Raised in the restaurant business, Matt quickly grew passionate about fine dining and specifically wine. In 2003, while managing McCrady’s Wine Bar in Charleston, Matt became Certified sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers program, and in 2005 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 CWF Festival Wine Director. He went on to work with the Charleston Wine + Food Festival in multiple capacities for the next 13 years. Matt founded DRINK Brand Partners in the summer of 2018, and co-founded Allura Wine Company in 2022. Allura Wine produces high quality, value driven, and responsibly produced Italian wines with purity and freshness. Poggio Costa Prosecco DOC, Poggio Terra Barbera DOC Monferrato, and Fred Barbera DOC Piemonte 3L Box wines.