Today we’d like to introduce you to Gina Cesario.
Hi Gina, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story starts with my family restaurant. There is where I found my love and passion for hospitality and the food and wine business. I began my career as a server and worked my way to bar manager and wine buyer. I hosted several wine-pairing events at the restaurant I worked for and built a loyal following. It felt inevitable to pursue a career solely on selling wine and pairing wine. I was limited in a restaurant setting and felt there was a need for a local wine shop. I began to dream of a little shop that would sell retail wine, along with items to pair with those wines. I knew that we lacked a place to gather, educate, and shop for daily wine consumption. So the dream of Modern Cellar came to fruition.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. Construction was difficult, it took longer than expected. The contractors never finished the job, but I luckily had a father who was a contractor whom finished the job. My father contracted covid in January, the month we opened, and lost his fight with the sickness in March. It was a very tough 6 months of business, but with constant support and compassion, Modern Cellar continued to grow and thrive.
As you know, we’re big fans of Modern Cellar. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Modern Cellar specializes in retail wine, wine tastings, and merchandise to pair with wine. We also feature LaVazza coffee at our espresso bar. We have rotating art exhibits and pop-up artists and events, such as paint and sips and henna art on wine bottles. We are known as a local wine shop that is friendly, has quality customer service, and helps curate wine for your daily life. We are proud to offer great cheese selections to pair with your wine, LaVazza Coffee and fresh baked goods. We have wine gifts, such as wine baskets, wine candles, and hostess gifts. We do weekly wine tastings, we pick a theme weekly and choose four wines and pair them with cheese. We offer custom charcuterie boards for in-dining or take-out. While our little shop hosts public events weekly, we also rent the store out for private events as well.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Wine Club. Unlike many wine clubs, we hand-curate your monthly subscription. We become your personal shoppers and with the information we gather, we are able to choose pairings we know you will love. Includes 3 wines monthly, either a $50 or $85 value. Wines from all over the globe, not just California. It is a fantastic gift for someone or yourself.
Pricing:
- Weekly Wine Tasting $25 per person
- Wine Club $50 or $85
- Charcuterie Boards $75-$145
- Paint & Sip $75 per person
- Private Events $650 min.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.moderncellarwine.com
- Instagram: modern.cellar
- Facebook: modern.cellar
- Yelp: Modern Cellar, Cypress, CA
