Skip to Content
image description

About Me

Raised in the restaurant business, Matt quickly grew passionate about fine dining, and fell in love with wine. In 2003, while managing McCrady’s Wine Bar in Charleston, Matt was certified in the Court of Master Sommeliers program. In 2005 he was voted Charleston’s Best Sommelier by the Charleston City Paper. His first business, The Charleston Wine Traveler provided entertaining & educational wine tasting events, and retail consultation. Also in 2005, Matt was named Chair of the Wine Committee for the inaugural Charleston Wine + Food Festival, and was the first Festival Wine Director. He went on to work with the Charleston Wine + Food Festival in multiple capacities for the next 13 years. Following his passion for wine and in particular the Production side of it, in 2022 Matt co-founded Allura Wine company and produce brands such as POGGIO COSTA Prosecco DOC and POGGIO TERRA Barbera Monferrato DOC 1L. POGGIO COSTA is a Certified Sustainable winery that has been quickly resonating with people who want a fresh, crisp, clean, and dry, TRUE BRUT style of Prosecco. POGGIO TERRA is single grower, all organic Barbera from the Monferrato region within the Piedmont of Italy. Super clean, naturally fermented in cement tank, with minimal intervention winemaking. It’s a beautifully bright, fresh style Barbera for easy consumption, made from Organic grapes.

Events Attending

Bubbles + Sweets

  • image description
  • image description
    9:00 pm - 11:00 pm
  • image description
  • image description
    10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Opening Night

  • image description
  • image description
    7:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Pinot Envy!

  • image description
  • image description
    4:00 pm - 6:30 pm
image description
image description

MORE Talent

Steve McHugh

Cured at PearlSan Antonio, TX

Shannon Mustipher

Author and Spirits EducatorNew York, NY

Sam Simpson

Magnolia'sCharleston, SC

Elliott Moss

Elliott's BarbecueFlorence, South Carolina

Guillermo Pernot

Guillermo PernotAtlanta, GA

Jonathan Kaldas

Burwell’s Stone Fire GrillCharleston, SC
Taejah Thomas

Tanya Hearn

Charcuterie Happy BoardCharleston, SC

Dano Heinze

Vern'sCharleston, SC

Alain Lemaire

Ou Manje Deja?Kissimmee, FL

Micah Pearson

Tippling HouseCharleston, SC

Wanda Mann

Wine With WandaNew York, NY

Morgan Beck

Johan VineyardsRickreall, OR

Brandon Sharp

Hawthorne & Wood / Bluebird / ProximoChapel Hill, NC

David S. Shields

University of South CarolinaColumbia, SC

Russ Moore

Slightly North of BroadCharleston, SC

Chelsea Christian

Slightly North of BroadCharleston, SC

Dominick Lee

Augustine'sHouston, TX

Greg Garrison

Prohibition Charleston, SC

Tyler King

The King of Queens EntertainmentAtlanta, GA

Von Diaz

Von DiazDurham, NC

Kelly Franz

MagnoliasCharleston, SC

Maura Griffin

Grand Bohemian CharlestonCharleston, SC

Hunter Conklin

Brasserie La BanqueCharleston, SC

Mark Keiser

The JamesCharleston, SC

Matthew Conway

The Tippling HouseCharleston, SC

Brandon Jones

King BBQNorth Charleston, SC

Shuai Wang

Jackrabbit FillyNorth Charleston, SC

Alex Eaton

La Cave Charleston, SC

Matt Nelling

Skurnik Wines & SpiritsNew York, NY

Bailey Sullivan

Monteverde Restaurant & PastificioChicago, IL

Paul Zekus

Grace & GritMt. Pleasant, SC

Kevin Johnson

The GroceryCharleston, SC

Kristen Hall

La FêteBirmingham, AL

Mele Sosa

Bodega GarzónIssaquah, WA

Elaina Ruth

Elaina RuthCharleston, SC

Nick Goellner

The Antler Room/AnjinKansas City, MO

Michelle Weaver

Chubby MermaidCharleston, SC

Marvin Ross

Peculiar Pig EatsCharleston, SC

Letha McClary

39 Rue de JeanCharleston, SC

Sarah McClure

Southside Smokehouse & GrilleLandrum, SC

Kimberly Unterreiner

Far Niente Wine EstatesNapa Valley, California

BJ Dennis

Chef BJ DennisBluffton, SC

Alex Ojeda

Kiawah Island Golf ResortKiawah Island, SC

Bintou Ndaw

Bintu AtelierCharleston, SC

Kendra Tidwell

Barrier Island Oyster CompanyCharleston, SC

Michael DeCiccio

Linnette's | The Dunlin, Auberge CollectionKiawah River, SC

Kevin Mitchell

The Culinary Institute of CharlestonNorth Charleston, SC

Blaise Mahan

Salthouse CateringCharleston, SC

Alejandro Martinez

Grand Bohemian CharlestonCharleston, SC

Joe Nierstedt

Katsubo Chicken & RamenCharleston, SC

Nathan Evick

Murrell's Row SpiritsAtlanta, GA

Tim Richardson

Hank's SeafoodCharleston, SC

Keith Richardson

Kiawah Island Golf ResortKiawah Island, SC

Jeremiah Langhorne

The DabneyWashington, District of Columbia

Justin Wages

Don Luchi WinesCharleston, SC

Tia Clark

Casual Crabbing with TiaCharleston, South Carolina

Kyle Kryske

The Royal TernCharleston, SC

Jason Stanhope

LowlandCharleston, SC

Michael Toscano

Le FarfalleCharleston, SC

Anthony Marini

The PassCharleston, SC

Elliott Howells

The EstablishmentCharleston, SC

Jake Stone

Salthouse CateringCharleston, SC

Miles White

Graft Wine Shop Charleston, SC

Josh Eboch

Barrier Island Oyster CompanyCharleston, SC

Doug Frost

Echolands WineryWalla Walla, Washington

Conor Delaney

Crawford HospitalityRaleigh, NC

Kelly Newman

Kiawah Island Golf ResortKiawah Island, South Carolina

Donald Goodemote

Burwell's Stone Fire GrillCharleston, SC

Matthew Horton

SidekicksCharleston, SC

Steven Brooks

Kiawah Island Resort Sanctuary HotelKiawah Island, SC
Back to top