Job Description
Job Description:
Winemaker Job Description
SUMMARY: Lachini Vineyards is a premium producer located in the North Willamette Valley with a Biodynamically-farmed Estate vineyard in Newberg, OR with our winery in Tualatin.
Winemaker (W) oversees all aspects of winemaking & cellar activities from grape harvesting and processing/crush pad activities, fermentation management, additions, movements, racking/transferring, blending, finishing/bottling and warehousing all wines.
(W) oversees all winemaking decisions in conjunction with the owner and/or Winemaker Consultant, coordinates and oversees hands-on production of highest quality wines in keeping with winery’s mission statement and values. The Winemaker facilitates the daily cellar operations and performs all oversight and tasks in the winery. All cellar personnel, harvest interns, temp workers report to the Winemaker. Winemaker is responsible for maintaining a safe, positive, and conscientious work environment as well as maintaining the highest standards of procedures throughout the winery.
Cellar Operations - 55%
Sales & Promotion – 25%
Admin - 15%
Vineyard - 5%
DUTIES ~
• Coordinate & supervise crush, pressing, settling and all other phases of juice treatment and fermentation of the must.
• Oversee cask storage and maturation. Maintain barrels in good condition. SO2 management, topping, racking, maintaining clean bungs, sanitation: steam, ozone and sulfur empty barrels, monitoring wine quality.
• Interpret labs for sample and data collection and fermentation monitoring.
• Able to calculate and complete chemical additions.
• Must be flexible within a seasonal work environment. Must be able to work extended hours during the harvest.
• Must ensure appropriate production and sanitation procedures are followed (including implementing a Sanitation policy for winery).
• Propose and conduct experiments/trials to enhance quality and stability in wines.
• Prepare bottling plans/logistics for each wine. Oversight of bottling (mobile bottling service used), materials ordering and forklift operator during bottling.
• Must keep detailed winery logs, maintain daily, monthly, and annual production schedules, and inventory records.
• Able to identify problems in wines and make recommendations.
• Perform sensory evaluations of wines before blending. Oversee all blending.
• Train and supervise the entire production team. Function as leader and main forklift driver.
• Assist with coordination & logistics of activities in the vineyard and winery.
• Assist Vineyard Mgr with monitoring grape development & production - testing as necessary to ensure fruit quality and determine the ideal harvest schedule.
• Oversight of establishing our laboratory (budget & capital recommendations). Responsible for all protocols, data integrity, evaluations.
• Help strategize product lines.
• Facilitate regular discussions with consulting winemaker and owner to understand the winemaking protocol and operating requirements in order to properly convey to cellar staff/interns and execute jobs at hand.
• Oversee all equipment – maintenance & repair, sanitation, recommendations for new…
• Assist in vineyard operations, involvement in vineyard meetings, and follow-up on vineyard work prescribed. In addition, some field work may be conducted during periods – e.g. pruning, sampling, etc.
• Analysis of data to provide appropriate enological/winemaking recommendations.
• Comprehension of blending concepts and discrimination tasting.
• Maintain working knowledge of our winemaking processes to teach pertinent information to existing team (harvest interns, vineyard support staff) as well as consumers visiting Lachini.
• Oversight of writing tasting notes with owner. Assist in producing Technical Marketing Materials that will help to support sales.
SALES ~
• Recruit & manage custom crush client(s).
• Represents the winery at public relations events as needed.
• Conduct wholesale sales on within state of OR + with distributors in other states.
• Guide winery tours, conduct special tastings including barrel tastings, vertical tastings, etc.
• Represent the winery at various industry, media, regulatory, and trade events.
• Grape & bulk wine sales locally & out-of-state
EXPERIENCE ~
• Proven ability to produce quality premium wines.
• Bachelor’s degree ~ Food Science, Enology & Viticulture, Chemistry or related field.
• Minimum 5 harvests (overseas experience is valued). *5 years of experience in the cellar with 2 as assistant winemaker.
• Assist in recruiting & guiding custom crush clients in producing wines, from grape to bottle, per a desired wine style.
• Ability to restructure and improve wines that do not meet expectations.
• Winemakers Database skills- Vintrace preferred.
• Knowledge of Government Regs
• Forklift operations certified.
• Natural problem-solver with a proven ability to handle multiple and deadlines.
• Proficient in use of MS Office, winery software
• Strong organizational, analytical and time management skills as well as communication skills (use of email, timesheets, work orders, etc.).
• Self-starter, motivated, results driven, “can-do” attitude, planning and implementation, problem solving; able to manage priorities with enthusiasm.
• Ability to read and understand measurements, interpret lab results.
• Attention to detail, cleanliness, problem solving, project management skills and familiarity with relevant software systems and software.
• Good judgment with the ability to make timely and sound decisions.
• Ability to work within existing and established guidelines.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
• Must be able to lift and/or move more than 50lbs with ability to pull, push, kneel, bend, reach.
• Must be able to work long hours, weekends, or holidays especially during harvest, racking/bottling, travel/events, etc.
A COMPREHENSIVE COMPENSATION PACKAGE is based on experience and productivity.
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Job Tags
Full time, Temporary work, Seasonal work, Overseas, Flexible hours, Weekend work,