A warm welcome to Matt Vaile and husband, Shane Kirkland, who in December – just in time for Christmas – opened Ripy and Vine, a bottle shop with very cool vibes on St Patrick St.
Hopefully many of you discovered this delightful stop when shopping for festive parties and loved ones this holiday period.
The wines have been curated for a “wide range of tastes” and some chosen for being from “off the beaten path” shares Matt. January will see the launch of R&V’s “Wine Club,” a monthly ritual built around four bottles under Classic – wines that are familiar but never boring – or Adventure – wine for drinkers who like to be surprised! Choose a 6 or 12 month subscription and pick up your bottles the first Saturday of every month. A fun way to kick off 2026!
In addition to bottles, R&V offers a variety of interesting snacks – crisps, nuts, biscuits, popcorn, canned octopus and sardines as well as unique pastas and sauces. If it’s a hostess gift you need you’ll find beautiful candles, incense, or swag such as logoed ball caps and bottle bags.
Finally, for the person partaking in a dry January you can pick up Phony Negronis or Chai concentrate! While wine samples are ready for the asking, R&V plans to be a full fledged wine bar this coming March. So pull up for a glass of warmth when it’s frosty outside!
“Ripy” in the store name hails from Shane’s great great grandfather. The Ripy family were prominent 19th and early 20th-century Kentucky distillers based in Lawrenceburg/Anderson County, foundational to the region’s bourbon industry. James Ripy began operations with his son Thomas B. (T.B.) Ripy expanding it into a massive operation, while Earnest W. Ripy (son of TB) later established the site that became Wild Turkey.
Matt from London, ON and Shane from Ohio first connected in LA when Matt – working for Shopify – was launching Kylie Jenner’s first beauty shop back in 2016 (!!). Moving to Stratford and married in 2023, Shane is now pursuing his masters in marketing at Western University, while Matt is at the helm of their new endeavour and also sits on the board of Destination Stratford. It was nostalgia for his childhood visits to Stratford that led this couple to our city – lucky for us!
To get in touch with Ripy & Vine, please click here for our directory listing.
