Ardelean Vasilica Marinela (born January 1, 1983), professionally known as Marinela. Ardelean is a Romanian and Italian wine expert, author, and ambassador of Romanian wines. 

Born and raised in Maramureș, Transylvania, Marinela had developed an early connection and interest in the wine culture and viticultural traditions of Romania.  Ardelean began her academic qualifications by pursuing degrees in different fields. She graduated from The Faculty of Law at Vasile Goldis Western University of Arad in Arad, Romania. She moved with her family to Italy where she studied at the School of Psychology, University of Padova , and later obtained a degree in the Economic & Administrative Sciences Management program at Spiru Haret University in Brasov, Romania. She holds an Executive MBA from the MIB School of Management in Trieste, Italy. 

With her passion in marketing, Ardelean earned a doctoral degree in marketing at The West University of Timișoara, Romania, with a thesis on Correlating the Country Brand and the Romanian Wine Brand Capital During her academic pursuits, Ardelean showed interest in continuous learning by participating in specialized training programs and certifications, including sommelier diploma from the Associazione Italiana Sommelier in Treviso, Italy, and tasting & assemblage courses at L’École du Vin de Bordeaux in Bordeaux, France. She also holds certifications as a Certified Scotch Professional from The Council of Whiskey Masters in Los Angeles.

Her professional career began while living in Italy, where she discovered her interest in wine and spirits. While organizing events for Marcello del Majno, a noble family from Venice, Marinela Ardelean began her venture into business development in the Asia Pacific and North America for an import-export wine company, currently known as Ethica Wines. Soon after exploring wine and spirits, Ardelean founded RO-Wine, the International Wine Festival of Romania, the first premium wine fair of Romania, dedicated equally to producers from Romania and abroad, as well as importers, distributors, professionals, and wine enthusiasts. 

Furthermore, she created Wines of Romania, a dynamic ecosystem showcasing Romanian wines and wineries for a global audience. Marinela Ardelean has held various influential roles and collaborations in the world of wines & spirits. From serving as a lecturer at the Italian Chef Academy in Rome and advising the Romanian Minister of Agriculture to assuming the positions of Business Development and Brand Manager for Foss Marai Spumanti and Brand Ambassador for Brâncoveanu Vinars, Ardelean has been active in promoting Romanian wines both domestically and internationally.

Moreover, as an Ambassador and Consultant for Carrefour Romania Deschidem Vinul Românesc / Open the Romanian Wine program, she has furthered the reach of Romanian wine initiatives. Additionally, Ardelean’s contributions extend to founding the NGO 'Romania, The Land of Wines'. Ardelean is also an author with several published books, including 'The Wine Book of Romania' series, 'Țara și Vinul', and '50 vini di Romania incontrano 50 piatti italiani d'eccellenza', which have gained popularity for wine and food pairing