Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to David Castleberry. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi David, thanks for joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

I chose this topic because I find it to be particularly relevant to my brand and it was a challenge. I had ideas for other label names but it came down to a few things: someone beat me to the punch, I’m not as creative as I think I am (which is clearly not true) or my lawyer is too conservative (better safe than sorry). In the end I chose two words that were prolific, true to my ethos and fun to talk about.

The wine label is called ‘Love & Terroir.’ Terroir is a French term without direct translation, but essentially refers to the holistic relationship between the soil, microclimate and topography that make a single vineyard unique. I knew immediately ‘terroir’ could come off as pretentious or was going to be mispronounced, so I thought adding the term love to it was appropriate on several fronts (and fonts, but I’ll get to that later). Some of my favorite wines are single vineyard from a specific terroir, this is where my love for both the wines and terroir comes in. I felt like adding ‘love’ to the name expressed my passion and made the idea and term ‘terroir’ more fun and approachable (like my wines). I was also conscious of the inevitable number of mispronunciations that would occur so I chose an edgier font that would justify the ‘Love & Terror’ variation (that’s my pending punk band name) or ‘Love & Terrier’ (as I do love dogs and volunteer at a local shelter). It’s been a lesson in embracing imperfection, turning it into part of the story and ultimately having fun, because that’s what wine is all about.

David, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I grew up in Tucson, Arizona and having worked in hospitality through college my Uncle (and Chef) encouraged me to view it as a viable career path. My passion for hospitality, food and travel made this eminently appealing. After getting a business degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management I was recruited by the Mauna Lani resort on Hawaii’s Big Island (not that moving to Hawaii was a hard sell). I really enjoyed the merge of cultures, focus on sustainability, nature and emphasis on using local ingredients. The Wine Director of the resort retired and identified me as his ideal candidate for the position. I purchased as many wine books as I could get my hands on and became consumed. Studying wine allowed me the opportunity to learn about history, culture, geography, chemistry and cuisines from around the world. During this time I had the opportunity to travel and work harvests at wineries in California to broaden my experience from the service aspect to production. I also furthered my wine education by becoming an Advanced Sommelier and Certified Wine Educator. After eight years in Hawaii immersing myself in the world of wine I realized that was the direction I wanted to take my career and moved to San Francisco to pursue the Master Sommelier diploma from the Court of Master Sommeliers. Shortly after arriving I was recognized by renowned sommelier and author Rajat Parr to join the Michael Mina restaurant group and run the program at RN74. This turned the spark into a flame, I was exposed to some of the best food (Executive Chef Jason Berthold came from the French Laundry and Per Se) and wine (one of the best wine lists in the world and a Wine Spectator Grand Award winner). I was hugely influenced by the great food and wine minds I was exposed to. I used this inspiration to share my love and passion with guests, with the philosophy that great wine and food should be enjoyable and approachable.
After my tenure at RN74 I decided to start my own business in 2017. Having known winemaker Chad Melville since my time in Hawaii I was encouraged to pursue making wine which lead to Love & Terroir, where I produce hand-crafted wines in Santa Barbara. This has evolved to include Comptoir Wine Company: an outlet for me to use different blends and regions, in addition to offering wines and services pertaining to all things food and beverage. I love eating and drinking and sharing my experiences with people in the hopes that they will find the same enjoyment. Whether it’s through my wines, recipes, restaurants or recommendations in general. I firmly believe that food and beverages should be consumed with enthusiasm and without pretension. I hope that my wines and approach are conducive to that. I have a thoughtful perspective and listen to my partners to help them find things they like and are excited to enjoy and share. The understanding that while peoples tastes and flavor profiles are different the appreciation and passion behind them is the same and this is what drives me to do what I do. Which, at the end of the day, is help people find things they enjoy and are so excited about that they want to share.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Recommendations and referrals without a doubt. The market is saturated with wine producers and food & beverage consultants, which speaks to the wealth of talent, opportunity and quality of products available. I’ve found it important to focus on my strengths to stand out. I listen carefully and try to understand exactly what it is my clients want. Their needs might not involve my wines or vision, but I provide the experience and expertise to help them get the achieve the outcome they want. Being a hospitality-based business, this often involves providing events or gifts for their partners as a thank you or to build connections. I ultimately view this as an opportunity to spread joy and make people happy. When you do that people want to share the same experience.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

I understand each partner and situation is unique and I use my commitment to service as the compass from which I approach every opportunity. I do this by involving my clients as much as possible, through asking questions and making personalized recommendations based upon their wants and needs. I couple this with consistent follow-up, flexibility and open communication. I am transparent with my partners so that we have all the facts and tools in place to execute or plan adjustments as necessary. We work together to turn challenges into opportunities and create something special. I have a multi-faceted business model that involves producing and selling my own wines in addition to providing other food & beverages for my clients. It highlights the importance of celebrating individual taste and providing exceptional, customized service. This is cornerstone of the brand loyalty my clients enjoy and what I pride myself on.

Contact Info:

• Website: comptoirwine.com loveandterroir.com
• Instagram: @dmcastleberry
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-castleberry-aba6047/