Sandals announces new partnership with Robert Mondavi Winery

Sandals Resorts International has announced an exclusive wine partnership with California's Robert Mondavi Winery, the company has announced.

At a special event yesterday in New York City, CEO Adam Stewart shared the news, joined by Dana Douglas Andrus, senior wine educator from the winery. The five-year partnership, featuring six varietals, will take effect March 1 and marks the conclusion of a relationship with Beringer Estates.

"I don't think we could have found a better partner or better quality product for our customers," Stewart said. 

"It's one of the founding values we have at Robert Mondavi wine - to always focus on excelling - and we can see that's definitely part of the philosophy at Sandals," Andrus said, welcoming the new venture.

This among many of the latest steps in the Sandals evolution, in which culinary experiences have played a pivotal role. The "Discover Dining" initiative has seen more than 100 international chefs join the Sandals team over the past two years, as top chefs are matched with their specialty to ensure authenticity and quality of offerings for Sandals' guests. The program continues to expand, now with 21 restaurant concepts.

The newest property to open, Sandals La Source Grenada (dubbed 'The Sandals of the future'), features the first-ever Butch's Chophouse, a concept that will also be available at Sandals Barbados, which is scheduled to begin welcoming guests in early 2015. Barbados will be home to Sandals' first-ever Indian restaurant, and a new Southern Table dining concept will be opening at Sandals Grand Riviera and Beaches Turks and Caicos next year as well.

Other new additions coming soon include over-the-water suites at Sandals Royal Caribbean, a Beaches Barbados following the opening of its neighbouring Sandals property, and a Beaches Antigua.

"We're going to continue to push the all-inclusive envelope as far as we can," Stewart said.

The brand's newest campaign, "The closer you look," has been designed to inspire people to experience the product and how it has changed over the past 30-plus years.

"People keep coming and visiting our product and they keep saying, 'I had no idea - I didn't realize it had come this far,'" Stewart said. "People get there and we seem to exceed their expectations...We're on a journey but we don't believe we've reached the peak of that journey."