Raise A Glass: Carmelo Anthony Announces Wine Collaboration

Life after the NBA is proving to be even more fruitful for many players. Former NBA star Carmelo Anthony reveals a wine collaboration with Robert Mondavi Winery. The partnership combines traditional winemaking with a fresh perspective. 

In 2022, Anthony and business partner Asani Swann founded VII(N) The Seventh Estate. The founders are on a mission to bring new voices into the wine industry.

Chief Winemaker, Geneviève Janssens, and Anthony blend more than grapes to create their first offering, Ode to Soul.

Janssens received one of the industry’s highest honors, named Wine Enthusiast’s 2010 Winemaker of the Year.

“Joined by a vision to redefine fine wine, we are embarking on a journey to inspire conversation and more profound connection through a reimagined approach,” they share on the site. “With Ode to Soul, we look to harmonize tradition with innovation and create an inclusive and enriching environment where every individual can find their place at the table and appreciate the diverse beauty of wine.” 

Ode to Soul is made with grapes from To Kalon Vineyard, one of Napa Valley’s most famous vineyards. The wine boasts a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and a touch of Petit Verdot. It has an aroma of earth, plum, licorice, and violet with a subtle hint of date. You’ll taste notes of plush black plum and candied black cherry, complemented by fine tannins. With an alcohol by volume of 14.5%, this wine sells for $275 per bottle. Ode to Soul is the first offering in a multi-year partnership.

From the court to the vineyard, Anthony is exploring his passions.

After a 19-year career, in May 2023, Anthony retired from the Denver Nuggets. He’s the No. 9 scorer in league history. He’s also the first men’s basketball player to win three gold Olympic medals from any nation. The 6’7″ player was named an NBA All-Star ten times and an All-NBA Team member six times. In 2021, he earned a place on the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

Ode to Soul isn’t VII(N) The Seventh Estate’s first collaboration. The pair previously teamed up on a $95 wine with third-generation Rhône winemaker Stéphane Usseglio. Making only 200 cases, Oath of Fidelity is a Chateauneuf-du-Pape French, full-bodied red wine inspired by Haitian leader Toussaint Louverture.

“We want to invite people into worlds where they are not seen as often, and show other possibilities for creating a business,” Swann told Wine Spectator. “You don’t have to be a farmer to start a wine brand and be part of that community. We don’t have to change who we are; we just need to make more room at the table.” 

In an interview with ESSENCE, Swann and Anthony shared their mission and how their creation will spark inclusivity.

“A huge piece of our mission through VII(N) ‘s collaboration with Robert Mondavi Winery is to innovate beyond the wine by bringing new voices and perspectives to the industry,” Anthony and Swann told the publication. “Ode to Soul serves as a shining example of the magic that is made when a group of experts with diverse backgrounds and experiences unite to share their passions to create something new and different.”

Carmelo Anthony’s wine collaboration is available at Robert Mondavi Winery’s Arch & Tower lounge in downtown Napa and online at Robert Mondavi Winery.