Wine Portfolio

Matt Brain

Winemaker, Alpha Omega

Winemaker Matt Brain, possessing a master’s degree in biosciences and a background in process engineering, brings naturalist philosophies and highly technical abilities to winemaking at Alpha Omega where he began as Associate Winemaker. After leaving a successful career in the Toronto area to pursue his dream of winemaking in California, the Ontario, Canada native joined Phase 2 Cellars, a custom winemaking operation in San Luis Obispo, for the 2006 harvest. Matt was quickly promoted to supervise cellar operations for the facility’s premium label, Tolosa, while receiving mentorship from some of the most renowned and respected professionals in California.

Matt earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in biosciences at Sam Houston State University, where he was a scholarship decathlete. He also earned a winemaking degree from UC Davis and held winemaker titles at prominent California wineries and winemaker/lecturer positions with Enology and Viticulture programs at both Cal Poly and Fresno State universities. He partnered with The Vineyard Team, which promotes sustainable winegrowing, as a Sustainability Auditor and continues to educate as a Podcast Host for the organization. Matt’s passion for the environment benefits Alpha Omega, where the land and winery are both Napa Green certified and the Vineyard Management team practices sustainable farming.

Country born: Canada

Education: UC Davis Professional Winemaking Degree/Taught winemaking at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo and Fresno State

Years in the wine industry: 15-20 years

Winemaking Philosophy:
As a winemaker who believes that every vineyard block has a specific set of unique characteristics, Matt aims to identify those distinctive attributes and to express them in the glass as naturally as possible.