REV On Air: Turning an Iconic Business Regenerative with David Pearson of Jospeh Phelps
Cora Hilts travelled to Napa, California to sit down with the CEO of one of the world’s most beloved wine vineyards – Joseph Phelps. David Pearson was brought in to lend his visionary taste and decades of experience to this iconic brand right after it was acquired by LVMH. He has come with the goal of turning the vineyards into a regenerative haven, now focusing on farming as much as the wine itself. Cora asks him if luxury can ever truly be sustainable, and if there is a place for big business in the small world of permaculture.
The History of Joseph Phelps
Original founder Joe Phelps left an incredible legacy: estate vineyards in some of Napa Valley and Sonoma Coast’s finest appellations. Today, the winery owns and farms 525 acres of vines across 11 estate vineyards, including St. Helena, Rutherford, Oakville, Stags Leap District, Oak Knoll District, South Napa, Carneros, and Freestone. Strategically chosen over many decades, each vineyard has its own personality and brings a different characteristic to the wines.
Joe’s vision is preserved and protected for future generations. Joseph Phelps Vineyards is proudly a certified Napa Green Winery and part of the Napa Valley Land Trust, with over 480 acres under preservation. David Pearson invokes a lot of his own passion for sustainable farming whilst maintaining the history and quality of these amazing wines….it’s a remarkable combination to see come to life!
“Luxury to me hinges on our human relationship with time.”
– David Pearson
About David Pearson
David Pearson brings over two decades of leadership and expertise in luxury wine to the forefront of the organization. His distinguished career in the Napa Valley wine industry has been marked by visionary leadership and a deep-rooted commitment to maintaining and enhancing the legacy of Joseph Phelps. Building on the extraordinary legacy established by Joe and his family, David collaborates with a dedicated team to direct a portfolio of wines that embody the essence of Napa Valley’s terroir.
David’s enthusiasm for the land and the potential to do good with this business is infectious. He brings a lot of wisdom to this conversation, but also an incredible amount of forward thinking and questioning of the way things have been done and if he can be doing them better. David is one of those rare leaders who is incredibly inspiring, very open to changing his methods and willing to push for what he believes to be right.
“In the experimental world, people want to get more involved. They don’t want to just acquire a luxury product, they want to understand how it was made. And there is so much interconnectedness between wine, vines and the way it all grows that it makes us a good companion for this growing focus on soil.”
– David Pearson
If you like this episode also check out…
@josephphelps on Instagram.
Podcast – Ecological Growing with Poppy Okotcha
