The Savvy Wine Cellar // About the Savvy Wine Cellar

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About The Owners
The Savvy Wine Cellar is owned and operated by Dale Record and Allison Palermo-Record in Camillus, New York. Born and raised in central New York, both have long ties to the Syracuse area and particularly to western Onondaga County.
Dale grew up in Sherburne, New York, 50 miles southeast of Syracuse, attended Syracuse University and then worked for some of the leading retailers in the musical instrument industry for 36 years. His connection to Camillus began in the mid 1960s with his work with the West Genesee High School Wildcat Marching Band, under the direction of Bruce Burritt. It is a huge thrill for him to return to this area.
Likewise, Allison grew up on Willis Avenue in Syracuse. A graduate of SUNY Delhi, Allison’s professional career has been primarily in the not-for-profit sector. She worked for the YMCA of Greater Syracuse for many years; the Sisters of the Holy Cross in Notre Dame, Indiana; and, most recently, the Office of the Governor of New York in Washington, D.C. Her family roots as a Palermo from Syracuse’s West End run deep, and she is excited to be back where so many people knew her father, Al “Shuffles” Palermo, his restaurant and his world-famous pizzas.
Because they have been away from Syracuse and Onondaga County for the past dozen years, Dale and Allison felt that it was time to return “home” to be closer to family and friends. They had long discussed opening their own business based on their love of food, wine and hospitality. Over the years, they have had wonderful experiences traveling through Europe (especially the Burgundy region of France and the Tuscany, Liguria and Sicily regions of Italy) as well as Napa Valley and Sonoma County in California. They traveled with friends who had similar tastes in food and wine, and most of the planning for these trips centered on wine: visiting wineries and vineyards, learning about the different varietals and how they were grown. Needless-to-say, they enjoyed a lot of wine on these trips and in the process decided they would like to share their affection for the grape with others. The idea of sharing their love of wine and how to pair it with food began fermenting and became a reality when they “uncorked” The Savvy Wine Cellar.

Their Philosophy
Many years ago, when Dale and Allison first started traveling, they had an experience which started them on their path toward The Savvy Wine Cellar, although they did not realize it at the time. They were in a highly recommended restaurant which had a wine sommelier who didn’t like the wine selection they had chosen to pair with their entrees. Instead of offering an explanation as to why this particular wine might not work well or making another suggestion, the sommelier scoffed at their decision and walked away. They felt intimidated then, but later would laugh about it in the retelling. (Ask them on your first visit to The Savvy Wine Cellar about this experience and they will tell you the story AND give you a special discount on your purchase.)
Over time, they learned that the sommelier (or wine steward) should actually be your best friend when ordering wine in a restaurant. Unlike their unpleasant experience, sommeliers live to help you find the best wine possible—at your price point—that matches the food being served. Likewise, Dale and Allison believe in helping you explore the wonderful world of wine that exists today (there are more than 8,500 wineries in the world; so many wines and so little time…) and help you with pairing those wines with your evening meal or that special dinner occasion.
More importantly, they firmly believe in providing a different experience for you, the wine drinker.
• Wine buying (and wine drinking) should be FUN, not intimidating.
• It should be educational, whether the customer is a novice or an advanced wine aficionado.
• There is one way to learn about wines and one way only: by tasting them. Toward that end, The Savvy Wine Cellar will host tastings every Thursday evening and Saturday afternoon at the Tasting Bar; as always, YOU will be the judge!
• It’s not what anyone else likes, but what you like. As with art, it’s all about personal taste.
• A wine store should be inviting, warm, friendly and easy to shop in. They believe theirs is, and hope you will visit soon!