Those familiar with Brent and his approachable, sophisticated style, obvious passion for and knowledge of wine, will immediaetly recognize his influence at Maxwell.

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Most recently, Brent was named a 2018 Food & Wine Sommelier of the Year. He has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Washingtonian, The Washington Post, Wine & Spirits, Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator and more, and was named a Rising Star by StarChefs.com in 2014.

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Prior to opening Maxwell in June 2017, Brent oversaw 16 wine programs for the Neighborhood Restaurant Group where he designed the wine program of the newly re-opened Iron Gate, a historic landmark that was once the longest operating restaurant in D.C. In 2015, Iron Gate was awarded Wine Program of the Year by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington and Top Wine Program in the D.C. region by DC Modern Luxury, and was also recognized as one of the Best Wine Restaurants in America by Wine Enthusiast. In addition, Brent wrote the wine lists for other local restaurants, including Hazel and The Partisan.

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Brent brings a depth of knowledge and restaurant experience to his current position. Before coming on the scene in D.C., Brent helped open the Michael Mina Group at Saltwater at the MGM Grand in Detroit, worked at the Fairmont Turnberry Country Club in Miami and took his first head sommelier position at Casa Tua in South Beach. Upon arriving in the nation’s capital in 2008, Brent quickly made a name for himself with renowned restaurateur Ashok Bajaj. During that time, Brent oversaw the wine program at Ardeo/Bardeo and later at The Oval Room, where he also created the cocktail menu. In 2010, Brent accepted the position of wine director at Adour by Alain Ducasse at The St. Regis Hotel where he oversaw the sommelier team and designed the beverage program for the hotel. In 2016, he was the general  manager of Proof in downtown Washington, which helped prepare him for running his own bar.

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After some shifts, you might find him enjoying his favorite pour, Fiorini "Terre al Sole" Lambrusco di Castelvetro. The beauty of this wine is that it's simple and everything he wants it to be, plus it's a classic pairing for charcuterie. If you hear Cam'ron's "Hey Ma" on at the bar, that's Brent's handiwork. 

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