Rich Burton & Ton Yazici of Locus Wines & A/Stir Restaurant
After spending years in the corporate world, Rich Burton and Ton Yacizi decided to pursue their passion for wine and food. They were known for lavish dinner parties in their private home, and this reputation eventually led to Rich becoming a winemaker and Ton a chef. Rich made his first wine in 2012, launching the Locus Wines brand. Ton eventually became general manager and executive chef at Locus, where you can order wine in a flight, glass or bottle, along with food pairings. The lovely tasting room is in Pioneer Square, and can be rented for events with full catering available. In 2023, the two men purchased the Capitol Cider Restaurant in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle, and rebranded it as A/Stir Restaurant, with a gluten free menu focused on Northern Mediterranean cuisine.
Rich is partial to Rhone style wines for his reds and rosé, and Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon for his white wines. He seeks out high elevation vineyards in the Yakima Valley and Naches Heights AVAs, to create wines with lower alcohol and vibrant acidity that will pair well with diverse foods. Locus Wines and A/Stir are known for many fun and unique events, such as Drink and Draw with a live model, Burlesque shows like Sin and Tonic, Comedy shows, Open Mic nights, and very creative Trivia Nights orchestrated by Rich. The emphasis of the Locus Wine Club called Socius is less on shipments and allocations, and more on wine education, wine experiences and wine fun. This passion for meaningful experiences is summed up on the Locus website with the quotation: “Fill your life with experiences, not things. Have stories to tell, not stuff to show.” Listen to the many stories behind Locus Wines and A/Stir Restaurant in this interview.
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