About Van The Wine Man
I am Van The Wine Man, aka Van Webb. I am a sommelier and consultant in Tulsa, Oklahoma. For almost forty years, I have been a wine consumer, promoter, and finally, professional. This is my story of how I became The Wine Man.
A Backward Wine Journey
I like to say that I backed into the wine business. I did not grow up with much wine or alcohol in everyday life. For the most part, alcohol made only limited appearances at large family gatherings. My first drinking experiences included a Jack and Coke provided by my Grandad, a beer from my uncle, and a gulp of Mad Dog 20/20 a friend brought to school.
I experimented with a variety of beverages, until my first fine dining experience at Morton’s in Dallas. I ordered Chandon Brut by the glass, which coincidentally, I did not enjoy by itself. I did like the experience though, how it felt in my mouth, and how it tasted better with the meal. Yes, I highly recommend pairing bubbles and steak. I still drank other beverages, but The Wine Man in me was awoken.
The Wine Consumer
Building on my newfound interest, I began trying and buying wine regularly. My career in advertising brought travel, dining, and exciting opportunities to try different wines. In my early twenties, I was asked to bring wine to a company party, and splurged by spending $20(!) on a Robert Mondavi Cabernet. Everyone that tried it was completely impressed, and wanted to know how I found such a delicious wine. On a cruise, my group was into sweet German Riesling. As in, it was all they wanted to drink. When it was my night to buy the wine, I suggested that we try a dry Riesling and, gasp, a Merlot. My friends were skeptical, but agreed it was an eye-opening experience. I began to develop a reputation: If you have a question about wine, ask Van.
I became a regular at Ti Amo in Tulsa. I was immediately excited by Italian wine. My regular server would greet me with, “The Valpolicella, Van?” Throughout my twenties, I had numerous “Ah-ha” moments: With Shiraz, the ‘97 California Cabernets, Barolo, vintage Champagne, Ridge Monte Bello, and first growth Bordeaux. But I remained a value seeker. I developed a simple rule: When I found a wine I loved, I bought it all, or at least a case. I have never been a collector, being more interested in immediate consumption. But I did like a growing variety of wines, and began keeping a hundred or so bottles around at any given time.
During this era, I also played a game, finding a wine that I liked, then scouring Wine Spectator ratings to see if it had been reviewed. It was always exciting when I could beat them to it, and their review came out after my discovery. This gave me more confidence for making recommendations.
About this time, I met Annette, who conveniently liked wine too! We honeymooned by way of Napa and Sonoma, and continue to plan our travel around wine. Annette’s uncle contributed to our education, assuring us that eventually, “what we will want is Pinot Noir.” My aunt and uncle (supplier of the first beer) gifted me The Wine Bible, which I read over the course of a week. I dove fully into wine education, along with enjoyment.
The Wine Promoter
To begin my transition to the business side of wine, I had the opportunity to organize and manage a food and wine show for six years. I worked closely with restaurants, winemakers, distributors, Riedel glassware, and other vendors. This provided an up-close introduction to how the industry works, built relationships, and laid my foundation for future business.
Annette and I began hosting wine parties for our friends. I started volunteering at the Philbrook Wine Experience and similar wine events, seeking to taste as many different wines and learn as much about them as possible. Our wine travel increased, with multi-region visits to France, Italy, and Greece.
In 2009, I developed Van The Wine Man and began promoting all local wine events, whether I was involved or not. I was excited to interview numerous winemakers and sommeliers, sharing their stories on my blog. Soon, I was invited to host wine dinners and tastings at local restaurants, and managed marketing for these events. In 2016, I was a speaker with a featured session at SXSW about marketing restaurants. I hosted screenings of the SOMM films, and developed a Wine and Film series with Circle Cinema, featuring tastings and fundraisers for local charities. I worked for Master Sommelier Randa Warren for several years. I began to receive paid opportunities, developing and cross-promoting regular restaurant events, and working on restaurant wine lists and staff training. The wine was really beginning to flow. Then came the pandemic, and a refocus.
The Wine Professional
As wine events began breaking out again, requests for my services were also increasing. I was well-known, and receiving frequent inquiries for private and corporate events. So I shifted more of my focus to independent clients and events, while continuing to support local restaurants and the Tulsa wine scene. As my requests for services continued to grow, I determined that I needed to make it “official”, and get professional credentials. I joined the Court of Master Sommeliers, and passed the introductory sommelier exam in 2023 with a 98% score.
I now host a variety of curated private and public events each month, and I am active in almost every aspect of the wine business in Oklahoma. Most popular are themed parties and dinners. I help develop a theme, source the wine, and host these events. Some are all about having a fun time with friends, and others for deeper education. I have a network of winemakers throughout the U.S., and assist clients with wine travel. I have helped clients build their cellars, and source hard-to-find bottles. I am a distributor for a variety of glassware and wine tool companies. I have assisted several wine and spirits producers gain distribution in the state, and represented direct-to-consumer winemakers.
The Italy-America Chamber of Commerce sought me out to bring Italian wine producers and events to Oklahoma. In addition to tastings, I host winemakers for their first visits to the state, introducing them to distributors, restaurants, and retailers. I organized and managed the first Taste of Italy Tulsa, an industry wine and food tasting show. I am actively working with winemakers from many regions of Italy, seeking opportunities to bring more great wine to Oklahoma. This has led to invitations to international tastings and educational events, like Vinitaly.
I have been called the Mayor of Tulsa Wine. For over a decade, my Tulsa Wine Calendar has informed wine lovers about all public wine events in the area. I promote the calendar as a free public service, whether or not I am involved with the event. I work with select causes and charitable organizations to give back to the community. I am honored by the support for my auction lots, which have raised as much as $11,000 for Susan G. Komen.
My website, VanTheWineMan.com is the local authority for wine and related activities in Tulsa, outranking most restaurants, retailers, and event sites. AI follows Van The Wine Man, shouldn’t you?