An unconventional perspective on the Wine Class
An Interview with the Proprietor of Sideways Wine Club

"This is your big joke-teller, your hit at the party, the guy that everybody wants to be around — at least for five or ten minutes until they find out that all the jokes are the same."  It was a backhanded compliment, to say the least.  But no offense was taken, because Dave Chambers wasn't talking about a wine industry colleague or a wine class attendee.  He wasn't referring to anybody at all.  Instead, he was personifying the grape Grenache as a way to describe its role in France's Southern Rhône-style blends, in contrast to the often "spicy and complex" Syrah or the "deep and brooding" Mourvedre.  I couldn't help but smile at what was but one of many analogies he used to demystify the subject of his wine class that evening: The Blender's Art.

Now in his third month of teaching the series he calls Third Tuesday, wine merchant Dave Chambers, in keeping with his disarming personality, takes a casual and conversational approach to his classes.  More narrative than didactic, he shares stories to explain an otherwise dizzying array of grape varietals and wine styles, often attributing personalities to them as a way of helping his students easily understand it all.  But he's also very hands-on — after all, the class is about wine, and what's wine without tasting?  Taking his students on a guided tasting tour of the wines for the evening, he seamlessly joins practice with principle in a way that induces some serious learning but seduces with serious fun.

In this month's wine class, true to its name, Dave focused on the art of blending.  Blended wines garner somewhat of a bad rap among many producers of super-premium domestic wine.  But any claim that they're intrinsically inferior, simply by virtue of being comprised of more than one varietal, is suggestive of a limited understanding of the larger wine realm.  In fact, for a number of Old World regions — many of which produce some of the most exalted wines — blending is pivotal to their style and identity.  And while in some areas blending is done in part to compensate for climates that seldom lend the same degree of ripening as in most New World regions, there's a strong argument that, when done skillfully, it makes for wines of unparalleled balance, complexity, and depth.

After giving a respectful nod to some of these regions, such as Bordeaux and Champagne, Dave turned his focus onto the Rhône as a model to illustrate the power and significance that blending different — but complementary — varietals has on a finished wine.  He began with a brief introduction to some of the major characters, and the unique qualities they each bring to the performance of a Rhône blend:

• Syrah, for its peppery and smokey style, and flavors of dark berry, leather, and meat (depending on region); giving color, tannin, and weight (alcohol).
• Grenache, for its flavors of red berry, licorice and menthol (in cases of less ripening); lending tannin, acidity, and aromatics.
• Mourvèdre, for its flavors of earth, game meat, graphite, and white pepper; giving tannin and weight (alcohol).
• Carignan, for its spicy style and flavors of plum and cherry; lending generous acidity, along with color and tannin.
• Viognier, for its floral aroma, peppery style, and flavors of apricot and peach; giving weight (alcohol) and aromatics to Northern Rhône Syrah

To put a practical spin on the discussion, he acquainted the group with samples of wines from each of the major varietals, selected from various California producers.  Tasting them side-by-side cast the differences in their flavor profiles in sharp relief, allowing for a keener understanding of the roles that each of the grapes plays in a blend.  But the real fun began once we were given carte blanche to combine quantities of the varietal wines to create our own proprietary combinations.  Suddenly 'the blender's art' came alive with meaning.  After beginning my first blend with too much Grenache, making it mundanely round and fruity, a spike of Syrah transformed it into an elixir with real focus and verve.  When I created another concoction that started out too heavy and glum from a heavy-handed pour of Mourvèdre, adding a splash of Carignan brightened and lifted it right out of my glass… and into mouth, wouldn't you know it, time and time again.

Fun as it was to conduct my vinous research, equally entertaining was to hear what some of my other classmates thought of their own blending experiments, ranging from the tragic to the sublime.  And though none of it was really methodical, the point of the exercise was simply to get an idea of the effect that different varietals in varying proportions has on a wine's overall flavor profile.  I think it's safe to say that most everyone there accomplished exactly that, each in their own way, and had a great time doing it.

By the end of the evening I settled on a blend I really liked, only to realize I'd tasted so many permutations before it, that even in spite of the generous portions of fresh bread and cheeses I'd eaten, it had all gone to my head.  But while I left the event feeling a bit fuzzier than when I'd arrived, one thing that remained clear was the lasting impact of Dave Chambers' interactive teaching style on my understanding of wine blends.

Following up on his recent wine class, I asked Dave a few questions, in an effort to get a more complete picture on the man, his background and current perspective on wine retail and education, and what he sees for the future of his own endeavors as well as the wine industry as a whole.

NM: What's your background in wine?  How long have you been in the industry?   And what led you to where you are today

DC: In 1979, I graduated from college hating wine.  I had reached this conclusion scientifically, through repeated tastings of the unpleasant combination of Cribari jug wine and 7-Up served at numerous fraternity parties.  Each sampling resulted in the same conclusion: "Yuck!"

I was finally introduced to good wine in 1981 during an alumni event at Callaway Vineyards, an emerging producer of white wines in Temecula.   I was shocked to learn that I enjoyed them!   It was a real epiphany, or half of one anyway, and I became convinced that I must have disliked only red wines, such as the wine of Cribari I loathed so well.

That epiphany launched a period of experimentation.  My roommates and I bought whatever white wine we could afford, and learned to cook at home to see what paired best with each wine.  We held wine and cheese parties as an excuse to meet women.  It was a fun period of exploration and discovery.  On many levels.

But it took me another year to come to red wines.  It happened at a steak restaurant while visiting friends in San Jose.  "Shall we have wine with dinner?" they asked.

"As long as it's white!" I replied.

"You can't drink white wine with steak!" they said.  "Let us order a bottle of red and if you don't like it, you can order a glass of white wine."  I agreed, and when I tasted that wine — it was a Cabernet from Heitz Cellars — I was stunned. Literally stopped in my tracks. I had no idea a wine could be so pleasurable and thought-provoking.

That launched a frenzied decade of wine classes and wine events.  I was single at the time, so my evenings and weekends were largely my own, and I filled them with whatever wine event was occurring.

I began teaching classes in the early 90's after moving to a small town in Michigan.  I quickly realized that any wine culture to be found was going to begin with me.   I know of at least one major wine fan who can be traced back to those classes, as he and his family are still customers of mine.

My classes have come a long way since then, and I enjoy few aspects of the business more than sharing my love and enthusiasm for food and wine.

NM: What's the story of the Sideways Wine Club? What led to its inception? How is it different from other wine retail enterprises?

DC: I'd been working in corporate America for two decades, growing increasingly disenchanted and at the same time had been unable to tear away from the lucrative cash flow.  I began working in tasting rooms on the weekends, just to keep learning about wine, but it wasn't until the dot-com meltdown of 2001 that my cash flow was severed and I decided to launch my wine career.

At first I leveraged my professional background by offering marketing services to wineries.  For one client — Bonny Doon Vineyard — a six-week project expanded into 2 ½ years.  It was more fun than most people ever get to have at work (or with their clothes on, for that matter!) but it also made me realize I couldn't reach my financial goals while consulting for wineries.

Coincidentally, the movie "Sideways" had come out in October and was well established as a surprise hit and likely Oscar nominee by December, so after the first of the year I began making inquiries about launching my own wine club under the Sideways license.

How does it differ from other retail enterprises?  It may sound trite, but the real difference is the people involved, more than simply its unique brand.  Very few enterprises have a face behind the brand.  I mean, who can you contact at Wine.com?  Wine Commune?  BevMo?  Even some of the great wine retailers are completely anonymous, especially online, and some of the best local merchants are nearly invisible online.   We still have humans on the front lines, my name on every email, and a personal reply to each inquiry.   More than our unique brand, that's what differentiates us!

NM: What prompted you to begin teaching classes now?  What do you hope to accomplish with your classes?  What's your favorite aspect of teaching them?

DC: I hosted wine classes and tasting groups throughout the 90's, but by 1999 my work load became oppressive and eclipsed my wine classes (each of which required 20-30 hours in preparation).  But when I got involved with the wine shop "Tastes of the Valleys" in Solvang, I began teaching again, and remembered how enjoyable it was to share my enthusiasm with others.

It was a casual meeting with an old friend that resulted in the monthly "Third Tuesday" classes at Reaves Gallery in San Francisco.  The gallery space limitations mandate small, intimate classes of 10 - 15 people.   The classes have developed a nice group of regulars who look forward to catching up and sharing new wine discoveries each month.  I love it!

NM: Future plans or changes for the club? For the classes?

DC: There are so many things to talk about!  I am always looking for ways to break the model and re-invent what I'm doing.  That assures that I remain both enthusiastic and prepared for whatever comes next in our industry.

NM: And what might that be?  What do you see for the future of wine?

DC: My top predictions for the wine industry in ten years?  I will be very different. Look specifically for a new wave of opinion leaders as well as a vastly different distribution landscape.  Watch for mobile computing and other forms of electronic communities to have increasingly significant roles.  Moderate consumption of wine will be increasingly recognized as a healthy part of a daily diet, so watch for wine to grow ever more common on our dinner tables at home.

Of course, it all remains to be seen.  But one thing's for sure: with his unassuming air and infectious enthusiasm, Dave Chambers is doing more than his share to make wine fun, easy, and approachable, allowing his customers to make the most of an otherwise confusing experience.

For more detailed information, visit Sideways Wine Club online or email Dave Chambers.