Serious wine. Minus the ego.

Bringing destination wine culture to your dining rooms. We strip away the elitism and keep the wonder, turning every glass into an invitation to travel, discover, learn and, most importantly, enjoy.

Everywhere in Victoria

Visiting Sommelier

Turn quiet nights into high-margin destination services. You cook, I pour. Zero upfront capital.

Mornington Peninsula • Autumn 2027

Marco's Wine Bar

A wine sanctuary where high-end and welcoming hospitality come hand in hand.

Visiting Sommelier • Everywhere in Victoria

Turn slow nights into your most profitable evening.

Across Victoria, incredible chefs and welcoming bistros often operate without a dedicated sommelier.

I bring European winemaking terroir, rare allocations, and infectious, down-to-earth hospitality to your floor. You cook, I pour.

Floor Takeovers

I step directly onto your floor on a typically quiet night. I curate and pour an exceptional lineup of wines. Your kitchen shines with food pairings, while beverage revenue skyrockets.

High-margin revenue-share model with zero inventory risk
Warm, unpretentious table-side storytelling & pairing
Attracts regional food lovers

Masterclasses & Tastings

Engage passionate locals with fun and insightful ticketed sessions. Themes like “Demystifying Barolos” or “Volcanic Terroirs”. We pre-sell tickets together to lock in venue profits before the doors open.

Guaranteed advance ticket revenue
Zero-snobbery education
Seamless pairing collaboration with your chef

Cellar Strategy

Wine lists are not simply collections of bottles. They are puzzles where each piece leads to the next and tells its unique story, leaving your client excited to come back for the next chapter.

Audit and monetize non-moving stock
Healthy margin restructuring
Staff empowerment: selling with warmth, not wine jargon

Ready to schedule your venue's first takeover?

Partnering with select dining rooms, cafes, bistros, and cellar doors. Everywhere in Victoria.

About me

Old World Roots, Poured in Victoria

Marco - Wine Strategist & Sommelier
Marco Ripa
Wine Strategist & Sommelier

My Terroir

I wish I could tell you that I come from a dynasty of Italian winemakers. The truth? I enrolled in Winemaking as a 20-year-old politics student in Milan simply because I thought it was the best way to impress girls.

It didn’t turn out poorly at all — professionally speaking. Over the next decade, I worked harvests and cellars across Barolo, Champagne, Napa Valley, Marlborough, Tuscany, McLaren Vale... before realising I prefer to drink the wine than make it.

Wine is the only drink capable of bottling a landscape, and I believe everyone should enjoy it. Whether you’re already a wine enthusiast hunting your next rare allocation, or you genuinely wonder if Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of Cab and Sav, I’m here to guide your journey—minus the ego.

0
Ego & Wine Snobbery
12+
Global Vintages
∞
Wines Tasted
Reserve a Date

Request a Floor Takeover or Wine Audit

Directly connect with Marco to assess your venue's capacity, target quiet days, and wine profit strategy.

Marco's Wine Bar

A wine sanctuary • Pouring Autumn 2027

Mornington Peninsula Premium wines by the glass

My dream coming true. A wine sanctuary where the best wines are poured by the glass, alongside a curated selection of small plates. A private, convivial space for wine lovers to gather, learn, and celebrate.

Exclusive Access

Join the waitlist

Opening night reservations and the secret venue location will be dispatched privately to our waitlist members in late 2026.

Strictly confidential. No spam, I promise! Only launch alerts.