Founded in 1999 as Pembina Fine Wines, the winehouse was established by Tico & Karen Cornejo. Tico, a Chilean born Canadian, brought a love for wine and people to every aspect of the business. Tico came from humble beginnings, growing up in San Fernando - a small town in Chile's Colchagua Valley. When Tico moved to Canada, he first worked on the loading docks of Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries. Over time, he advanced to the purchasing department, where his fream of creating a wine-focused business started to grow. This was also where Tico met Karen, who worked summers at the MBLL while studying business and law at the Univerisity of Manitoba. They got married and as Karen began her law career they took the plunge into entrepreeursip, transforming Tico's passion for wine into a family business. For Tico, each bottle of wine was a story to be savoured and shared with loved ones.

For over two decades, Tico shared his passion for wine with family, friends, colleagues, and customers. Sadly, Tico passed away unexpectedly in 2020; however, his legacy endures, and his joy and warmth continues to resonate through the shop and the wine bar at the winehouse. Today, Karen leads the winehouse. She is joined by their children, Julia and Paulo, and the talented winehouse team, who are committed to carrying forward Tico's love for wine, friendship, family, and community.