L-R Tom Ravech, Kelly Wellington and Paul Smith.
Wirra Wirra has announced the appointment of Winemaker Tom Ravech to its winemaking team.
With over fifteen years’ experience in the wine industry spanning across regions including Tasmania, New Zealand and the Mornington Peninsula, Tom has most recently led operations at Tamar Ridge in the west Tamar Valley of Tasmania.
While the Fleurieu Peninsula’s expansive beaches and the newly redeveloped Adelaide Oval were drawcards, Tom says it was Wirra Wirra’s culture that lured him across the Bass Strait.
“All of my best experiences in the wine industry have been with wineries that have a certain internal quality about them – stature, a good reputation and culture. For me, it’s all about the people,” says Tom.
Tom’s wine industry experience extends to the show circuit where he has enjoyed the judging process and is keen to make a contribution on the mainland. “The exposure to wines from other regions and the variety of styles, plus the chance to see what my peers are up to makes it a rewarding and educational experience,” says Tom.
The chance to work with fruit from A grade McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills vineyards also appeals. “Just to see the attention to detail that Smithy and the team devote to site selection and the importance they place on grower relationships ticks all the boxes for me as a winemaker,” Tom says. “They are also doing some innovative work with Spanish and Portuguese varieties, which is an area that is very interesting to me.”
Wirra Wirra’s Managing Director Andrew Kay believes Tom’s appointment complements his team nicely. “An opportunity to join our winemaking team at this level does not come along often, so the interest was very strong,” says Andrew. “We feel that Tom has the right personal attributes to fit our culture, while his cool climate winemaking experience at Villa Maria and Tamar Ridge is a wonderful addition to the winemaking team.”
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