Matthew Spirn

In 1998, Matthew was as far away from the world of wine as one could possibly get.  Producing music videos for the Wu-Tang Clan and DMX, Matthew was using his production skills to coordinate and “make happen” videos that were airing on BET and MTV.    Eventually an “incident” (feel free to ask him about it) opened the opportunity to move to Los Angeles and to work in production on game shows.  Again, his problem solving skills and the ability to “make happen” helped him move ahead in his career, learning the ins-and-outs of television.

In 2005, Matthew switched gears, moving to Northport and working for PhoneCharge International as Vice President and Director of Business Development.  While there he created/produced businesses, such as an identity theft and credit monitoring service.  He did this by producing partnerships with AIG Insurance and the Transunion credit reporting agency.  In other words he “produced.”

In 2007, his desire to start his own business took hold.  He was determined to open a business on Main Street in an effort to curb the economic stagnation that had evolved in his backyard.  The first problem, of what would eventually turn into many problems was what type of business would fit on Main Street and offer something truly unique to the locals and tourists who visit.  After extensive research and consultation he decided that a wine shop would work well.  This led to his second problem, namely that he didn’t know the first thing about wine!  “Whenever I would go into a wine shop I would make my decisions mostly based on whether or not the wine label had an animal featured on the label.”  After thinking about this issue he came to the conclusion that the best way to make good wine buying decisions was to try the wine first, before investing in a bottle, “try and buy”.    This led to his third problem; you can’t drink wine in a wine shop!  To overcome this minor issue, he decided to open a wine bar as well!  This would allow customers the opportunity to sample many different wines. 

Once the idea was finalized the second phase began, implementing the idea.  He decided to use only local contractors and service providers in an effort to support the local economy.  This concept led to his common phrase, when asked about the progress of his business, “Like the Godfather, I keep my friends close, and my contractors closer.” This proved to be a worthwhile process, as he was extremely satisfied with the quality of the work performed on his premise.  One of his main goals was to re-use as much of the pre-existing materials that were left in the shop to help maintain the history of the building and its prior tenants.  Toward this end, he refurbished all the original cabinetry and had wine racks built in to them.  He restored the original hardwood floors, the original tin ceiling from 1910, and even repurposed the original bathroom door as a display table.  His concept was to “keep Northport in Northport. “

While all the construction was on-going, Matthew hired his Sommelier, Edwin Davila.  Edwin proved to be invaluable to his plan.  Together, they tasted over 5,000 wines together in an effort to offer wines that were balanced, quality driven, and good value for the money.  The idea they employed was this: The wines that Edwin appreciated at his educated level for their complexity, depth, and quality, and the wines Matthew appreciated at the emotive level, their drinkability, and approachability were the wines they selected.  This collaborative effort led to an amazing offering of wines that were not only interesting to the wine connoisseur, but also the casual wine drinker.  Matt has often said that, “like the Hair Club for Men, he is not only the owner, but is also a customer.”  His wine shop is designed to please the largest possible cross section of the wine drinking community. 

Once all the construction was completed, the wine list finalized, and the proper licenses secured, the Northport Tasting Room and Wine Cellar was ready for business.

William P. Laimit
Certified Sommelier / Wine Director

A former teacher and Administrator of Special Education, for over 30 years William, earned a Doctorate of Educational Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University.  While in his twenties, he discovered a strong interest in cooking, baking bread, barbecuing and grilling.  This interest led him to try wines and ultimately to develop a passion for them.  As his knowledge grew he was able to begin collecting and cellaring wines, providing him with a collection that he enjoys sharing with family and friends.  In addition to reading books and periodicals on wine, he had taken Kevin Zraly's "Windows on the World Wine Course" and The French Culinary Institute's Wine Course.  In February of 2008, William became a Certified Sommelier through the Sommelier Society of America.  He has also worked at Houdek's Spirit Shoppe for three and one half years as a clerk.  Currently, he is a wine and beer buyer, and conducts wine tastings and classes.