Matt Stamp

The Climb

The path through hospitality is visible in the sequence of roles. At V. Mertz in Omaha, NE, Stamp worked as manager, a position that would have required command of the dining room and the cellar at once. He then moved into sommelier roles at Farmhouse Inn and Restaurant in Russian River Valley and The French Laundry in Yountville, CA, two settings that mark the level of precision expected of a wine professional working at that tier. That progression, from manager to sommelier to educator, shows a career built on applied knowledge rather than a single fixed title. Each step added a different layer of responsibility: floor discipline, tasting-room rigor, and then the work of passing that knowledge on. Today, Stamp holds roles that sit squarely in instruction and hospitality, with the Guild of Sommeliers on one side and Compline on the other.

Today

Stamp serves as Education Director for the Guild of Sommeliers and co-proprietor at Compline Wine Bar and Restaurant in Napa. The work is anchored in a region defined by wine, but the emphasis is on practice: helping shape how wine is understood, and keeping that understanding tied to the realities of service. At Compline, the name frames the evening service he oversees; with the Guild, his reach extends into the broader field of sommeliers.

In Their Words “I passed my master assembly exam in 2011 and I am now the co-owner of compliment wine bar and restaurant.” “Hey, I'm Matt Stamp, owner of Compline Wine Shop and Compline Restaurant.”

Recognition

Stamp’s recognition spans competition and scholarship, and it reads as proof of sustained standing rather than a single break-out moment. His honors include James Beard Award, Best Wine Service semifinalist, TOP SOMM competition, America's Top Sommelier (2010), and Rudd Scholar (2008). Taken together, they point to a career built through service, study, and the steady accumulation of technical credibility.