Rhett Gadke Joins Alpha Omega as Brand Strategist
RUTHERFORD, Calif. — December 21, 2017
Alpha Omega, a family-owned winery in the legendary Rutherford Bench of Napa Valley, has announced the hiring of Rhett Gadke as its Brand Strategist. It is a newly created position, and one that reflects the winery’s ambition as it enters its second decade as one of Napa Valley’s most celebrated luxury producers.
In this role, Gadke reports directly to vintners Robin and Michelle Baggett and takes the lead on efforts to further elevate the Alpha Omega brand, deepen relationships with wine lovers across the country, and bring new energy to one of the most storied estates on Highway 29.
Eighteen Years in the Making
Gadke does not arrive at Alpha Omega without a serious track record. He spent 18 years at Bounty Hunter Rare Wines and Spirits, one of the country’s most recognized names in fine and rare wine retail. He started there when it was a small mail-order catalog and helped build it into a consumer-direct leader in fine and rare wines, eventually rising to vice president where he managed the buying team and ran the wine program.
Along the way, Gadke developed a reputation for something rarer than wine knowledge alone: the ability to tell a brand’s story in a way that actually resonates. He is credited with developing the identities of countless domestic and international wine brands through his instinct for marketing and his skill at building genuine relationships with both consumers and producers. He also spearheaded the majority of concepts and execution for Bounty Hunter’s proprietary brands, a body of work that helped transform the company from a retailer into a producer.
Mark Pope, the founder of Bounty Hunter who sold the company in 2014, offered a ringing endorsement:
“Rhett Gadke joined me on an 18-year adventure in building Bounty Hunter from a very small wine catalog to a consumer-direct leader in fine and rare wines. He has consistently demonstrated a keen intellect, writing skills like no other that I have seen in this business and a true commitment to the cause, which I find uncommon for such a young man.”
— Mark Pope, Founder, Bounty Hunter Rare Wines and Spirits
What Robin Baggett Sees in Rhett Gadke
For Robin Baggett, the decision to bring Gadke on board was straightforward. Alpha Omega has always been built on the belief that great wine deserves to be communicated with the same care and craft that went into making it. Finding someone who shares that belief, and has the skills to execute on it, is not easy.
“Rhett is one of Napa Valley’s best marketing experts. What he accomplished at Bounty Hunter is truly amazing. We are privileged to have him on our Alpha Omega team.”
— Robin Baggett, Vintner, Alpha Omega
The Brand Strategist role is a newly created position at Alpha Omega, a signal that the winery is investing in the next chapter of its story with the same intentionality it brings to the wines themselves. With Gadke now at the helm of brand strategy, Alpha Omega’s voice, its story and its connection with wine lovers across the country is in very capable hands.
About Alpha Omega
Founded in 2006 by Robin and Michelle Baggett, Alpha Omega began as a direct-to-consumer pioneer and now sells 95% of its wine through this channel. Located on Highway 29 in the legendary Rutherford Bench of Napa Valley, Alpha Omega produces world-class, Bordeaux-style, handcrafted wines made with grapes from prized, historic vineyards. Winemaker Jean Hoefliger and consulting winemaker Michel Rolland craft each vintage with meticulous care.
With its landmark fountains, tranquil pond and stunning views of the Mayacamas Mountains and vineyards, the winery exudes a sense of place and offers hospitality reflective of the farming community. Alpha Omega’s land and winery are Napa Green certified.
