Matt Reid

Winemaker & General Manager

Born in Chicago and raised in Northern Virginia, Matt made San Francisco his home in 1993. After earning his M.S. in Viticulture & Enology from UC-Davis in 2003, Matt dove straight into the world of winemaking during that year’s harvest. With a dynamic career spanning roles at Seavey, Failla, and Quixote, his journey culminated in joining Benessere as winemaker in 2013. Matt’s unwavering determination, commitment, and genuine passion have consistently delivered exceptional wines. We’re excited about his recent promotion and eagerly anticipate his impactful leadership as General Manager. Beyond the winery, Matt cherishes moments of snow skiing with his daughter, the thrill of foraging for wild mushrooms, indulging in extensive reading, and crafting delectable dishes through his love for cooking. Complementing these passions, Matt dedicates himself to education, serving on the Calistoga school board, actively contributing to the betterment of his community’s educational endeavors.

Travis Scarborough

Director of Sales & Marketing

Travis, a Napa Valley native, has deep-rooted ties to the region. After earning a degree in Wine Business from Sonoma State University, he briefly worked in Napa Valley before moving to Washington State, where he founded a small winery. Following 17 years away, Travis returned to Napa Valley and joined Benessere Vineyards.

Travis’s passion for wine began early, crafting his first wine at the age of 19. While he acknowledges it wasn’t his best work, it sparked a lifelong dedication to the craft. With extensive experience across various facets of the wine industry, Travis’s expertise and enthusiasm, particularly for Italian varietals, make him an invaluable asset to Benessere Vineyards.

Maggie Maib

Assistant DTC Manager

A Calistoga native, Maggie brings deep Napa Valley roots and a lifelong love of community to every guest experience. Her career has spanned boutique lodging as well as the wine and beer industries, where she has worked both front of house and behind the scenes and produced community events that celebrate wine, food, and culture. This broad perspective gives her a strong operational understanding while grounding her approach in genuine, heartfelt hospitality.

With a natural gift for fostering connection, Maggie ensures that every guest feels welcomed and cared for. Her blend of professionalism, creativity, and warmth continues to shape memorable experiences for all who cross her path

Robert Hattaway

Office Manager

Bob began his career in the wine business in 1976 and, over the past 48 years, has been involved in nearly every aspect of fine wine sales and marketing, including retail, restaurant, wholesale, and winery operations. He relocated to Napa Valley in 1980 and has worked for some of the most prestigious wineries in the region, such as Chateau Montelena, Grgich Hills, Corison Winery, Crocker & Starr, and, most notably, Benessere Vineyards, where he has served in an administrative capacity for the last eight years.

An avid chef, Bob enjoys experimenting with different cuisines almost daily. Outside the kitchen, he spends much of his time managing his personal investments and exploring family history. His wife, Liubov, also assists with special events at the winery from time to time.

Joel Guzman

Cellar Master

Joel in the Press – Napa Magazine, Issue #18

The Unsung Heroes of the Napa Valley

UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES
Harvest can be a challenging time of the year for any winery. But it also can present unexpected opportunities to innovate. In 2022, Joel Guzman, the 38-year-old cellar master at Benessere, a boutique winery in St. Helena, recalls the Aglianico grapes were so heavy that they leak a lot of juice on the way to the press. “I started collecting the juice and at the end of the day I had 15 gallons,” says Guzman. He fermented it into a dry rosé with notes of strawberry and cherry, then asked winemaker Matt Reid to taste it. Matt liked the wine so much that in 2023, they picked Aglianico early to specifically make another rosé.
Guzman works with a small team of two other people to bring in 10 different grapes from Aglianico to Zinfandel. Sometimes a few varieties ripen at the same time and getting stressed out isn’t an option. “When you have five or six grapes coming in, you may not have available tanks and you have to act right away,” Guzman says. “You ask your brain to work a little bit harder and you have to be patient and positive.”
He’s skilled at thinking ahead, having part of the team prepare tanks, while others weigh fruit and remove leaves and shriveled grapes to get the fruit ready for the next step. The team warms up each tank before adding yeast to start the fermentation process, then watches very carefully to make sure the temperature doesn’t get hot enough to kill the yeast. Guzman uses hot and cold valves to manually set tank temperatures to accommodate this high-wire act, an expertise born from years of experience.

Mat Domaradzki

Sales & Hospitality

Raised in Los Angeles by a family who loved to travel, Mat built his early career in the travel industry. Coursework during a semester abroad at the University of Cape Town introduced him to the world of wine, a passion that deepened while managing corporate food and beverage education events at Hilton Worldwide’s corporate headquarters.

After relocating to Calistoga for his wife’s job in Napa Valley, Mat transitioned seamlessly into the wine industry. He worked a harvest at Hourglass and later joined Benessere Vineyards in the tasting room, quickly becoming part of the local community—all while welcoming a new baby boy into his growing family.