Our Philosophy
“Good wine is a necessity of life to me” –Thomas Jefferson.
It is not surprising that wine, a beverage richly embedded in the history of mankind, lives so happily with food. Wine is an agricultural product varied by nature itself and is further differentiated by geography, winemaking, tradition and culture. Each yearly harvest results in scores of wines available for your choosing. In the current era of eating well, wine as food, must be fastidiously chosen.
It is our goal to become your local wine cellar, selecting authentic and unique wine for your table. They are wines that are true to their nature, skillfully sourced and designed to be paired with your lifestyle and culinary appetite.
Founder
Owner/Founder-Following family tradition, founder Christina Coulourides has been involved in the wine industry for over 30 years. As a California native, Christina began her career as the wine buyer for The Chronicle Restaurant in Pasadena. She travels extensively around the world and concentrates her selection efforts both internationally and domestically. She is the force behind numerous successful national brands and skillfully sources high quality hard to find wines for hotels, restaurants, and wine shops. She is actively involved within the community where she and her family reside in Claremont CA. In her free time you can find Christina playing tennis, tending her vegetable garden and spending time with her grandchildren.
Our Team
Wine Buyer-Monica Yu, WSET Diploma
As Wine Buyer, Monica Yu brings youthful energy to Plume Ridge Bottle Shop. You will find her tromping the vineyards and cellars of Europe and U.S. tracking down wines that meet our rigorous requirements. With a yearning to learn and experience everything about wine, Monica currently holds the WSET Diploma Certification. Her comments and incite will appear as blogs in the Food & Wine section of this website.
Purchasing Specialist- Blake Leland, Sommelier and CSW
Blake Leland is our newest addition to the PR Bottle Shop team. With over 23 years of fine wine experience working in both on premise (restaurants Brasserie Austuce, City Broiler, Three Forks) and retail as the wine director for 16 years with Liquorama, he brings a diverse local and national perspective for Plume Ridge. His credentials, CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine) and Sommelier. He has a deep understanding of how wine works, in regards of value to quality ratios. This translates into more wine for the buck for you (our favorite customer)!
Culinary Specialist-Leo Coulourides
What is wine without food? As Culinary Specialist to Plume Ridge Bottle Shop, Leo Coulourides (former owner/operator of Brasserie Astuce) brings many years of experience as a restaurateur and chef. Leo's creative and enticing food recipes featured on our site are sure to spark your interest. Each recipe is appropriately matched with specific wines that are sure to enhance your dinning experience.
Art Director & Graphic Designer-Katrina Coulourides