Summer wine pairings with Richmond's coolest sommelier

by Fayeruz Regan Jul 29, 20250 comments

Richmond is a mid-sized city with big-city culture; world-class art at VMFA, nationally-renowned restaurants, and its fair share of wine bars. And while most wine bars are lovely, Click wine bar is more than that. It's a community.

The Click community

This is because of owner Matt McGuigan, casually referred to by friends and customers as "Matty." In fact, it's hard to draw the line between customers and friends at Click, because it's a community hub. I went in to chat with Matty about summer wine pairings, and customers from neighboring businesses swung by for a chat and a drink. Greetings were always warm and familiar. Another customer came in with a gift for Matty: something to soften sharp corners on countertops and displays.

Going prehistoric

How does a wine bar go from being a retail location to a community hub? For one, Matty is not mailing it in. He's a trained sommelier who is passionate about wine - and it runs deep. Like, Miocene era deep. A map enthusiast, he gestured passionately before a map of the Santa Barbara region. "It's the most exciting wine region in the U.S. On earth even. Well, Greece is pretty exciting too." I watched on as he detailed how the fossilized blooming algae from the Miocene period makes for great soil. How the windswept hills and foggy weather make the grapes struggle, creating a more delicious grape.

Small plates, big flavor

Another reason for the devoted following is the food. McGuigan is also a trained chef, who studied at the culinary institute. Fun fact: Ted Turner was his classmate. He was a chef at the Jefferson in Richmond, in Reykjavik, Iceland, and Mexico City. But at Click, McGuigan wants to celebrate American food, offering small plates that would make the weary feel almost patriotic again.

"The Southwest is my happy place, as far as flavor," he admits. He didn't need to. A glass jar of guajillo peppers sat by the prep area. McGuigan's unpretentious menu is almost subversive, taking control over the narrative of what actually makes America great. It also challenges preconceived notions about wine culture.

A virtuous business model

Community is evident in every aspect of his business. It's a retail space with a bathroom open to the public, which was important to him. He uses recyclable to-go containers to reduce waste. He pops popcorn for his guests, adding fun spices here and there, asking visitors to guess the secret ingredient.

He also doesn't cut corners, placing profit over quality. When creating his from-scratch sauces, he splurges on healthy avocado oil, when he could have quietly swapped it for canola. He invites different artists to display their work for sale on his walls, and offers an opening night party, supporting the arts while welcoming new people into the fold. It's a pretty great place to hang out.

Below, you'll find a few summertime wine pairings recommended by Matty himself.

Summertime wine pairings

Chardonnay

Red Tail Ridge Sans Oak Chardonnay has no oak flavor, as the grapes rest on the leaves instead, never touching a barrel. Allowing the grapes to "do their own thing" makes the chardonnay clean and appley. It pairs beautifully with a cheese plate.