Wing & Barrel Ranch

Chris Moritz

Chris Moritz and Darius Anderson have a simple – and highly productive – working relationship: Anderson proposes, and Moritz disposes. As a senior managing director for Newmark Knight Frank, one of the country’s leading real estate investment firms, Moritz is used to finding capital for ambitious development projects. And Anderson’s projects – which include the redevelopment of San Francisco’s Treasure Island – are nothing if not ambitious.

“But with Darius, it’s more than that,” says Moritz. “There’s always a vision. He won’t take on a project unless it’s economically feasible, but he also must feel passionate about it. And that means he’s driven to see it come to fruition, regardless of the obstacles.”

But at the same time, Anderson understands that personal commitment doesn’t always assure success in real estate projects, Moritz continues.

“Developers often have a narrow focus, a deep self-interest that can make it difficult for them to work with the people they need to work with to get things done,” says Moritz. “But Darius isn’t like that. Yes, he’s extremely driven when he takes on a project – but he also understands the necessity of compromise. More than that, he understands its value. You have to work with people, accommodate their concerns and desires to arrive at a project that benefits the community as a whole. Frankly, some other people I’ve worked with don’t have that in their DNA.”

Moritz cites Wing & Barrel Ranch as an example of Anderson’s approach. Development of the 1,000-acre, members-only shooting club near San Pablo Bay was a long and cherished ambition for Anderson. Moritz helped with the phase two development of the ranch’s clubhouse, and he marvels at Anderson’s dedication – and negotiation skills.

“That was a very long assignment for me,” says Moritz.  “It was really fraught with challenges. But Darius had grasped all the nuances. He understood the uniqueness and sensitivities of the site, he knew what he wanted, and he understood the concerns of all the stakeholders.”

Initially, the project seemed unlikely to succeed, says Moritz.

“A new members-only shooting club on a large acreage in the Bay Area – well, a lot of people would’ve thought it was crazy,” he says. “It doesn’t exactly conform to the general regional culture. Also, most other developers would’ve approached it wrong. That tunnel vision would’ve come into play, and they would’ve tried to have run roughshod over everyone. Darius didn’t do that.”

Moritz observes Anderson’s political acumen – his ability to reach out and connect with people representing disparate views and interests – were a critical factor in the realization of Wing & Barrel.

“He was able to accommodate objections and adjust details while simultaneously preserving his core vision,” Moritz says. “He understands that you can’t go through people – you have to work with them. His ability to give-and-take got him the community support he required, and his preservation of the key elements of his plan reassured the investors he needed. But it was grueling. Each and every milestone had to be meticulously negotiated. It was an impressive performance.”

Anderson brings something else to the table when engaged in a project, observes Moritz: a commitment to human contact and strong personal relationships at every level of negotiation.

“Once we identified a lender for the financing and capitalization of Wing & Barrel, Darius insisted on face-to-face meetings,” says Moritz. “Knowing Darius, I wasn’t surprised – but it impressed the lender, given that the great majority of developers at Darius’ level would’ve sent in a representative. Or even more commonly, the deal would’ve been transacted by email or phone, because time is truly money – a lot of money – at that level. But Darius made that personal commitment. And that made the lender understand both the breadth of Darius’ vision, and that he was negotiating in good faith.”

Michael Mondavi

Michael Mondavi and Darius Anderson claim different generations, but the disparity in years means little: they’re kindred spirits. Mondavi felt an intuitive connection 25 years ago, when he first met Anderson on a shooting outing.

“He’s very good friends with my son, Rob,” Mondavi says. “They’re similar in ages, and they both had that irrepressible energy and enthusiasm you find in some young guys. I just enjoyed being around him – and we also had similar interests.”

Both men have deep roots in the North Bay. Mondavi, the son of legendary winemaker Robert Mondavi, served as CEO of his father’s famed and eponymous Napa Valley winery. He is the founder of Michael Mondavi Family Estate, a Napa Valley enterprise that produces ultra-premium North Coast wines, and Folio, a partnership that imports distinctive bottlings from the world’s top viticultural regions.

Anderson grew up in Novato, a small Marin County city. He served as an intern to U.S. Congressman Doug Bosco, and ultimately forged a multiplex career as a top political consultant, visionary real estate developer, and nonpareil fundraiser. He and Mondavi have also shared professional as well as personal interests, partnering on several business opportunities.

“He’s deeply insightful and creative when it comes to investment,” Mondavi says of Anderson. “He looks at opportunities from unique angles, from perspectives no one else has. For example, when cannabis was legalized in California, he came to me with a proposal – and I ended up partnering with him. I like to invest with people who are both trustworthy and innovative, and Darius qualifies on both counts.”

Unlike most of the commercial ventures that were pursued following the legalization of California cannabis, Anderson’s idea didn’t focus on production.

“He said to me, ‘We don’t have to build an entire car to do well in the auto business – we can make and sell windshields,” Mondavi recalls.  “His proposal centered on testing cannabis. Legal cannabis is subject to rigorous safety regulations, and Darius realized there would be substantial profit in analyzing product to ensure consumer safety. So he founded Sonoma Lab Works, which now has an 8,000 square foot facility and is the leading testing service in the state.”

Mondavi is also an investor and partner in Anderson’s Wing & Barrel Ranch, a 1,000-acre shooting club near San Pablo Bay that features one of the top sporting clays courses in North America, upland bird hunting in season, a dining common with menus created by world-renowned consulting chef (and Wing & Barrel partner) Charlie Palmer and executive chef Victoria Acosta, and one of the finest wine cellars in the North State. The vintages, Mondavi notes, are representative of both the North Coast’s varied viticultural regions and the people who make the wines: the club’s membership roster includes 26 vintners and winery owners.

“Darius and I often shoot together, and when he started talking to me about his vision for Wing & Barrel, I got pretty excited,” says Mondavi. “It was just such a great idea – a really top tier shooting club convenient to the entire Bay Area. Shortly after we first discussed it, I went down for a wholesalers’ conference in Los Angeles and shared the concept, and virtually everyone I talked to was enthusiastic about it. And Darius put it all together – from the sporting clays course to the cuisine, he hit the bullseye.”

Anderson also introduced Mondavi to another of his passions: Cuba. Anderson has been involved in economic and social equity issues in Cuba since the 1990s, and he has established an outreach organization to help Cubans at the grassroots level. He also leads American civic leaders on tours to the island nation.

“I went along with him on one of his trips,” Mondavi says, “and I was just incredibly impressed with the spirit and warmth of the Cuban people, with their toughness in the face of dire economic conditions, and with the beauty of the countryside. And I was especially impressed with Darius. He projects this warmth and optimism, and everyone he talks to – farmers, artists, laborers, restaurant workers – respond to it immediately. People there are living under such challenging conditions, and it was really inspiring to see Darius working with them.  The experience moved me so much that I returned on two subsequent trips with my wife, children, and their spouses.”

That dedication to the Cuban people and ardor for Cuban culture are more than just personal passions for Anderson, emphasizes Mondavi: they’re emblematic of his general character.  

“He radiates positivity, and that brings out the best from the people around him,” Mondavi says. “He encounters plenty of challenges and obstacles in his work, but I’ve never seen him upset. If you hand him a glass of wine that barely has anything in it, he won’t say, ‘This glass is 90 percent empty.’ He’ll says, ‘This glass is 10 percent full – and it’s great!’”

Mondavi says Anderson’s energy, enthusiasm and personal connections also serve his community well – as demonstrated by his response to the catastrophic wildfires that ravaged the North Bay in October 2017, taking more than 40 lives and destroying thousands of homes.

“Darius convened meetings while there was still smoke in the air and said, ‘Look, we have to do something to help these 6,000 families who’ve lost everything. We have to help the businesses that have been devastated, and we have to do it now.’ He kick-started the whole process that led to Rebuild North Bay – an organization that’s now the leading template for other private disaster relief initiatives.”

In January, Anderson led a group of five Rebuild North Bay representatives – including Mondavi – to Washington, DC, to petition Trump Administration officials and lawmakers for emergency relief.

 “FEMA and the insurance companies do the best they can, but they often get bogged down in red tape,” Mondavi says. “Darius thought a private community response could do more and do it faster. So we went to Washington, and he arranged a meeting with Mick Mulvaney.”

 At that time, Mulvaney was both the head of the Office of Management and Budget and the Chief of Staff for President Trump.

“We had a 9:30 appointment on a Thursday morning, and we expected Mulvaney to say hello, and then hand us over to a staffer,” says Mondavi, “but no – he spent 45 minutes with us. And I asked him why he gave us so much time given his busy schedule, and he said, ‘You’re the first private sector group that has come to us following a natural disaster. Usually, it’s just officials – mayors, county supervisors, and so forth. We know that if community leaders are involved, the money will be well-spent.’”

After meeting with Mulvaney, the delegation conferred with prominent legislators of both parties and the heads of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“Darius arranged all those meetings,” says Mondavi. “The bottom line is that shortly after we returned home, Rebuild North Bay got the federal funding we were seeking. Darius made that happen.”