This is an exciting opportunity to join one of California’s finest wine families, known for exceptional wines which elevate every occasion; now and for generations to come. This position will play an important role in delivering HPE’s growth ambition by assuming responsibility for data collection, analysis, and front-end sales reporting. This visible role will interface directly with Executive Level management including Sales, Finance, Marketing, and Operations daily.

PURPOSE OF JOB: The ideal candidate will work closely with Winemakers to create the wines for our Lion and Lioness programs, as well as maintain analysis on the complete portfolio of wines stored at the Mount Veeder location.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: include the following.

Other duties may be assigned:

• In collaboration with the winemaker, coordinates wine production activities through crush, fermentation, clarification, aging, blending, and bottling.
• Exclusively maintain all Lion and Lioness Lots: fermentation monitoring, topping, barrel stirring, all grape and wine additions, lead point person on all wine movements (barrel filling, blending, racking).
• Monthly screening of all wines in inventory for analytical, microbiological, and organoleptic soundness.
• Post-unit process analysis following racking, transfers, blending, filtration, additions, bottling, etc.
• Work under minimal supervision to perform crush analysis, grape samples, incoming grape analysis, needed tartaric acid additions to fermentations, and monitoring fermentations.
• Bottling line operation quality control, following the bottling line quality control worksheet, focusing on the adherence of the wine and packaging to our quality standards.
• All additions including yeast and nutrients to small lot fermenters.
• Malolactic fermentation inoculation and monitoring.
• Set up and participate in tasting fining trials for blends, and bottling.
• Suggest, conduct, analyze, and report trials.
• Supervises and train temporary harvest lab staff.
• Attend classes, seminars, meetings, and other venues offering new knowledge.
• Analytical Data entry into Winemakers Database.
• Cellar duties including racking, topping, blending, drain and pressing.
• Other duties and responsibilities as required.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENTS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, fermentation science, or the equivalent.
• Basic laboratory and computer skills.
• Strong written, verbal, and mathematical skills.
• Cellar skills a plus.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is:

• Must be able to lift 40 pounds.
• Must pass a respiratory test performed by a company chosen doctor.

FOOD SAFETY: Each person is responsible for upholding all the provisions within our Quality policy and meeting all regulatory and statutory requirements relevant to their individual role. In the absence of this role the person that this role reports to shall be responsible for ensuring all food safety requirements relative to this role are met.