Affiliation : Kimberly Jones Selections
Location : Napa, CA, USA

Chris Blanchard, MS
With over 20 years of experience in the wine business, Master Blanchard brings a wealth of knowledge in distributor management, direct winery sales, corporate restaurant management, wine list creation, and service and beverage operations in fine dining restaurants nationwide.

Chris started his career in the entertainment industry in the late 80’s during college when he released the Top 20 dance hit “That’s The Way Girls Are” under the name DJ Vitamix.  Considered to be the first solo white rapper, Chris is listed in the Anthology of Hip Hop as one of the “pioneers of the Northwest rap music scene.”  While attending law school, Chris met the sales manager of E&J Gallo in San Francisco and was offered an entry-level job on the spot.  After a few humble years selling Thunderbird, Night Train and Boone’s Farm to corner liquor stores on the tough streets of San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland, he accepted a position as a salesman for the newly established direct sales organization for Kendall Jackson in San Francisco.

From there, he was offered a management position by the Henry Wine Group distributor in the South Bay.  After three years with Henry, he rose to become Regional Manager in San Francisco, which was the largest territory in the company.  In this role, Chris oversaw twelve sales representatives who were responsible for over $14 million in sales.  In order to learn more about the winery direct sales side of the industry, he took a job as Northern California Sales Manager with Far Niente in Oakville, where he assisted in the introduction and marketing of the newly released Nickel & Nickel label, and represented Far Niente and Dolce wineries.

In early 2004, Chris joined Tony Soter’s winery Etude as the California State Sales Manager while simultaneously working as a sommelier at the prestigious Relais & Chateau Auberge du Soleil Resort in Rutherford, California.  He was also working as a guest sommelier at events such as the Masters of Food & Wine in Pebble Beach, the Napa Wine Auction, the Naples Wine Auction, and as a lecturer on the Millennium Mediterranean Cruise Line.  While at Auberge du Soleil, he met Chef Richard Reddington and was asked to create a wine program for his long awaited restaurant REDD in Yountville.  In late 2005, REDD opened with Master Blanchard serving as the Wine Director and sommelier.  While at REDD, Chris received many accolades including being named “Critic’s Choice Best Wine Director” by San Francisco Magazine as one of “4 Stars” of the San Francisco Bay Area Dining Scene, as well as having his wine list named as one of the “Top Wine Lists in the World” by Forbes Magazine.  Food & Wine Magazine also named him a “Star Sommelier” while profiling him and Chef Reddington in its April 2007 issue.

Chris first became aware of the Court of Master Sommeliers early in his career when he was working at the Henry Wine Group, but it was his own curiosity and desire to be an expert in the field that compelled him to formally begin the CMS coursework.  The many hours spent studying for the exams, along with his ambition and determination, helped him earn the prestigious title of Master Sommelier in February of 2008.  Like many of his fellow Sommeliers, he is eager to mentor other aspiring sommeliers and advises those attempting to follow in his footsteps to taste as many different wines as possible, watch and learn from a sommelier you admire, and read everything you can about the history of the world’s diverse wine regions.

Master Blanchard currently resides in the Napa Valley, where he is developing two new wine projects based in the Roussillon and in the Napa Valley.  He continues to consult on wine lists throughout the state and is helping to manage the portfolio of Kimberly Jones Selections and creating a new portfolio of imported wines.