Aleksandar Pantic, Owner & President
I grew up in Serbia where wine was always at the table. My father is a wine collector and I was exposed to a wonderfully broad range of wines . When I came to America I brought that interest and experience in wine with me and while working in the restaurant industry I was fortunate to cross paths with the winemakers, importers and distributors, the people of the wine world.
It was in 2003 that I met Roberto Damonte, owner and winemaker of Malvira. Roberto’s wine’s just stood out for me; I could not find one I didn’t like. I remember tasting the 1997 Malvira Barbera d’Alba Superiore and thinking to myself, “I cannot be the only one in Minnesota to enjoy these wines. I have to share these wines with my friends.” So I took a left turn from a corporate career and started Domace Vino.
I have made it my mission to seek out and to introduce to enthusiasts wines that are each excellent representations of their regions and their grape varietals. Whether you are one of our winemakers, one of our retail partners or just enjoy our wines at a restaurant, we appreciate the opportunity to showcase our very unique and rare wine selection.
Ziveli,
Aleksandar Pantic
Lukas Peters, Sales Manager
A glass 1998 Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva sparked Lukas’ interest in wine.
While at college in Eau Claire, Wisconsin he worked at Stave & Hoop where he became manager and started doing some of the wine buying. This meant more trade shows, more in store sampling with reps, and an overall desire to have more product knowledge. After graduation, Lukas moved to Oregon to work in the wine industry, including working in the cellar of Firesteed.
No surprise, Lukas’ favorite wine region is Italy, whether the wine is a Nebbiolo, Sangiovese Barbera, Nerello Mascalese, Amarone, Aglianico… too many to choose from! Beyond Oregon, his wine travels have taken him to Vinitaly.
Lukas cannot narrow down his picks of a most memorable wine, “Was it the 1853 Madeira I got to share with a bunch of Industry friends? The Ridge Montabello 1999 I had in passing, the Oddero Vigna Rionda 2000 I had in Italy? Or was it the 1998 Sottimano Cotta Barbaresco I drank with my wife next to the campfire? All I know is that I’ve been extremely fortunate to drink a lot amazing wines with many of my really good friends.”
Kevin Patrick Harrington, Operations / Wine Consultant
Kevin has been in the service and hospitality business in some form since he was 13. He’s always loved seeing the reaction when people try a great wine.
His favorite region is Champagne while his tastes run wide with a fondness for riesling, nebbiolo, and pinot noir.
Working for Domace Vino gives Kevin the opportunity to to work with and represent small wineries that represent sustainable practices and local farms, bringing, literally, the fruits of their labors, to clients. He describes his 2009 Vinitaly trip as making a great impression, “Just the experience of being able to try a wide variety of Italian wine styles, from different regions, poured by the winemaker, on Italian soil. Amazing wine experience.”
While some do business on the golf course, you’ll find Kevin happy to discuss wine sales with you while snow boarding.
Kate Clasen, Wine Consultant
Kate comes to Domace Vino with degrees in Culinary Arts and Business/Hospitality. While in school she worked work for a local winery which only further laid the groundwork for her success “in the business.”
She a connoisseur of fine Italian wines and is especially fond of Barbaresco and Brunello.
Her travels in Italy have taken her Asti and to Slow Food in Turin. One of the most memorable trips was with my mother. We spent about a month in Europe, in the fall of 2004 and part of that trip landed us in Asti, Italy.
Annie Z, Wine Consultant
At home, Annie always considered herself “wine confident”, having wine in the “periphery of my interests for 20 years” but it was her first trip to Italy that opened her eyes and her palate to the incredible, rich diversity of the region’s offerings. “How could all these wines really taste that different AND taste good?” She decided she needed to know and would drink her way through them all if she had to. She came home determined and excited to start her education and understanding of good, interesting wine.
Like many at Domace Vino, Italy’s Piedmont is her favorite region, but she has particular passion for Oregon’s Pinots and the whites of the Alsace and Alto Adige.
Annie credits Domace Vino for a career in the wine business. “I am very fortunate to have been encouraged by a team of knowledgeable individuals with enthusiasm for the business and great personalities.”
Dave Ahern, Wine Consultant
Dave’s first “Wow!” moment was trying Quintessa for the first time. A then restaurant owner, he came to realize that wine was where his passions lie.
His favorite wine region, the Italian Piedmont, he calls “heaven on Earth: the land, people, food and of course the wine, particularly Nebbiolo” which he reveres for “the nose of tar, anise, roses and the taste of dark berries and anise with such fine tannins”. He loves the excitement of sharing Domace Vino’s selection of wines from Italy with clients and seeing their eyes light up, their own “Wow!” moment.
Dave’s travelled Italy extensively including Vinitaly, one of the world’s largest annual gathering showcasing wines. Dave looks forward to helping you find your “Wow!” moment.
Ethan Gilmore, Logistics
Ethan met Aleks in 2004 working at a small wine bar and they’ve worked together in various capacities ever since. He’s been with Domace Vino since the start of the company and is also wine buyer for Domacin Wine Bar in Stillwater, Minnesota. Through his travels and with Domace Vino, Ethan has been to California wine country and to Oregon Pinot Camp.
There are many wines from around the world Ethan appreciates but he really enjoys Spanish wines, particularly the wines of Ribera del Duero. One of the Domace Vino wines that has made the biggest impression on him is J. K. Carriere’s Willamette Valley Pinot Noir; he had the wasp from their label tattooed on his forearm! While entertaining friends, he’s been known to open up wines from his ” secret stash” like ’97 Fontodi Flaccianello or something from Alvaro Palacios to share.