Westin Neal
Adelaide,SA
Summary
I began my career with two years studying photography before transferring to culinary school, where I discovered a passion for wine and, soon after, vineyards. To deepen my understanding, I gained hands-on experience across tasting rooms, cellars, and marketing departments, aiming to build a well-rounded foundation to support my family’s winery. After several years working in Napa Valley as a creative liaison, I decided, alongside my husband, to pursue a more in-depth formal education in wine to further advance my expertise.
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
Work History
Creative Liaison
Demeine Estates
Saint Helena, California
08.2018 - 01.2022
- Served as the primary point of contact, fostering strong relationships between internal teams and external partners.
- Coordinated multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring timely completion and alignment with organizational objectives.
- Maintained up-to-date knowledge of industry trends, sharing insights with colleagues to drive continuous improvement efforts.
- Maintained a high degree of professionalism at all times, representing the organization with integrity in both internal and external interactions.
Cellar Intern
Heitz Cellar
Saint Helena, CA
04.2018 - 08.2018
- Supported staff members in their daily tasks, reducing workload burden.
- Assisted in bottling operations by running bottle lines and performing quality control checks to ensure consistent product packaging.
- Collaborated with fellow interns to monitor weather data for effective risk management against disease or pests affecting vineyards during harvest season.
- Gained hands-on experience with various winemaking equipment, including pumps, presses, and filtration systems for streamlined processes.
- Supported cellar team with barrel maintenance tasks such as topping off, stirring lees, racking wines, and cleaning barrels for efficient wine aging processes.
Winery Harvest Intern
Outpost Wines
Napa Valley, CA
08.2017 - 10.2017
- Supported cellar team with barrel maintenance tasks such as topping off, stirring lees, racking wines, and cleaning barrels for efficient wine aging processes.
- Assisted in bottling operations by running bottle lines.
- Assisted in the completion of winery and vineyard projects as needed, ensuring tasks were executed efficiently and accurately.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Viticulture And Oenology
University of Adelaide
Adelaide, SA11-2026
Bachelor of Arts - Applied Food Studies
Culinary Institute of America
Saint Helena, CA And Hyde Park, NY 04-2017
Skills
- Project coordination
- Branding
- Marketing strategies
- Digital marketing
- Customer service
- Event coordination
- Fermentation monitoring
- Sanitation procedures
- Chemical handling
- Pump-over techniques
- Winery equipment operation
Timeline
Creative Liaison
Demeine Estates
08.2018 - 01.2022
Cellar Intern
Heitz Cellar
04.2018 - 08.2018
Winery Harvest Intern
Outpost Wines
08.2017 - 10.2017
Bachelor of Science - Viticulture And Oenology
University of Adelaide
Bachelor of Arts - Applied Food Studies
Culinary Institute of America