by Jill Johnson

Don’t let the laid-back, convivial demeanor fool you. Dave Potter means business. Wine business. Behind the soft, curly-blond-haired “surfer dude” exterior, lies a passion for the grape that started early on by happenstance. Dave’s feeding of this passion has taken a globe trotting, circuitous route canvassing two hemispheres and three countries, eventually landing him in Santa Barbara in 2007. It was then that Dave planted the roots for his own label, Municipal Wines.

Dave is no stranger to Santa Barbara. The Rancho Cucamonga native came to UCSB to study business/econ (and surfing) like so many undergrads. He originally planned a future of interpreting legalese as a lawyer. However, a job at Sunstone Winery took him away from that career path and started him upon the bacchanalian adventure of the wine industry. Dave knew he had found his calling. “Wine making is the perfect combination of brains and physical labor. You have a tangible product at the end of the day. It’s a very special feeling.”

From UCSB, he ventured to Australia to partake of the surf and study oenology/viticulture at Curtin University in Margaret River, Western Australia. “It is Santa Barbara with tropical white, sandy beaches…and the surf is better than Davis or Fresno.” He didn’t get much surf time, though. While attending university, he worked at Palandri Wines from 7pm to 7am, then snuck in a couple hours of sleep before heading off to classes. “The only thing that saved me was the push-button espresso machine at the winery.”

Dave’s curriculum vitae boasts some world-class notches in his winery work belt. In Australia, both Henschke Cellars, home of the legendary Shiraz “Hill of Grace”, and Foster’s, “Australian for beer” (and a whole lot of wine.) In France, Château de Montfaucon on the Rhône River and in Santa Barbara, Fess Parker’s.

With Municipal, he merges techniques and experience garnered through his global exploits, bringing accessible food-friendly wines to the table. “I make wines I like to drink,” he says.

The wines are sourced locally and are bright and fruity, without being cloyingly so. Bright White, Bright Red and Dark Red would all be equally welcome at any summer party to share with friends. He won’t name his favorite offering, but he gets a glint in his eye when pouring Fizz, a fizzy Shiraz produced “méthode champenoise.” Aussies take their sparkling reds seriously, and so does Dave. He proudly states “Fizz is da shizz.” I concur…wholeheartedly.

Dave’s vision of being part of a locavorist ideal of “local butchers, local bakers…local winemakers” is coming to fruition with the opening of Municipal Wines’ tasting room at 28 Anacapa in re-purposed army barracks on the Urban Wine Trail. Hop on your bike. Stop on by. Sip, savor and have a g’day.

The Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail was created by a group of like-minded wineries to shine a spotlight on the wineries and tasting rooms of the downtown and beach areas. Many are within easy walking distance of each other, and all of them have a distinctively different city vibe that make them quite worth exploring.

Jaffurs Wine Cellars

819 E. Montecito St. 805 962-7003; jaffurswine.com

Carr Vineyards and Winery

414 N. Salsipuedes St. 805 965-7985; carrwinery.com

Wine Cask Alliance

813 Anacapa St. 805 966-9463; winecask.com

Kalyra Winery

212 State St. 805 965-8606; kalyrawinery.com

Oreana Winery

205 Anacapa St. 805 962-5857; oreanawinery.com

Santa Barbara Winery

202 Anacapa St. 805 963-3633; sbwinery.com

Kunin Wines

28 Anacapa St. 805 963-9696; kuninwines.com

Westerly Vineyards

28 Anacapa St. 805 963-9696; westerlyvineyards.com

Municipal Winemakers

28 Anacapa St. (in back). 805 598-1896; municipalwinemakers.com

Whitcraft Winery

36 A South Calle Cesar Chavez. 805 730-1680; whitcraftwinery.com

Summerland Winery

2330 Lillie Ave. 805 565-WINE (9463); summerlandwine.com