Winemaker Matt Brain has a Master’s Degree in Biosciences and experience in process engineering which gives him a strong background in naturalist philosophies that complement his highly technical abilities in winemaking.
Matt earned his Bachelor of Science and Master’s in biosciences at Sam Houston State University, where he was a decathlete scholar. Matt also possesses a winemaking degree from UC Davis and has held Lecturer / Winemaker positions in the Enology and Viticulture programs at both Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Fresno State Universities.
Matt has a passion for the environment and works closely with both Winery and Vineyard Management teams guiding their sustainable efforts.
Associate Winemaker Melissa Paris put herself through school and became the first in her family to graduate from college with a degree in Wine and Viticulture with an Enology Concentration from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where winemaker Matt Brain was her teacher for two years.
As professionals, Melissa and Matt worked together for three years at Alpha Omega Collective’s Phase II Cellars before becoming Alpha Omega’s Winemaking team. Melissa oversees the winery’s laboratory, production flow and quality control in the cellar and shares key blending decisions with Matt.
In her spare time, Melissa is a scholarship award recipient studying for her Global Wine Executive MBA at Sonoma State University.
Consulting Winemaker Andy Erickson has crafted an illustrious career since his arrival in Napa Valley in 1994 with a Master’s Degree in Enology from UC Davis.
Over the past thirty years, he has worked with some of Napa Valley’s most notable wineries, including Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate and Dalla Valle in addition to, his family labels, Favia and Leviathan.
Working hand in hand with Alpha Omega’s winemaking team, Andy’s understanding and winemaking mastery of Napa Valley terroir has been the basis for Alpha Omega’s handcrafting some of the most highly sought-after wines in Napa Valley.