Alpha Omega Collective
Melissa Paris
Associate Winemaker, Melissa Paris, chased harvests between the northern and southern hemispheres for six years before being lured to Napa in the fall of 2020. At Alpha Omega, she is responsible for overall production flow of the cellar and oversees the winery’s laboratory, including all quality control aspects in the life of the wine, ie. harvesting, fruit crush, fermentation, aging, and bottling. Melissa works closely with Winemaker Matt Brain, on all crucial winemaking decisions and assessments. Born in Pomona, CA, and raised in nearby West Covina, Melissa exhibited a strong palate and sense of smell as a child when she enjoyed dissecting meals to find individual flavors in dishes. Following a professional dance career in New York, she took the recommendation of a friend who suggested Melissa’s palate and bartending/restaurant experience would serve her well in the wine industry. No one was more surprised than she, when an exciting soil science and chemistry class triggered her fierce determination to become a winemaker. After putting herself through college, Melissa became the first in her family to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Wine and Viticulture with an Enology Concentration and Minor in Dance from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Her winemaking philosophy is rooted in the understanding that great winemaking is not possible without great fruit that is grown and made by a great team. When she is not busy running the winery, Melissa is working towards earning her Global Wine Exec MBA through Sonoma State University. She loves animals, the outdoors, and still performs with a local contemporary dance company based out of Sonoma County, CA in her spare time.
Barrett Spiegel
Barrett Spiegel is the Director of Offsite Sales and Key Clients at Alpha Omega Collective. He has represented the Collective for eight years and made his start at Alpha Omega’s sister winery Tolosa, located on the Central Coast of California. He has shared Alpha Omega Collective Wines at various wine festivals, winemaker dinners, and private events all over the world, and when he’s not traveling, he resides in Napa Valley and hosts private tastings at the Alpha Omega Estate in the Rutherford AVA and plays as much golf as possible.