Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/253609
february 2014 / the tasting panel / 105 On the Aer with Vinturi Lori Parker's favorite Vinturi story involves the irst time she and her husband tried the device. "We were with a customer of ours who has a house in the mountains," she says. "Our customer was blown away by how quickly Vinturi brought air into the wine and opened it up, which is important in high altitudes since the thin air tightens the wine. He now tells me every time I see him that he won't drink anything without it." Lori's clientele aren't the only raving fans of the aerator. She and the rest of the WineSellar staff see the Vinturi as a valuable piece of wine tech that enhances the imbibing experience for all their customers, from the experienced wine-drinker to the raw novice. "We're pretty proud to carry the Vinturi," she says. "We like using it because when we do, we don't have to wait to swirl the last drink in a glass to say, 'There's the perfect sip!'" For more information on the beneits of Vinturi's On-Premise program, please contact Stephanie Sims, stephanie@vinturi.com. For general information, visit www.vinturi.com or call 1-877-VINTURI (846-8874). "We needed a location like this because we had to have enough space for all of our wine storage lockers," explains WineSellar owner and General Manager Lori Parker. The inside, however, more than makes up for the near-incognito exterior. A sleek-meets-bohemian wine and craft beer lounge dubbed The Casual Bar stands at the left end of the irst loor, and can be accessed by going through the venue's wine shop and its rows of intriguing boutique labels. Head upstairs and this chill vibe is swapped with the romantic Brasserie, where white tablecloths and soft lighting comple- ment Executive Chef Alfred Fiero's seasonal, modern French cooking rather succinctly. This unorthodox setup was hatched by WineSellar CEO and Chairman Gary Parker—Lori's husband—who leaned heavily on his architectural background and the lessons learned from building the irst commercial wine storage facility in San Diego County to bring the WineSellar to fruition in 1988. The Parkers have used the space to accumulate an extensive collec- tion of 2,500 classic wines for their restaurant, a list of drinkable bliss that has hauled in awards every year it's been open. Such accolades have inspired scores of sophisticated oenophiles to seek out The WineSellar amidst its nondescript surroundings. However, don't think of the place as a refuge for the wine snob. "We don't like stufiness," Lori says. "We know we have customers that know a thing or two about wine, but we don't want to be exclusive to that crowd. We want everyone that visits us to come in and have a good time."