Wine CEO's Sabbatical Leads To Renewed Passion For Work And Vineyards

Forbes

05-06-2025

The Transformative Vineyards of Joseph Phelps Winery in Napa Valley, CA
In 2004, David Pearson achieved one of the top executive positions in the world of wine – CEO of Opus One winery in Napa Valley, California. During his 16 years tenure as CEO, David and his team helped to elevate the already prestigious brand to become one of the top luxury wines in the world, expanding distribution to over 90 countries and increasing the value of the brand from an average of $200 to over $500 per bottle.
But then the pandemic occurred, and David Pearson decided it was time to step back and reassess his life. Supported by a loving family, he traveled to France, and what he discovered there helped propel him into a new position as CEO of Joseph Phelps winery in Napa Valley
'For 40 days I wandered around France visiting old friends. I was trying to figure out what I was going to do with the rest of my life. And while there I found the passion of the industry again – the joy and passion of wine,' David told me when I visited him at Joseph Phelps winery recently.
During the course of our conversation, we tasted through five Joseph Phelps wines (notes below), and I was struck by the overflowing enthusiasm and passion in his voice as David shared his new vision for propelling Joseph Phelps winery into the next century.
David Pearson, CEO of Joseph Phelps Winery in Napa Valley, CA
On his sabbatical David visited the Ardèche region in the SE corner of France, where he met a vineyard owner who was farming his vines in a way David had never encountered.
'He was using a method they call permaculture, where they rolled the grass flat between the rows of vines and overtime this created a lasagna of rich organic material and new soil. When you dug it up, it was filled with worms and smelled incredibly rich,' David stated.
The method employs the philosophies of regenerative farming, which advocates no or low tilling of the soil. However, David believes it is beyond regenerative and prefers to use the term 'agro-ecology, though he admits he is still seeking the perfect term.
He explained that by farming in this fashion to create rich healthy soil (rather than soil that has been sprayed with agri-chemicals), the end results are higher nutrients in crops, including wine grapes. Food experts have discovered that the more nutrients in the food, the better it tastes, which could ultimately translate to more delicious wine grapes.
'Did you know that a teaspoon of healthy soil has more live organisms in it than the number of people on the whole planet?' David asked with excitement.
Agro-ecology also integrates other crops in the vineyard, such as fruit trees and vegetables. It is a more holistic approach to farming, that incorporates the concepts of sustainability and regenerative farming, but also supports the relationship between plants, animals and people.
For more information on some of these concepts, David recommended several books he has read: One Straw Revolution, What Your Food Ate, Braiding Sweetgrass, and others, as well as the Netflix documentary, Kiss the Ground.
After his 40-day sabbatical, David Pearson started consulting with a few other wineries in France, Italy and the U.S. One of those wineries was Joseph Phelps that had just been acquired by luxury giant, LVMH. After a few months serving as interim-CEO, LVMH offered David the position of CEO.
'LVMH understands the concepts of agro-ecology because they have been implementing similar concepts in the vineyards of Cheval Blanc in Bordeaux for more than 10 years,' David explained. 'They are supportive about using these concepts at Joseph Phelps.'
Therefore, David and his team are embarking on a 10-year journey to transform the vineyards of Joseph Phelps by replanting different blocks of the vineyard overtime and changing the farming practices.
'We plan to integrate the vineyards with fruit trees and vegetables. There are vineyards in Italy where the vines use 100-year old Maple trees as their trellis!' David said.
He believes that overtime these more natural, environmentally-friendly farming methods will not only elevate the quality of the wine, but could eventually save money on labor and materials since they will not be tilling the soil or hedging the vines, as is done with the current farming method.
The fact that the founder of the winery, Joseph Phelps, was known for his innovative spirit, and was frequently replanting vineyard blocks to increase wine grape quality, is also a fitting tribute to the new direction.
'We are having so much fun. All of us are moving towards the future and focused on innovation - the legacy that Joseph Phelps has left us all.'
'Joe founded this winery in 1973 and transformed a cattle ranch into a world class vineyard,' David said. 'He was a great visionary and known for his innovation and commitment to quality. In fact he was the first in Napa Valley to create a blended wine with a proprietary name, which he called Insignia – our flagship wine.'
When asked how the employees were responding to the new vineyard direction, he responded: 'We are having so much fun. All of us are moving towards the future and focused on innovation - the legacy that Joseph Phelps has left us all.'
He admitted that even though the global wine industry is currently facing many challenges, such as decreasing wine consumption, slowing wine tourism and anti-alcoholism, that it is important to remind people of all of the benefits of wine.
He referenced Robert Mondavi's 'Defense of Wine,' that occurred during the 1980's when the wine industry was facing similar issues.
'We need to listen to the universe and be more open to new ideas. And remember what Robert Mondavi said: Wine is about slowing down, being with friends, and being present. It brings people together and contributes to a richer life,' he stated.
The famous wine quote by Robert Mondavi, California Winemaker and Visionary
Joseph Phelps offers a selection of estate wines from their Napa Valley and Sonoma Coast vineyards, ranging from the flagship Insignia cabernet-based blend to chardonnay, pinot noir, syrah, viognier and a new sparkling wine. All wines are available online or in fine wine shops and restaurants.
Following are my tasting notes for the five wines I tasted with David:
2018 Ovation Sparkling Wine – a full-bodied and rich sparkler with fresh notes of green apple on the nose followed by complex toasty notes, white peach, lemon meringue, a hint of salty stone, and endless streaming bubbles. Made from Sonoma Coast grapes. Sophisticated and complex. ($135, 94 points)
2023 Joseph Phelps Sauvignon Blanc - Vibrant and fresh, made with Napa Valley grapes, this wine opens with a lovely white floral nose followed by pink grapefruit, Meyer lemon and a hint of minerality on the palate, with a creamy, delectable and long finish. Aged in a larger 'cigar' shaped French oak barrel. Elegant and creamy. ($75, 93 points)
2022 Joseph Phelps Freestone Pinot Noir – a silky and sexy pinot noir with a nose of roses and raspberries, with dried strawberry, spice and a hint of truffle on the palate. Medium-bodied it has silky-smooth tannins, well-integrated toasty oak, and a long seductive finish. The grapes are from their Sonoma Coast Freestone Vineyard which is very close to the Pacific Ocean. Truly lovely, elegant, and quite delicious. ($74, 95 points).
2022 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - rich nose of boysenberry, earth and cassis, which follows through on the pallet, picking up more mixed berries, spice and cocoa. A pleasant purity of ripe fruit, with a long finish, wrapped in 50% French and 50% American oak and aged for 24 months. Composed of 8 different Napa Valley vineyards, this wine is considered the second label to Insignia. ($100, 92 points).
2021 Joseph Phelps Insignia – This wine was listed as one of the top 10 U.S. cabernets in an earlier Forbes article. It is a true classic Napa cab with both power and elegance. This wine entices with blackberry, plum, allspice and vanilla with smooth tannins and a bright acidity. It glides across the palate, mesmerizing with complex notes of oak, tobacco, and warm earth. Aged 24 months in new French oak, and made from a blend of the very best vineyards and barrel lots from that year. Always a crowd-pleaser. ($365, 97 points)
Portfolio of Some of the Wines Crafted By Joseph Phelps Vineyards in Napa Valley, CA
As we enjoyed sampling the wines, two small dishes arrived that are part of the wine and food pairing series offered to people who visit the tasting room. The first was goat cheese baked in pastry with fresh herbs, which paired very well with the sparkling wine and sauvignon blanc. The second dish was beef croquette cooked with truffles and aioli, and was stunning with the three red wines.
The Joseph Phelps tasting room has been completely refurbished inside with comfortable chairs and tables so visitors can view the vast green vineyards and mountains that surround the property. There is also a large outdoor wooden deck with seating nooks. The winery building of dark redwood is the original one designed by Joseph Phelp to blend into nature.