Enologist - Madera - The Wine Group

At The Wine Group we are passionate about our people, our future and our wine. We are America’s second largest wine producer by volume with over 1,200 employees globally across 12 locations in California, New York and Australia. We are proud to be responsible for many of America’s most beloved wine brands, including Cupcake, Franzia, Chloe, Concannon, Benziger, Imagery, AVA Grace, 7 Deadly and more. We are dedicated to our culture built on values like entrepreneurialism, innovation, social responsibility and stewardship. To learn about us and our career opportunities, check us out at www.thewinegroup.com and then come join the exciting journey at The Wine Group.

JOB SUMMARY

This role will be responsible for the day-to-day winemaking and maintenance of wine quality as assigned by Senior Winemaker/Winemaker.  Key areas of responsibility include support and facilitation between various production teams (including lab, winemaking, and cellar), ensuring priorities and protocols are achieved, cost effectiveness, accuracy, and safety to all performance standards.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Must have a complete understanding of the enological process from grapes through blending.
• Assist Winemaking to ensure wines meet target sensory and analytical quality requirements.
• Lead Lab Team. Direct lab analysis based on wine needs. Must have strong analytical background to run analysis in lab techs absence, or when requested.
• Participates in short and long-term planning of finishing/blending wines shipped from other TWG facilities. Set priorities according to customer demand. The customer demands can frequently change so flexibility is key.
• Assist Winemaking to work up process orders/road maps/process plans.
• Complete blending/fining trials, or other experiments as directed.
• Be able to taste wine at various levels of the winemaking process. Participates in tasting of fermenters, holdback samples against current bottling blends and new proposed blends. Taste inventory samples weekly upon completion of lab running the analysis. Verifies and maintains overall wine quality through different winemaking practices. 
• Will require traveling to other TWG facilities when assistance is needed.

OTHER FUNCTIONS

• Makes up tasting sheets and participates in customer tastings as directed by the Sr. Director of Winemaking/Director of Winemaking/Senior Winemaker/Winemaker.
• Participates in following blend sheets and creating blends for both domestic and export program.
• Writes process/work orders for distribution to operations for completion.
• Coordinate wines for shipment as requested by internal wineries, external wineries customers. Verify the wines are in the spec per the customer’s request and approved spec issued by TWG. Work with Winemaking on signing off blend and shipping approvals prior to wine shipping.
• Work with operations/winemaking team on forecasting and ordering of wine additives
• Participates in development of new or restructuring of existing blends.
• In the absence of the Winemakers or Assistant Winemakers, may be required to fill in and cover duties.
• Required to stay current with changes in winemaking procedures and techniques. Will attend training when asked or on own merit for continual education.
• Actively participate in all Safety policies and procedures for the site. This includes safety audits, incident investigations, implementation of Company-wide safety policies and relevant safety training. Must lead by example.
• Must embrace and demonstrate The Wine Group's Vision, Mission, and Values of Long-Term Sustainable Value Creation, while being Relentlessly Entrepreneurial, with Empowered People who are Responsible and Trustworthy and keep them in mind when making all decisions.
• This job description reflects management’s assignment of general functions; it does not restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Must be 21 years or older at time of hire.
• BS/BA in Enology/Viticulture, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Food Science, Microbiology, or equivalent education/work experience.
• Minimum 2 years of winery related experience
• Passionate about wine quality while understanding cost associated with processing to help make smart business decisions.
• Well-developed organoleptic skills
• Good understanding of cellar, lab, and wine processing equipment.
• Must be able to demonstrate ability to lead.
• Ability to set priorities and work independently within set guidelines. Good time management skills.
• Self-starter. Must be able to openly communicate with other departments.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to determine the root cause of the problem.
• A strong sense of urgency and work ethic displayed in a positive way.
• Computer skills including the use of: Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Ability to be a team player and fill in for others in their absence.
• Flexibility in work hours.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Ability to work at heights up to 45 feet.
• Possess the ability to work in a fast-paced environment under pressure.
• Working environment is both indoors and outdoors, with exposure to related equipment and noise levels.
• Ability to perform tasks requiring bending, stooping, standing, and twisting in the production environment.

COMPENSATION

• Hiring Salary Range Posted: $66,560 - $81,200
• Actual compensation will be based on factors such as experience; skills, knowledge, and abilities; education; and other position related factors.

 

At The Wine Group, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and we are committed to an environment of mutual respect, diversity, and inclusion. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristic protected by law.

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