Winemaker

Worksite: 23924 Territorial Hwy, Monroe, OR 97456

Direct winemaking operations and develop the prestige of the estate and wine. Oversee all winemaking, and grape sourcing, and collaborate with the viticulture team to manage the estate vineyard. Work closely with Marketing, Direct to Consumer, and Hospitality to ensure the estate/wine production is functioning efficiently and effectively. Lead, build, and grow a winemaking and winegrowing team to produce critically acclaimed wines. Support the Vineyard Manager in staffing for vineyards, harvest interns, and production. Drive technical and artistic skills within the winemaking and winegrowing team. Lead recommendations, development, and evaluation of all new products. Apply extensive knowledge and global perspective of wine, winemaking, and the wine industry to effectively manage and oversee the company's winemaking function. Collaborate with the company management team and participate in the process of establishing the company's culture. Establish and ensure compliance with winemaking policies and systems. Understand winemaking costs and oversee the allocation of resources. Responsible for winery operations capital expenditure recommendations and ensure all capital expenditures are managed within the annual budget. Plan and oversee grape buying and bulk wine selling. Effectively assign tasks and workload to the winemaking and winegrowing team during high season and low season. Provide oversight and direction of ongoing and to-be-developed grape sourcing, contracts, and vineyard management. Support and manage current sustainable farming techniques and research methods and functions as needed to drive further quality and sustainability while maintaining costs. Build and maintain relationships with competitive wine producers. Collaborate with Sales and Marketing to develop key relationships with the press such as Wine Spectator, Parker, Wines and Spirits, Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times. Establish a presence in the market, including attending distributor meetings, GSMs, winemaker dinners, wine events, and engaging key accounts when requested. Supervise 8-10 Seasonal Harvest Interns and 5-7 Cellar Associates and Lab Techs.

20% travel domestically and internationally for educational seminars, trade events, company summits, and other industry events.

Bachelor's degree in Enology, Viticulture, Agricultural Engineering, or related field, or the foreign degree equivalent, and 7 years of relevant experience as a Winemaker, or alternate acceptable related occupation.

Work or academic experience must have included:

Cool-climate viticulture cultivating Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, including canopy management, ripening curves, and disease pressure; and applying knowledge of soil diversity and understanding its impact on wine expression.

Identifying fruit, floral, fermentation-derived, and aging-related for palate of assessing aroma; evaluating balance, intensity, and evolution on the palate for flavor; judging texture for mouthfeel; and assessing qualify and aging-potential for tannins.

Crafting consistent blends across vineyard blocks and barrel lots to express terroir-driven wines while maintaining house style.

Yeast and bacterial dynamics, wild fermentation, malolactic fermentation management, and spoilage prevention: and analyzing win chemistry including pH, TA, SO management, phenolics, and dissolved oxygen; and lab instrumentation for precise decision-making.

Selecting barrel origin, grain, toast level, and aging regimens tailored to each Pinot Noir and Chardonnay expression and style; and working with multiple coopers to identify those that best match the desired profile and style.

Managing biodynamic certifications, and sustainable winery operations.

Transitioning vineyards to organic practices.

Managing seasonal harvest crews and cellar staff, overseeing scheduling and workflow planning during harvest, coordinating crush logistics, and making rapid, high-stakes decisions during unpredictable harvest conditions.

Communicating winemaking philosophy, vineyard values, and brand story to trade, press, and consumers; and collaborating with sales and marketing teams to align wine style with brand identity.

Working with and maintaining winery equipment and machinery; participating in winery redesign and remodel; and advising on appropriate equipment and infrastructure to invest in.

Overseeing and directing operational inquiries from hospitality and vineyard team members.

Wage guidelines: $120,000 - $160,000 per year

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