Mondavi said the deal is expected to be profitable for the winery as well.