Ravi J.Vithal

A dedicated wine industry professional with a career spanning festival operations, cellar door management, brand marketing, wine production, and wine sales & distribution. My path through this industry has been broad, deliberate, and deeply committed. At Pooley Wines, I led the strategic overhaul of the brand's digital and direct-to-consumer channels, contributing to Halliday's Winery of the Year in 2023. At MONA, I brought premium wine brands to international audiences through commercially ambitious hospitality and tourism activations. Today, as an Area Business Manager at Joval Wines, I represent 120+ producers across competitive territories, converting deep product knowledge and strong relationship capital into consistent, measurable results.

What sets me apart is the full picture - a marketer who understands sales, a sales professional who understands production, and a manager who has led teams of five up to four hundred. I am seeking a role where that rare combination of commercial acumen, creative thinking, and genuine industry passion can operate at its highest level.

Wine is not meant to be understood. It is meant to be felt. Behind every bottle is a landscape that endured, hands that sacrificed, and a story that has been waiting — sometimes for a generation — to be told. I believe those stories belong to everyone — and I have dedicated my work to making that true.

MY CAREER DEVELOPMENT

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THE YARRA VALLEY

While completing a Bachelor of Arts/Commerce majoring in Political Science and Marketing, I worked as a Staffing Operations Manager for numerous large-scale music festivals in the event industry. During this time, I recruited, managed, and deployed teams of over 350 staff (bar, customer service, traffic) and volunteers across multiple events over several years.

During the off-season, I worked casually in Cellar Doors in the scenic Yarra Valley. There, I gained valuable insights into the world of hospitality and wine, fueling my deep appreciation for the industry. Utilising my extensive experience as a manager and leader, I stepped into a Cellar Door Manager role for Giant Steps in the Yarra Valley for several years.

Driven by my pursuit of growth and new challenges, I transitioned to Yering Station as the Cellar Door Supervisor before receiving a remarkable opportunity to relocate to Tasmania and work for MONA (Museum of Old and New Art).

MUSEUM OF OLD AND NEW ART (MONA)

In my role as Wine Hospitality Manager for Tasmania’s iconic tourism destination, MONA, I assumed responsibility for the business operations, onsite experiences, sales strategy, and tourism initiatives for Moorilla Estate, Domaine A, and Moo Brew.

During my tenure at MONA, I was privileged to represent the organization as a Brand Ambassador in the global tourism sector through Ultimate Winery Experiences of Australia. In this role, I successfully deployed and implemented commissionable travel experiences to an international audience, further solidifying the reputation of MONA and Moorilla Estate.

From here, I undertook further studies through the Wine Spirit Education Trust, Level 3 with Merit. To diversify my range of skills, I also completed my High Risk Forklift Truck Licence (TLILIC0003).

THE COAL RIVER VALLEY

After two years at MONA, I stepped into a role as Pooley Wines' Marketing Manager. I was responsible for the development and execution of Pooley's marketing strategy, social media presence, brand and corporate identity, advertising, promotions, and channel sales strategy.

During my tenure at Pooley Wines, our collective efforts were recognised when we were awarded the 2023 Winery of the Year by Halliday Wine Companion. This achievement stands as a defining moment in my professional career and a testament to the collaborative efforts of the entire team.

Continuing to invest in my personal and professional development, I actively participated in various programs such as the Pressing Matters' Avery Forum in 2021, the WCA Wine Industry Mentor Program in 2022. I joined The Whole Bunch Collective—a nonprofit organisation that promotes diversity and inclusivity in the wine industry.

Viticulture and winemaking

JOVAL WINES

Today, I have embarked on a new chapter of my professional career. As a highly motivated and results-driven professional, in my current role as an Area Business Manager (On and Off Premise) for Joval Wines, I have had the privilege of leveraging my extensive experience in sales, marketing, and management to make a significant impact in Melbourne’s inner north and western suburbs.

Covering a coveted and dynamic territory, I have been entrusted with driving growth and nurturing valuable relationships with stakeholders, winery partners, and customers.

Managing a premium portfolio representing over 120 wineries, I have actively applied my knowledge and enthusiasm to gain a deep understanding of my customers' needs. I have proven my ability to deliver results by consistently meeting or surpassing sales targets. My ability to educate, inform and engage has been an important strategic tool in growing my existing territory.

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MY EXPERIENCE IN THE WINE INDUSTRY

I recently spoke with The Whole Bunch Collective about why the representation of a varied and diverse wine industry matters to me.

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FOLLOW MY WINE JOURNEY

I use Instagram as a platform to share my collective wine tasting experiences.

This profile is a creative outlet that allows me to bend the rules to a normative approach to tasting premium wine

and presents new audiences to a more tongue-in-cheek and inclusive approach to this often intimidating industry.

@winebanter
A formidable drop with incredible depth and intensity. An almost immediate impact of chalky mineral, preserved lemon, smoke, ginger, salted lime and honey on the nose. Some definite *big daddy vibes* with broad shoulders, plenty of power and presence
Opulent and incredibly considered. It's eloquently laden with soft-toned fruits, autumnal spice and a subtle savour of earth and dried herb. Notes of strawberry, raspberry, cinnamon, red cherry and anise, with an edge of rhubarb, smoke, black suede,
Corton Charlemagne. It's cheek-clenching tight with stunning mineral prowess and superb palate weight and richness. There's a subtlety to the aroma with a perfume of underlying smoke, white tea, salinity, crushed stone, and leatherwood honey. On the
Despite how tense and compressed it felt, it was uncompromising in its quality. Uplifting notes of cedarwood, bramble, pencil shavings, violets, lambskin leather and cigar box all unfurled on the nose over several days. Dusted and caressing tannin wi
I was trying to think of a nasty baby-daddy-hot-lipped way of describing this drop, but I'm at loss. This is sentimental to me. Its the first pinot I ever fell in love with. It's tense and considered. There's some illuminating aromas of black fores
There's some serious texture on this drop with some left field savoury aromas of dried hay, green almond, green tea, toasted cashew, and dried apricot. It's surprisingly fresh with notes of bitter orange, lemon peel, grapefruit pith, hazelnut, cashew
This is a full dick swingin' pinot noir. No holds barred, nothing left off the table. It's abounding and visceral with not-so-subtle aromas of cedar, vanillin, tobacco leaf, wild flowers, and reduction. On the palate, it's perfectly placed with delic
I am floored. This is ambrosial, nectareous, ethereal, and hedonistic. With notes of sour cherry, kirsch, stemmed roses, dried earth and undergrowth, it's well worth the several minutes it took to look up the fancy words I used at the start of this t
Despite the terrible acid reflux I've had from consuming several bottles over the last week, this was still a measured, mineral driven, and replete drop. Shining citrus intertwined with notes of nashi pear, lilac, lemon rind, and honeysuckle on the n
Elegant, refined, and understated. All words I would never think to use in the same sentence as the Barossa Valley. A recent trip to South Australia has taught me otherwise. This drop by Sami Odi is cool and cleansing with a bouquet of blackcurrant,
Glimmering orchard fruits, spring flora, lemon rind and abounding minerality shining on the nose and palate. It's soft toned, satiating and irrefutably seamless. This can mount my mary any day. #sorrysam
This drop is brash, rustic and damn right delightful. There's an unrelenting note of vanilla, cedarwood, smoked meat, bramble, and cardamom on the nose with black forest fruits, heavy spice, licorice and tobacco on the palate. It's Big. Ballsy. Big B
There's a certain joy I've only known when drinking Joh Jos Prüm. It's insatiable with crystalline energy and purity. There's notes of honeysuckle, crushed slate, jasmine tea and lemon preserve on the nose with layers of honey, apricot, flint an
What a banger. A sensuous and integrated cuvee with eye-watering perfume and brazen minerality. Aromas of black tea, flint, saline, grapefruit pith and yellow peach on the nose. Salted butter, stonefruits, vanillin and mineral reign supreme on the pa
This is exactly what I was hoping it would be. A drop that is both playful yet profound. It's sincerely lithe with incredible purity and crunch on the palate. Lifted notes of raspberry, kirsch, red licorice, pencil shavings, mineral and autumnal spic
An entrancing perfume of wild flora, dark cherry, savoury thyme and petrichor emanate deeply in the glass. I am completely immersed in dried roses, liquorice and dried spices on the palate.  This is a wine I'd shine my shoes for. This is nek le