Assistant Winemaker
(Wine Jobs:
Vineyards & Cellars )
Full Time
Hermann,
Missouri
Stone Hill Winery, located in the heart of Missouri wine country, is looking for a dedicated Assistant Winemaker. Stone Hill Winery is dedicated to producing the finest possible wines in a wide range of styles from our 190 acres of estate vineyards.
The Assistant Winemaker will work closely with the Winemaker to meet the quality and production goals of the winery. The successful candidate will be involved in the entire winemaking process from grape reception to bottled inventory management. In addition, the Assistant Winemaker will be involved in the operation of our new distillery. This is a hands-on position requiring a thorough knowledge of the complete winemaking process, juice and wine chemical analysis, stability trials, quality control standards and general winemaking equipment from crush pad to bottling line. The successful candidate must be self-motivated and capable of adapting to changing priorities and workload, with a commitment to continuous growth and improvement.
Key Responsibilities:
Ensure a positive environment where cellar staff feel valued and respected.
Ensure cellar staff are trained in SOP’s and develop additional SOP’s if needed.
Actively participate in safety culture, support safety programs and polices and ensure cellar staff are properly trained in safety guidelines.
Supervise and conduct day to day winemaking operations.
Contribute to the continuous improvement of winemaking processes and procedures.
Participate in wine tasting at all stages throughout the winemaking process and assist in making recommendations of treatments and blends.
Participate in lab analysis, stability test and blending as required by the winemaker.
Work with the winemaker to ensure that all work instructions are generated for the cellar staff, implemented correctly and completed in an efficient manner.
Maintain the appropriate inventory of winemaking supplies and additives for each stage of the winemaking process.
Ensure that the bottling line is prepped and set-up to accommodate the bottling schedule in an efficient manner.
Ensure the maintenance of all winemaking equipment and maintain good communication with the winery maintenance staff to provide timely preventative maintenance, repairs and upgrades.
Assist with maintaining precise cellar records and compliance with all tracing and TTB reporting requirements.
Provide support in representing the company internally and externally for key PR events and key wholesaler winery visits.
Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree in enology, food science, chemistry or equivalent experience.
Three plus years’ experience with practical and technical aspects of the winemaking process including harvest, fermentation, cellar work and winemaking analysis.
Must be able to lift 50 pounds repeatedly.
Must be able to climb ladders and stairs.
Must be willing to work long hours during harvest.
Must possess strong verbal and written communication skills.
Must possess a positive, can-do attitude with a commitment to being a team player.
Must possess a passion for wine.
Must be currently legal to work in the United States.
This is a full-time, salaried position which offers a generous compensation package that includes group health, 401K Plan with company match, paid time off (PTO), and extended illness bank (EIB). Compensation commensurate with experience.
