When Branchfood member Matthew Demma left his native Boston in 2013 to pursue a career in food, he quickly realized his love of wine watching the sommelier at the joint butcher shop-restaurant he worked at. Seven years later, Matthew is a sommelier himself studying for his Champagne Master Level certification through the Wine Scholars Guild.

After returning to Boston last year, Matthew saw an opportunity to launch a business built on this passion. He founded Perlage Sparkling Wine Club in July 2020, offering members the opportunity to experience a sommelier-curated selection of sparkling wines, a total of 18 bottles during the twelve-month subscription, along with a cookbook in each shipment. Perlage’s mission is to teach members how to integrate sparkling wine into their everyday lives, enjoyed outside of just special occasions.

Read on to learn what inspired Matthew to launch Perlage, how he sources his wines and cookbooks, and what alcoholic beverage trends he hopes to see long-term!

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Prior to founding Perlage, you worked as a sommelier in restaurants across the East Coast. What inspired you to start your own wine subscription service, and how did you settle on this as the business model?

When restaurants shut down in March, I started to miss the relationship I had with guests. With every table that sits in the dining room, I have a new opportunity to discuss wine and create an experience. The subscription model provides a platform to have that conversation, but in a way that is remote, pandemic-friendly, and allows for broader reach. I chose to specifically work in a subscription, as opposed to other ecommerce structures, because I maintain the ability to curate the wines. Designing each box is like creating a menu or a small wine-list.

How did you tackle the unique challenges of launching during a pandemic?

With workers remote and offices understaffed, I had to accept that everything would take more time than normal, especially when submitting licensing paperwork and other legal documents. Otherwise, I’d have to admit, this is a business that came out of the new needs in the pandemic.

Each Perlage box contains three bottles of premium sparkling wine, as well as a cookbook. How did you hone this focus — i.e., why did you choose to focus on sparkling wine, and why was it important to include these other components beyond just the bottles?

The cookbooks help members understand how to integrate the wines into their everyday lives. The mission of Perlage is to promote the idea that sparkling wine belongs on the dinner table as much as any other wine. In the restaurant, I can show this by pairing a sparkling wine with an entree, but at home, it is up to the member to serve the wine alongside their home cooking. Including the books and highlighting specific recipes draws that connection for the member at home.

As a sommelier, you have a vast knowledge of the wine industry. Tell us more about your supply chain — how do you select and source the bottles that go into each Perlage shipment, and what inspires the choice of cookbook that pairs with them?

Working with distributors in California, where we will be shipping from, the wines are chosen on a few criteria. First, I look outside of the Champagne designation, in the hopes to highlight other regions. Second, quality. What is the process used to craft these wines? The grapes? How does that unique region and climate affect grape choice and vineyard management? As far as the cookbooks, I have been collecting cookbooks for years! I have been digging through my personal library looking for inspiration. I choose books based on accessibility of the recipes and their ability to pair with the wines. My hope is that members are cracking open their books, popping their wine, and having a fun evening. I never want them to be intimidated by the recipe or the wine.

COVID-19 has had a huge impact on consumer food habits. What are some alcoholic beverage trends you’ve seen arise in the last few months, and do you foresee those sticking around long-term?

I hope that to-go cocktails, beers and wines from restaurants stick around. Not only are these great revenue sources for restaurants (in a pandemic or not), but also an opportunity for customers to access wines that are exclusively sold to restaurants and create thoughtful pairings with take-out food. As the sommelier at Catalyst Restaurant, I have put together a list of wines offered to-go which would not normally not be available on a retail shelf and paired with our meal-kits. Hopefully this type of program is allowed, legally, to stick around after the pandemic.

How has being a Branchfood member helped you to connect with the Boston food community?

Branchfood has been so helpful in starting this business, I’ve made many helpful connections, and it’s also just been great to be a part of a community. Right now Perlage is a one-man show, but having the support and resources of Branchfood has made me feel supported the whole way.

How can our audience support Perlage?

Follow us on instagram @perlagesparklingwineclub, and sign up for updates to learn when you can become an inaugural member!

Thank you to Matthew from Perlage Sparkling Wine Club for being this week’s Member Monday spotlight. Are you interested in how a Branchfood membership can help you succeed? Learn more about our membership benefits, and stay informed with our newsletter. Be sure to follow us on Instagram for our next Member Monday takeover!