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An Evening With Brand Leaders

The Business of Wine was an event organized and designed by Riverview Capital’s Business Advisory Group. Michael Silacci and France Posener of Opus One Winery and longtime industry expert Todd O’Connell of Martignetti Companies discussed the business of running a premier winery and brand.

Michael, France, Todd and Alan Arcadipane enjoyed dinner paired with Opus One, and discussed the business of wine. But first, what is Opus One?

Opus One has a rich history. Its founders, Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi, transformed the world of wine.

Possibly the most renowned member of the well-known Rothschild family of France, Baron Philippe took over his father’s Chateau Mouton Rothschild at the age of 20. He implemented new ideas and proved himself to be a gifted businessman.

Iconic figure Robert Mondavi was one of the most influential New World wine pioneers in recent history. “New World” describes wine made outside of the traditional wine countries of Europe, and Mondavi was a leader in the American wine industry. A marketing genius, he was credited with improving wine making technique. Although many people recognize the Mondavi name from mass market wines, Robert Mondavi’s passion was the creation of premium California wines.

The story of Opus One began in 1970, when Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi met for the first time. After a candid conversation the two decided to start a joint venture which would unite Mondavi’s New World wine style with Baron Rothschild’s traditional French style. After years of fine-tuning what is now an internationally renowned wine, the first vintage of Opus One was created in 1979, and a year later the partnership was announced. Mondavi and Rothschild had joined forces to bring about their shared vision: creating the first Bordeaux produced in the United States.