That One Call You Must Answer

Sometimes in your career you get the one call that you have to answer. I just got that call. When the Antinori family, with 26 generations of exceptional winemaking expertise and passion, reaches out with an incredible new role, you have to listen. Marchesi Antinori vision for what we want to build in Napa Valley and in the U.S. is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

We rarely get to pick when career opportunities present themselves. The role the Antinori family and Renzo Cotarella have offered me is my absolute dream job.

The timing made this challenging, and I'm especially grateful to the O'Neill team for understanding that this was a role I absolutely had to accept.

Although my stint at O'Neill Vintners & Distillers was too short for me to leave a mark in the organization, it was long enough for the organization to change the way I think about farming, winemaking, and running a wine company, for those teachings I will be forever thankful. I applaud your endless efforts behind protecting the planet, the communities where you are, and speaking about wine differently to the new wine-drinker.

Now a new chapter begins, working for the most admired wine brand in the world, helping the family - who’s been making wine since 1385 - uphold the legacy of some of the most historic and iconic wineries in Napa Valley. I hope to bring a creative force to this collection of ultra-luxury properties with an eye on tradition and our sights on innovation and the future of wine.

For a good part of the last two decades, I have been lucky enough to call Renzo a friend, a mentor, and an example to follow, starting today I will also have the immense pleasure to call him my boss.

Cheers to all of you who chase your dreams. I hope you all come visit me in Napa Valley soon, I’ll have a glass of Cabernet ready for you....