Meet the Team: David Wark

Blog Post

Tasting Room Associate David Wark joined Ridge in August of 2019. Working at our Lytton Springs location, David is able to share his passion for learning and discovering new places with the guests who tour our vineyards.

1. What made you want to join the Ridge team?

“I loved the camaraderie of the staff and the history of the vineyard. As one of the newer employees at Ridge, I had a lot to learn. The managers and veteran staffers took me under their wings, answered my questions, and helped me develop so I could work with guests and provide a fun and educational tasting experience. Early on Josh and Eliot would take me on tours and let me listen in preparation for leading my own tours.”

2. How do you feel Ridge differs from other wineries?

“I believe Ridge Vineyard’s dedication to pre-industrial winemaking, organic farming techniques, and history of exceptional wines make us different from other wineries.”

3. If you could go wine tasting anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

“I grew up in Australia and would love to go tasting in the Yarra Valley outside Melbourne. When I was a kid, my parents would take us to nature preserves and farms throughout the Yarra Valley. We would drive these narrow roads in our Toyota Landcruiser, passing vineyards and sheep farms. I always remember how green those vineyards looked when there was so much brown and gold through the rest of the landscape. When we moved back to the states, my parents brought home a poster of the Yarra Valley with its wineries and farms that still hangs in their home today. Every time I looked at it, it made me want to visit the wineries on the posters like Chandon, Coldstream Hills, and St. Huberts.”

4. How had growing up in Australia influenced you?

“Growing up in Australia gave me the travel bug. By the time I was nine, I had lived on three continents (N. America, Australia, and Asia- I lived in Japan too) and was always excited to travel places and learn new things. Though I didn’t get to Europe till after college, I was more than ready to see new places around the world.”

5. What are your favorite Ridge wines?

“I really like our Ponzo Zinfandel, our Buchignani Carignane, and of course the Monte Bello. I love the Ponzo Zinfandel because of its bramble fruit flavors and how wonderfully it pairs with Supreme Pizza from my local shop. I enjoy the Buchignani Carignane for its acidity and the way it brings out the sweetness in barbecue foods. And the Monte Bello I love for it’s smoothness and history. It is a fantastic Cab!”

6. What’s your favorite food and wine pairing?

“I enjoy our Lytton Springs Zinfandel with pork spare ribs smothered in BBQ sauce.”