Wine and sports have always gone hand in hand. Carmelo Anthony would know: When he played for the Denver Nuggets, he was bitten by the wine bug,and quickly spread that love to other players, including pals Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Paul.
Together with cofounder Asani Swann, Anthony launched his own brand, VII(N) The Seventh Estate in 2022, but the latest release, a partnership with legendary Napa winery Robert Mondavi, is the one to watch. Dubbed Ode to Soul, the wine is a robust red blend featuring grapes from the storied To Kalon vineyards in the heart of Napa’s Oakville district. It marks Anthony’s continued evolution as a wine drinker into a full-fledged winemaker. Bon Appétit sat down with Anthony, Swann, and Mondavi’s chief winemaker Geneviève Janssens to discuss the journey to Ode to Soul, and how the team wants to make wine more inclusive for new audiences.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
BA: A couple of NBA players have been getting into wine. Can you speak about how you got into it and how it went from a hobby to you saying, “I’m going to take this seriously?”
CA: I started off not knowing what I was doing, just having a glass of wine after games, before I started collecting. This was probably 2005 or 2006, so I was heavy on Napa and California wines back then. I looked back after being on this wine journey and realized I was spending a lot of money, so I thought “I might as well put this money into my own thing.” I didn’t know the business that well, so it was hard for me to just dive right into it. Once I had an understanding of what I really wanted, and after I felt like I perfected my palate, I was ready to enter the market.
Getting into the wine industry, it was very difficult, nobody was really giving you the game. I really wanted to blend something that’s understandable to people with different palates. Ode to Soul is unique because it was crafted in a way where we wanted followers of the Robert Mondavi brand to recognize and relate, but also consumers who wanted to try new things, to bring people new to wine.
BA: How would you describe Ode to Soul to a friend?
CA: It’s smooth and dark, with a little hint of licorice. It’s like music, and dances a little bit.
Asani Swann enjoying a glass of Ode to Soul.