Description
David Pearson is CEO of Opus One winery in Oakville. He was elected to the board of Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) in 2013 and has served two terms (2018 and 2019) as board chair. Pearson graduated from UC Davis with a degree in fermentation science but then pivoted to focus on the business side of the wine industry, working with Heublein and Robert Mondavi Winery before heading up Opus One. In this interview, Pearson discusses: family background, upbringing, and education at UC Davis; early career positions in the wine industry; sale of Robert Mondavi Winery; Opus One winery beginning to play a bigger role in NVV; NVV board service and governance; Auction Napa Valley; Napa Valley terroir; international wine marketing and other international issues; land use, the environment, tourism, and Napa Valley.