Winemakers

Our Winemakers

Matt Thomson

New Zealander Matt Thomson heads the Alpha Zeta winemaking team. Matt is a renowned winemaker and a key figure in the international wine industry. In 2008, he was awarded ‘White Winemaker of the Year’ at the International Wine Challenge.

Alana McGettigan

Alana has worked in the wine industry since 2002 with winemaking experience in New Zealand, Australia, France and Italy.

Luca Degani

Luca was born into the wine world, coming from a wine producing family in Valpolicella Classica. Before joining Cantina Valpantena, he worked in the laboratory in Bussolengo.

Gaetano Tobin

Tano is Managing Director at Cantina Monteforte, Director of the Soave Consortium and advises various local wine related committees.

Pregasi scegliere paese e data di nascita

Please select your country and enter your date of birth

A: A is for Amarone
A type of wine made in the Veneto by drying the grapes before fermentation.
B: B is for Barrels
We use a mixture of french oak barriques and large 'botti'.
C: C is for Corvina
A red grape variety indigenous to the Veneto that produces bright, fresh cherry-scented wines.
D: D is for DOCG
DOCG, DOC and IGT denominates the delimited area and regulations under which Italian wines are made, for example Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG.
E: E is for Extra Virgin
Extra Virgin olive oil comes from the highest quality olives and must contain no more than 0.8% oleic acid (our oil has 0.2%).
F: F is for Faultless
Faults can be oxidation, reduction or 'cork taint'. We work hard to produce wines free from any of these faults, and use screwcap where the DOC regulations permit.
G: G is for Garganega
A delicate white grape variety that is the mainstay of Soave wines.
H: H is for Harvest
Timing of the harvest is crucial - too early and the grapes will not be ripe, too late and they may spoil.
I: I is for Indigenous
We always use indigenous, local varieties to express the place where the wines are produced.
J: J is for Juice
Once pressed, the precious juice must be carefully looked after to preserve all the flavour accumulated in the vineyard.
K: K is for Kayaking Kiwi
Winemaker fact: Matt Thomson is a champion kayaker in his Kiwi homeland!
L: L is for Low yields
Lower yields means better fruit with more flavour, achieved through careful vineyard management which is crucial to our winemaking.
M: M is for Modern
We have combined modern methods with traditional varieties and local knowledge to create the best wines possible.
N: N is for North East
The North East corner of Italy is the home to many top wines, including Valpolicella, Amarone and Soave.
O: O is for Olives
Traditionally grown alongside vines, local varieties are Grignano and Favarol.
P: P is for Pinot Grigio
An appealing white grape variety grown all over the world but with its roots in the North East of Italy.
Q: Q is for Quality
We work with trusted local growers and winemakers to ensure our grapes and resulting wines are of the highest possible quality.
R: R is for Ripasso
A traditional style of winemaking where the young wine was fermented on the Amarone skins. The new approach is to ferment the young wine together with dried grapes.
S: S is for Stelvin
We use Stelvin, or screwcap, to close our wines so they retain all the freshness and flavour we intended.
T: T is for Twitter
Follow us on Twitter @AlphaZetaWine!
U: U is for Unsung Heros
We choose to bottle the unsung heroes of Valpolicella and Soave as single varietals (Corvina, Garganega) to let their quality shine through.
V: V is for Vineyards
Site selection is very important. All our vineyards are on the hills with the greatest sun exposure and cooling breezes to provide perfect growing conditions for the grapes.
W: W is for Water
Vines can't produce good fruit without enough water, so making sure the soil is in good health with enough water reserves is important in vineyard management.
X: X is for eXtraction
Extracting flavour and colour from the grapes is a delicate business and finding the right balance requires a skilled winemaker.
Y: Y is for Yeast
Without yeast wine would still be grape juice. It kicks off the fermentation by feeding on the sugar in the fruit to produce alcohol.
Z: Z is for Zone
All our wines are made within regulated, delimited zones of production.

Our Winemakers

Matt Thomson

Alana McGettigan

Luca Degani

Gaetano Tobin

More in this section:

Pregasi scegliere paese e data di nascita

Please select your country and enter your date of birth

A is for Amarone

B is for Barrels

C is for Corvina

D is for DOCG

E is for Extra Virgin

F is for Faultless

G is for Garganega

H is for Harvest

I is for Indigenous

J is for Juice

K is for Kayaking Kiwi

L is for Low yields

M is for Modern

N is for North East

O is for Olives

P is for Pinot Grigio

Q is for Quality

R is for Ripasso

S is for Stelvin

T is for Twitter

U is for Unsung Heros

V is for Vineyards

W is for Water

X is for eXtraction

Y is for Yeast

Z is for Zone

Contact us