ABOUT VINESTONE - THE FIXTURES

Matt Browman - General Manager/Partner

Matt's background has seen him through the bar, fine-dining restaurant, retail, judging, travel, journalism and educational aspects of the wine trade. He got his official start in the wine business in between an undergraduate degree in Japanese Cultural Studies and a Master's Degree in Japanese Religious Philosophy (that degree never came). Working as a bartender in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, he found the diversity of experiences and information in wine so compelling that, despite a shamefully poor education and background in the field, he accepted an opportunity to manage a beverage program for a 4-Diamond hotel.

He never looked back. With certification from the International Sommelier Guild, Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and the Court of Master Sommeliers from Niagara Falls, Toronto, London, UK & San Francisco, California, as well as travel to many of the main wine-growing countries of the world, Matt has established himself as an authority on the subject, and his passion leads him forward.

As well as managing the Vinestone Wine Co., Matt also operates and instructs the WSET in Calgary which he opened under the auspices of Fine Vintage Ltd. in 2006. He also has acted as lead judge for the Western Canadian Wine Awards, writes regular wine columns that have been published in the U.S., Canada and New Zealand, has been hosted on CBC Radio, and has been featured in local and national publications.

But all that aside, Matt just really, really likes wine. And all the extra stuff is much less important to him than infecting others with the same enthusiasm.

Stanley - Mascot
Stanley is the Springer Spaniel X Border Collie that greets you when you arrive many days of the week. Because he can be a little naughty and go visiting the neighbours, Stanley is often tethered to a bollard post in front of the shop. He has a great nose of which Matt is admittedly jealous, however he lacks the cognitive and language skills necessary to translate his experiences into thoughts and words. He is very friendly and gentle, and loves visits from adults, children and other dogs, insofar as they are neutered (the dogs, that is). Otherwise, he gets a little jealous and insecure. Be sure to give Stanley a little pat on the head on your way in the door, and don't be alarmed if sometimes you feel the soft caress of a tongue on your toes