Production Winemaker (Wine Jobs: Vineyards & Cellars )

  Penrose Hill Winery

  Napa/Sonoma, California

Are you passionate about wine and always wanted to work in tech? Do you have a deep passion for the science of winemaking and blending chemistry? Are you well versed in the world of bulk market juice or private label winemaking and how to produce consistently compelling wines with targeted flavor profiles? Do you obsess about how to best optimize a base wine for quality, diversity and cost efficiency? Do you think it is about time that someone brings our traditional industry into the modern world of customer-centric, data-driven strategy and digital platforms? 

Well, we have good news: Penrose Hill is hiring a Winemaker and you might be the perfect fit!

This role is remote in Napa/Sonoma/SF Bay Area and onsite at AP wineries; reports to the Sourcing Director.

About the Team
Penrose Hill is building the most customer centric wine company. Collaborating with famed winemakers and sourcing from vineyards around the globe, our wines have won hundreds of awards, including multiple 95+ point scores, Best in Show and Winery of the Year. Penrose sells through retail, restaurants and direct to the consumer, including via our wine club, Firstleaf, and through our on-demand labeling service, WordyWine, built in partnership with Buzzfeed.

About the Role
You’ll play a key role in strategic and tactical decision-making, creating a structure that allows us to offer consistent quality, matches flavor profile expectations and meets our annual production volume of over 250,000 cases of wine. A few examples to illustrate: 

- We have a flexitank of 100% Tempranillo coming from Spain and another of a Garncha-Syrah blend hitting port a week before bottling. This juice will be used to create 2 distinct wines from each base wine. Based on our member or client’s preferences you will adjust these wines to craft 2 distinct wines from each base with a flavor profile that is balanced and not over manipulated.

- You have sourced 5,000 gallons of Napa Merlot and need to confirm that the chemistry and quality match the price. You are able to taste the tank sample, recognize its quality and how you might finish the juice to make an exceptional blend or two.

More Specifics about the Role

• Oversee the winemaking of finished wines
• Blending, additions and vinification techniques as needed, and quality assurance of the finished wine
• Use our project management platform to control wine cost
• Source bulk wine in conjunction with our sourcing partners to identify quality product at a competitive price
• Collaborate, both remotely and in person, with the Project Manager, Creative Director and Director of Merchandize on optimizing production and dry goods cost, extending successful brand lines, creating unique, compelling new products, and strategic planning for long term growth
• Be empowered to find unique solutions to unforeseen challenges using empirical data and tactical thinking- our company is growing quickly, and as we do we are excited to bring on team members who embrace the culture of change.

About You

• 3-5+ years experience in wine production at a mid sized to large winery
• Demonstrable experience sourcing and blending wine from the bulk market and creating private label wines
• Familiar with blending chemistry, diligent record keeper
• Strong analytical, interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills
• Reputation in the Napa/Sonoma wine community as someone who works hard, makes the people around them better, and is a joy to collaborate with.
• Intimate familiarity with Microsoft and Google suite of products

How To Apply