Derrick C. Westbrook

Derrick C. Westbrook Moving pop-up dinner parties and wine tastings for the folks from around the way, offering an evening of good food, yummy wine, and chill company.

Sh*! I forgot to post…For a long time I’ve grieved closing the shop. For me, for Chicago, for the culture and the relati...
12/29/2025

Sh*! I forgot to post…

For a long time I’ve grieved closing the shop. For me, for Chicago, for the culture and the relationships it create. I wore being an entrepreneur and not “working” for someone for almost a decade like a badge of honor.

I was ashamed that I’d failed in some way. That going back to work on the floor as a sommelier, was somehow a regression.
It wasn’t until this year I learned to embrace and love the role. The security (healthcare and a steady paycheck), and freedom to hone my craft without the pressure of survival.

I like this iteration of myself. I enjoy my work, even the most annoying parts.

I appreciate the universe for placing me here!

Run your race and BEING is more than enough. I’ve got more to say but I’m tired of typing…

Excuse the grammar and misspelling, I’m living unedited.

12/27/2025

Sh*! I should’ve Posted

Story Time:
So, I was working on a series called “Fall in Love” with Pinot Noir…

I shot hella content and never posted it. There are an endless about of reason to blame but mostly imposter syndrome, difficulty getting it perfect, life and not knowing how to roll it out.

The audio is bad, the writing needs work, the flow and editing feels amateurish. But I created it and this draft is better than not putting it out at all….

I figure if I put this “bad” and out of context thing out, I’ll have no excuse to put anything else out.

Also, get these wine via the wine club

12/26/2025

Sh*! I forgot to post…

This was me bottling wine with … His wines were / are fire and I learned a ton about wine making, production and breakage.

People have asked me if I’ll ever make a wine. The answer is, I enjoy learning about the process the art and business so much and there are some many people to learn from that I’d have to dive in deep to do so!

Also, ask about his wines… I’m definitely getting my hands on more…!

12/21/2025

Who else is this during the holidays?

12/16/2025

🍒 Clément & Florian Berthier Pinot Noir — Coteaux du Giennois, France
Light. Dry. Earthy-ish... AND Deeply Rooted in place.

Clément & Florian are 5th-generation winemakers in Coteaux du Giennois, and their philosophy is simple: it’s not about the grape — it’s about the terroir.

🌍 Terroir = everything
This Pinot Noir comes from Les Trois Terroirs — three distinct soil types shaped by a cool, continental climate in the Loire Valley. That combination delivers a wine that’s:
✨ Light
✨ Gently earthy with just the right touch of fruit
✨ Dry

📍 Location: Loire Valley, France
Central Vineyards — near Menetou-Salon

Why it’s in the Holiday Hosting Bundle:
Because the holidays hit your palate with a lot. Big flavors, rich dishes, nonstop bites. This wine brings grip and structure without heaviness — the kind that sticks to your ribs and keeps you grounded when everything else is going off.

🎁 Part of the Samples & Samples Holiday Hosting Bundle
👉 Link in bio to order

12/09/2025

🌸 Château La Gabarre Bordeaux Rosé — Bordeaux, France
Bright, refreshing, and quietly elegant — this Bordeaux rosé is the kind of wine that sneaks up and steals the whole show at the holiday table.

Made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, it’s a classic Right Bank blend but with a twist: instead of going big, bold, and brooding… it shows up crisp, creamy, and incredibly drinkable.

📍 Region: Bordeaux, France (Right Bank)

Why it’s in the Holiday Hosting Bundle:
Because every holiday spread needs a wine that’s a little bit festive, a little bit flirty, and a whole lot versatile. This rosé brings:
✨ Medium-plus body
✨ Dry, refreshing finish
✨ Just enough creaminess to pair with richer dishes
✨ Just enough brightness to sip before dinner

🎁 Grab the Holiday Hosting Bundle here:
(samplesandsamples.com/store/p/holiday-hosting-bundle — link in bio)

12/01/2025

🍷 Barra Pinot Noir — The “Please Everybody” Wine
(a.k.a. the one Cali Cab drinkers secretly love but will never admit)

Let’s talk about this Mendocino-grown beauty. The vineyards are certified organic, the climate isn’t super warm, but makes this fun fun wine.
It’s giving everything people love about California reds… quietly.

📍 Location: Mendocino County, California

Why is it in the Holiday Hosting Bundle?
Because listen—some of y’all drink with your family and some of y’all drink because of your family… and this bottle handles both.

At 14.5% alcohol, this Pinot Noir is:
😌 Smooth enough to keep the peace
😮 Strong enough to help you find your peace
🍇 Fruity enough that everyone at the table thinks it was picked “just for them”

In other words:
This is the wine that will make the holidays great — one way or another.

🎁 Grab the Holiday Hosting Bundle here:
(samplesandsamples.com/store/p/holiday-hosting-bundle — link in bio)

11/28/2025

Not a wine rec. Not a sale. Just me.

It’s Black Friday and I should be selling you something—or telling you what bottle to grab.

But instead, here’s what I got:
I’ve shot a ton of content.
Written more.
The hardest part? Posting.

The algorithm, the timing, the “strategy”—nah.
I’m done waiting to roll it out perfect.
So I’m just gonna start dropping clips.
Out of order. Unpolished. Maybe even a little cringe.

Why?
Because my “bad” content > a lot of wine influencers’ “good” content.
I’d rather let you into my brain than filter it for the feed.

If you wanna support me:
💌 Drop your email
🍷 Join the wine club
🎁 Cop the holiday bundle
👀 Watch for my NYE wine dinner collab w/ Chef James Martin at Bocadillo Market

Like. Comment. Share. Or just vibe with the mess.

Let’s go. 🥂

11/21/2025

🍇 Rose & Son Sauvignon Blanc — The Crowd-Pleaser of the Samples & Samples Holiday Bundle 🍾✨

📍 LOCATION
Santa Ynez Valley
Santa Barbara County
Central Coast, California

🍏 WHY IT MATTERS IN THIS BUNDLE
This is the wine that brings everyone together.
When I curate for a crowd, I always include one bottle that pleases every palate, and this is the one.

Here’s why:
There are only two things in wine that really make your mouth water:
• Sugar
• Acidity

This Sauvignon Blanc is dry—zero sugar.
But the bright, zippy acidity lights up your palate, creating that same refreshing, mouth-watering sensation people associate with sweeter wines.

So both camps win:
✨ People who love dry, crisp wines = happy
✨ People used to sweeter wines = also happy (because that acidity hits the same sensation they enjoy)

It’s the perfect “bridge” bottle for family, friends, and holiday gatherings—no arguing, no guessing… just pour and watch everyone smile.

👉 Grab the full Holiday Hosting Bundle here:
https://www.samplesandsamples.com/store/p/holiday-hosting-bundle

11/06/2025

The Perilla 👟🌿 x New Zealand Pinot Noir 🍷🍷🍷
The Perilla plant — an East Asian herb in the mint family — is as versatile as it is vibrant. Found in Korean and Japanese cuisines, its leaves shift from green to deep purple, just like this Jae Tips × Saucony ProGrid Triumph 4 “Perilla.”
Now when I saw that colorway, I immediately thought Pinot Noir.
Here’s why — Pinot Noir is a thin-skinned, delicate grape, one of the hardest to grow but one of the most beautiful when it’s done right. Same vibe as this shoe: soft texture, bold tone, subtle depth.
I paired it with a New Zealand Pinot Noir, one of the lightest and most elegant styles in the world. Wines from Central Otago bring bright red fruit, lifted aromatics, and a clean, silky finish — perfect alongside the subtle earth and herbal tones that make Perilla so special.
So yeah, this pairing is all about balance and finesse — proof that strength doesn’t always have to be loud. Sometimes, quiet confidence wins.
If you want the wine, tap the link in bio for Wine Club 🍇
If you want the sneakers, pull up to and grab your perfect pair.

I’m your favorite sommelier, Derrick C. Westbrook, giving you bottles with a backstory.

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11/05/2025

The Sugar Maple 🍁👟 x Chardonnay 🍷
Meet Acer saccharum — the sugar maple. This tree can stretch over 100 feet tall, strong and steady, turning sunlight into sweetness. And just like that process, we’re talking transformation.
The Jae Tips × Saucony ProGrid Triumph 4 “Sugar Maple” glows with rich, vibrant greens — deep like the vineyards right before harvest. 🌿
So what wine did I pair with it? Chardonnay.
And if you look at it close, this sneaker’s green mirrors the early-season grapes on the vine. The earlier you pick the fruit, the more acidity — the same crispness you taste in Chardonnay grown in cooler climates. 🍏
So yeah, this pairing is all about fresh energy, transformation, and crisp creativity.
If you want the wine, tap the link in bio for Wine Club 🍇
If you want the sneakers, pull up to and grab your pair before they’re gone.
I’m your favorite sommelier, Derrick C. Westbrook, giving you bottles with a backstory. ✌🏾

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