When people ponder Carmelo Anthony’s Olympic legacy, they envision his basketball prowess: three gold medals. His career, which included clutch performances, made him one of the most decorated Team USA athletes of all time. But now, the retired NBA player is pursuing a different kind of gold: world-class wine. Anthony chose to build something bigger than just buying a winery, unlike many athletes-turned-entrepreneurs who simply buy a winery. His goal? To curate an Olympic-level collection of wine, a collection of premier selections from the world’s finest vineyards, bringing together bottles from France, Spain, the U.S., and beyond.

From Young Enthusiast to Industry Innovator

Anthony’s enthusiasm for wine was not always reciprocated. At the age of 21, he began drinking it, and people laughed.

“People was laughing at me, and it was just like, ‘Why are you drinking wine? You’re 21 years old,’” Anthony recalled during a discussion at Robb Report’s House of Robb San Francisco ahead of NBA All-Star Weekend. “From that point on, I knew I was onto something because people were teasing me about it.”

In 2022, Anthony and his business partner Asani Swann launched VII(N) The Seventh Estate after that initial spark turned into a full-fledged vision, a brand that aims to create and source wines that reflect his global travels.

Building a World-Class Wine Collection

The company made its debut with Oath of Fidelity, a 2017 Châteauneuf-du-Pape from France’s Rhône Valley, and has since expanded to nine different wines. The concept is both simple and ambitious, with every bottle representing the best of a region, creating a World Cup of wine where world-class selections can sit side by side.

“‘Ode’ is paying homage to. . . The way the sun drenches those grapes, the way the terroir has been shaped by the rain and fog. When you put all of that together, the symbolism of those grapes breaking through pays homage to that which came before, just as we are honoring those who came before us.”

The Craft Behind Ode to Soul

The process of creating Ode to Soul was more than just putting Anthony’s name on a bottle—it involved crafting something unique. The blend is comprised of:

• Cabernet Sauvignon – bringing structure and power
• Cabernet Franc – adding aromatics and finesse
• Petit Verdot – the secret ingredient

Mondavi’s head winemaker, Kurtis Ogasawara, believes that the 1% Petit Verdot is the crucial component.

“It may not seem like much, but that’s the kiss at the end.”

Anthony himself agrees:

“The secret sauce is the Petit Verdot. That 1% changes the whole complexity of that bottle.”

Breaking Barriers in the Wine Industry

Swann and Anthony find The Seventh Estate to be more than just great wine, it’s also about opening doors.

“My advice would be: start,” Swann said when asked about entering the wine industry. “If you look at the industry and don’t see yourself, that doesn’t mean it’s not possible.”

Anthony’s approach is even simpler:

“When in doubt, just drink [it].”

What’s Next?

The Olympics of wine are just beginning with the growth of VII(N) The Seventh Estate’s portfolio and Anthony’s vision being realized. Expect more global selections, high-profile collaborations, and bottles that tell stories beyond the vineyard. Like his basketball career, Carmelo Anthony’s wine career is still in its infancy.