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Meet The Team

This is the story of our team.

Here at California Custom Cellars, we share a passionate love for wine that drives us to do what we do best: build and design custom wine cellars.

Our passion drives us to create the perfect wine cellar for each and every one of our clients. Whether you’re a collector with a few hundred bottles or you want to store your entire vintage collection, we can create a wine cellar that is perfect for you.

It's our mission to help you create the perfect wine cellar that will showcase your wine collection and allow you to enjoy it to the fullest. We're proud of our reputation as one of the leading custom wine cellar builders in California, and we're committed to continuing our tradition of excellence.

When you work with us, you can be sure that you're getting quality craftsmanship, professional service, and a finished product that will exceed your expectations.

wine cellar

Our Amazing Team

Chris Team Bio Pic

Chris Swain

CEO / President

Born and raised in Boston, MA, Chris moved to San Diego, CA in 2002 and has called Southern California “home” ever since. Now based in Orange County, Chris made a career in the restaurant industry, progressing to General Manager and Strategic Corporate Consultant for We Olive & Wine Bar in the mid-2010s. While working to help the We Olive brand grow its franchise across the country, Chris earned a Sommoliere certification as well as an MBA at San Diego State University. 
 
Shortly thereafter, Chris started Leighton Beverages, a wine brokerage, hospitality, and events consultancy firm that still serves clients to this date. Given his background in small business startups, hospitality, and wine, the segue to wine cellar design and build came naturally! Chris worked for as a designer/project manager for a wine cellar firm in San Diego and eventually became Chief Operating Officer for another firm in California. 
 
For Chris, California Custom Cellars is the manifestation of hard work, professional experience and the desire to create a positive, winning culture. Chris’s work for other companies was often devoid of leadership and transparency - the core values that CCC espouses today. CCC is now a leader in the wine cellar design and build industry by offering employees and clients honesty, integrity, and transparency in all things!
 
Aside from the rigors of running two small businesses, Chris enjoys golfing, boating in Dana Point and the surrounding waters, and spending time with his girlfriend and two dogs in beautiful Orange County. 
Anthony Team Bio Pic

Anthony Medina

Lead Project Manager

Anthony Medina recently joined the California Custom Cellars family after spending years in the professional sales workforce.  He grew up in central California and moved to San Diego immediately after high school.  He found his passion in music and sports at an early age, and loves to play golf whenever he can find time to hit the links.  

Playing piano and learning new instruments is one of many ways he loves to expand his talents, continue to build muscle memory, and keep the creative juices flowing.  

Anthony has spent the last year sharpening his design and project management skills in the wine cellar industry and is on the precipice of seeing his first few projects go from original concept to final completion.  He’s got a natural kick for communication, clear expectations, and customer service. 

Anthony now resides in San Clemente just a stone’s throw away from the pier and downtown.  If he and his wife are not in the kitchen cooking, they are out and about soaking up some fun!

Julie Team Bio Pic

Julie Mills

Project Manager & Designer

Julie has always been fascinated by design and architecture and that passion still carries on this day. During her teenage years she was lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel around the world immersing herself in culture, art, and aesthetics.

Through time she received an education in interior design with an emphasis on architectural history. She then pursued a career in hospitality having worked for most of her twenties at a 5-star resort on the Newport Coast where she was introduced to a new passion for fine wine and good food.  

In 2020, like most of us, she decided to go back to her roots but with a twist. Creating custom wine cellars allowed her to combine her love for wine and design.

When Julie is not creating she is dancing to live music, eating as much pasta as possible, and hanging with her two cats - Smokey and Bandit.

Craig Kurth Bio Pic (1)

Craig Kurth

RMO & VP

Craig grew up in Orange County and with a love for building started a construction company in 1981 specializing in interior construction of light commercial and commercial projects, It was in the boom times of South County growth. Consisting of restaurant remodels, shopping mall spaces, and office tenant improvements, he and his crews kept busy.

Later work included involvement with larger projects, such as college libraries and many elementary, middle and high schools in the Los Angeles area.

Additionally, Craig founded and managed a residential property management company in 2015, serving the needs of property owners and residents in the LA / OC area.

Craig and his wife Susie enjoy traveling, hiking at the beach, cooking and time with their family.

Ready to get started?

Our team is ready to help you start designing and building YOUR custom wine cellar.  Free Consultation