Harvey Posert, Wine Industry PR Innovator, Dies

NEWS RELEASE

Harvey Posert, Jr.  1930 – 2014

(St. Helena, CA) – Harvey Posert, Jr., an influential leader in the California wine industry for nearly 50 years, died October 3, 2014 at the age of 84 after a brief illness, with his three sons and their mother at his side. Known in the wine business as the “Top PR Man” and “The Wine PR Guru,” the native of Memphis, Tennessee had been a newspaperman and a PR agency executive in New York and Chicago before coming to California in the mid 1960s. Posert’s career saw the success of his life-long mission to change American attitudes towards wine with the result being California wine having become an everyday beverage in our society.

Posert spent most of his career in wine public relations, working on several of the most successful programs in the industry. From 1965 to 1980, he supervised the Wine Institute’s award-winning program to educate Americans about California wine. In 1980 he took over the Robert Mondavi PR program and Robert Mondavi credited Posert’s work – after wine quality – as the major component of his own success. Posert also counseled numerous regional wine associations, varietal wine groups and wine public affairs organizations. In 1996 he started HPPR: Harvey Posert Public Relations and worked until his passing on major programs such as representation of Bronco Wine Company, which included publicizing the Charles Shaw wine brand (known as “Two Buck Chuck”).  Throughout his life, he gave much of his time mentoring many of the top current PR professionals in the wine industry.

Posert’s career began in 1944 as a young reporter at the Memphis Commercial Appeal. He went on to study at Yale University, graduating with his B.A. in English in 1951 and then continued his postgraduate work at both Southern Law University and University of Chicago Law School. He served in the U.S. Army Counter-Intelligence Corps in Germany from 1951 to 1954.

With a keen sense for news stories, and a solid journalistic background, Posert quickly rose through the ranks of the Daniel J. Edelman PR Agency beginning in Chicago and then headed the New York branch of the firm. In 1965, Posert went to California to lead the Wine Institute’s PR program for Edelman. He later served as the Director of Public Relations for the Wine Institute until 1980 when he joined Robert Mondavi Winery in the Napa Valley.

Posert is survived by his first wife Myra (Gainsboro) Posert of Laguna Woods, California with whom he had three sons: Harvey Peres Posert III of Berkeley, California, Robert Lee Posert of Newport Coast, California and Peter David Posert of Petaluma, California. Posert is also survived by three grandsons and two granddaughters. His second marriage to former wife Carolyn (Bloom) Posert lasted 10 years.

He always had a dog at his side, whether in his garden or out to lunch around Napa Valley. He loved hearing about, and sharing, the exploits and adventures of his children and grandchildren. He enjoyed popcorn and pistachio nuts, as well as his work, his many friends, and the social life he led around California’s Napa Valley.

Donations in his memory can be made to the American Civil Liberties Union. A memorial celebration of his life will be held at a future date.

Statements from wine industry leaders:

“He was more than a co-worker, he was our partner, a wonderful friend whom we admired greatly.” Margrit Mondavi

“At Bronco Wine Company we were fortunate to work with Harvey for more than 30 years.  As a former journalist he was skilled at discovering and telling stories that truly changed the world of wine. He will be missed by the wine industry and especially here at Bronco.  We will all remember what a rewarding experience it was working with Harvey.” Fred Franzia, Bronco Wine Company CEO and COB.