Sommelier Behind the Wheel

The wine country tour begins as the hired driver silently steers his Cadillac Escalade toward wineries northwest of Washington’s Tri-Cities. He “reads the room,” listening as his passengers chat.

“I can’t intentionally force myself into the conversation,” he explains later. “I try to respect their space. When the opportunity is there, I want to learn about them and they can learn about me.”

A mile passes before a passenger asks him a question. The driver answers with ease and insight. Another question follows and information begins flowing like the region’s big, bold red wines. It quickly becomes evident the driver, David McClain, is well-informed about this Red Mountain American Viticultural Area, its local varietals and wineries. He’s done his homework.

McClain, owner of TC Black transportation services in the Tri-Cities area, is in fact a certified sommelier, a studied wine connoisseur and an expert on all things viticultural here. He plays his part in the local wine industry, enhancing each visitor’s experience with humor and expertise.

Black is “the gold standard for wine tours,” according to Shae Frichette, co-owner of Frichette Winery.

“Imagine the drive to the winery being just as engaging as the visit to the winery, Frichette said. “David shares major landscapes imperative to the terroir’s character on the journey to Frichette. Because of his engaging way of sharing wine and local vineyard tips, David’s guests are always very informed.”

McClain’s driving service began with Uber. After two years behind the wheel, he decided to start his own service in 2018. His TC Black fleet now includes three SUVs, two vans for large groups, and his signature black Volvo S90 sedan.

“I didn’t even drink wine before I started the company, so every tour that first year was a crash course,” he said. “I realized I needed to be more than a driver. I needed to be an ambassador for Washington wines.”

So, David immersed himself at every winery, following along on tours, tasting the wines, and “discovering my own palate.”

“While I could educate and entertain 95 percent of my clientele with just my on-the-job training, I needed to be able to easily converse with and educate that last 5 percent, the wine connoisseur and world traveler,” he said.

He passed the Wine & Spirits Education Trust’s Level 2 wine course with distinction in 2023 and then participated in a six-week blind tasting panel at the Washington State University Wine Sciences Center a year later. While he admits “I’m far from being a master sommelier,” his touring customers benefit from his knowledge and experience.

In most cases, his tours are planned in advance with guests and selected wineries. “I try to give them the best experience,” McClain says. “Different people are looking for different things. People have different tastes, so I try to tap into that in the planning process. What are you looking for?”

But what does David McClain, the consumer, look for when tasting wines?

“Since I cut my teeth on Red Mountain, I definitely gravitate toward the big Bordeaux wines like the 2016 Col Solare,” he said. “That vintage lives rent-free in my memory. My go-to wine that’s more accessible is a Frichette cabernet.”

To him, Red Mountain wines are recognizable by taste. “If I’m doing a side-by-side tasting with wine from another region, I can pick out Red Mountain,” he said. “The key word is big. Big flavor. Big tannins. Red Mountain reds are bold. They have a full texture feel in the mouth, and they are very balanced because of the ripe fruit and pleasant acids.”

TC Black’s services also include transportation for golf outings, weddings, brewery tours and rides to and from area airports.

For information about wine tours and transportation services, visit tricitiesblack.com.

Learn more about the Red Mountain wine region at redmountainava.com.

Plan your stay in Tri-Cities at visittri-cities.com.