Matt Shuplock credits a bit of good fortune along with a lot of hard work for kick starting his nearly two-decade long career in the wine industry. As a Fermentation Biotechnology major at the University of California, Davis, an empty booth at the college career fair led to an interview and ultimately steered the course of his career toward the wine industry. At a young age, Matt’s father instilled in him the importance of a strong work ethic. It’s a lesson he still carries with him. His mother continued to remind him to always be kind and appreciate others. Matt credits these values for shaping him into the winemaker he is today.  Matt was drawn to winemaking by its balance of art and science. He explains that as a winemaker, you have the unique ability to capture a time and a place in a bottle. Each year brings the opportunity for reinvention. Matt jokes that this makes him “mad scientist” of sorts. Early in his career, Matt experienced the generosity of the wine industry firsthand. He has had many mentors, who not only took a chance on him, but also continued to teach and share insights to help him grow and learn. Linda Trotta, winemaker at Bread & Butter is one of many wine industry professionals Matt considers mentors and friends.