Meet Our Crew
Victor Mendes- Owner
Victor Mendes has been the owner of Vienna Vintner, a boutique wine store located in Vienna, Virginia, for over 22 years. Victor’s love for wine comes from his family roots in Portugal. His parents, who came to Queens, NY in 1971, hail from Chaves, with a multi generational history of wine production.
Victor has traveled to many wine-producing areas around the world, visiting vineyards from Napa to Rioja, and even down in South Africa. He has taken part in Oregon’s famous Pinot Camp, where select wine buyers are invited for a week of fun and education about Oregon Pinot Noir production.
Victor has found a unique niche with small production domestic wines that rival the quality of name brand wines at much higher price points, as well as, offering unique wines from around the world. He has relationships with over 30 different wine distributors that he’s cultivated throughout two decades in the wine industry.
Victor is known throughout the community not only for his intuitive palate and customer service, but also for his collaboration with many local organizations in their fundraising efforts. In 2016, Victor started producing his own wine under the brands of VIX and Straight Out of Paso. He has 7 varietals in his wine portfolio with an annual case production of 1,300 cases.
John Story - General Manager
He has developed a love of all wine and spirits, especially with food, while working for several years in restaurants around Northern Virginia and Washington D.C., with an emphasis on wine. He joined the Vienna Vintner team in 2018, after spending 8 years working for Whole Foods Market, where he started as a wine buyer and progressed to a Specialty Team Leader. He has spent years studying wine, and is a Sommelier certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers organization. He has also achieved the Advanced Level title with the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, as well as, achieving the title of French Wine Scholar with the FWS Guild.
Kyle Armstrong - Assistant Manager
Vienna Vintner is very lucky to have Kyle on our team. He is the most chivalrous and good-natured person you could meet and he brings a positively calming force to our shop. Many people may know him from Whole Foods in Fair Lakes where he was the wine buyer and beverage specialist for 8 years. While there, he worked not only in the retail shop, but also managed their Enoteca wine bar upstairs. Kyle completed the sommelier diploma program for the International Sommelier Guild in 2006 and is well versed on wines from around the world.
Mary Minkler - Part-time-Some-Time-Manager in Training
Mary has been working with us since we moved to the new shop as a part time, sometimes helper. Now she coordinates with our clients, focusing on catering and planning special events. She does all of our floral arrangements. Mary is our resident sparkling wine lover, who will enthusiastically let you know which ones are her favorites!