The Tasting Room Guide at Red Tail Ridge knows that they make a substantial contribution to the success of the winery. You arrive to work by driving through beautifully maintained vines, past a pond and the indigenous wildflower field toward the sleek and modern Tasting Room. On the path to the front door, you pass the open-air Pavilion that provides guests with protection from weather, while still allowing them to enjoy the intimacy of the vineyard. In front of you is a stunning view of Seneca Lake, vines of Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Blaufränkisch. The spacious & modern Tasting Room, opened in 2023, features walls elegantly clad by wood reclaimed from the native trees that were removed from the land when the vineyard was planted.

Opening the door to the Tasting Room, you are focused on making the day ahead as successful for your guests and the business as possible. Once clocked in, you meet briefly with your Tasting Room Manager or Supervisor to understand the needs for the day and/or the moment. You may positioned at the bar providing excellent guided tasting experiences; assisting guests at the tables enjoying the food & wine experience; serving flights and glasses in the Pavilion; or in the Dog Friendly Tasting Room providing guided experiences to human guests while offering the furry guests everything from dog treat tastings to a water bowl and a soft bed to rest on. During the experiences you provide, your ability to connect to others within a short period of time and salesmanship shines. You communicate in a kind, respectful, and focused manner. As needed, you jump into restocking shelves with bottles or merchandise, pack shipments, cleaning & polishing glassware and dishes, or cleaning/organizing different areas. You may also be handing off a package to a Wine Club member, or running food from the kitchen to a table. There is always something to be done.

Throughout the day, you will be supported by your team, Supervisor, and General Manager. You will be expected to give as you receive, with support to team members. The tasting room floor is like a chess board, the whole team is responsible for making sure that glassware is maintained, product restocked, and guests are taken care of. When rushes are slowing down, you engage in re-setting and cleaning the tasting room spaces.

At the end of the day, you work as a team to complete the tasks needed to ensure success the next day. As you walk out the door you know how much you have contributed to the gains of the day and what needs to happen moving forward to keep Red Tail Ridge progressing in a positive direction. You are able to have pride in the product you are representing, the space you are working in, and the people you support and assist every single day.

Job Description

The Tasting Room Guide provides guests with a unique hospitable & educational experience tailored to their needs. We focus on a comfortable tasting experience that takes guests through not just the flavor notes expressed in the wine, but also the technical and contextual importance of the wines we produce. We provide as much or as little information as the guest would like. In order to provide this type of experience to our guests, the following are specific qualities that are essential for our Tasting Room Guides to have:

- Knowledge Criteria

o General Wine Knowledge is critical for this role

§ Wine & food pairing understanding is preferred.

o Relevant Wine Production knowledge is appreciated

o Business principles such as:

§ Achieving Sales Goals

§ Upselling Product

o Fundamental Steps of Table Service

o WSET certification is appreciated

- Hospitality and Service

o Dedication to provide guests with an ideal interaction that exceeds their expectations

o Meet the service guidelines and expectations set forth by Red Tail Ridge Winery

o Wine service experience is preferred

o Table service is appreciated

- Timeliness

o Arrive at work on time, if not 10 minutes early

o Keep tasting experiences paced at 20-30 minutes at the bar. During high volume days, quicker to ensure as many guests as possible are served.

o Food & wine experiences at the tables are capped at 1.5 hours.

o Complete tasks and projects efficiently.

- Cleanliness

o Maintain all spaces in a clean and orderly manner throughout the working day

o Arrive at work in a clean, well-groomed manner. This includes well maintained and appropriate attire. No rips or tears in clothing at work.

o Consistent in thoroughly cleaning the spaces at the end of the day.

- Professionalism

o Maintain a calm and positive presence on the floor.

o Interaction with guests meet or exceed the winery’s ethical guidelines

- Availability and Expectations

o Weekend availability is a must

o Holiday availability is required for at least 3 major holidays.

o Wine Dinners and other special evening events will be incorporated into schedules

It is the goal of Red Tail Ridge to be a professional and humanistic company. We focus on solid business fundamentals, kindness and respect in interactions, and providing our colleagues and guests the best experience possible. In becoming a member of the Red Tail Ridge Team, you are becoming an essential player in our success. We will rise based on the skills and abilities of each member.

Winery History

Red Tail Ridge is one of the region’s most well-respected wineries. Owned and operated by Michael Schnelle (viticulturalist) & Nancy Irelan (winemaker), a husband & wife partnership who moved to the Finger Lakes 20 years ago to plant the vineyard at this specific place on Seneca Lake. Nancy holds a PhD in Grape Genetics and prior to founding Red Tail Ridge was a Vice President at Gallo in California, heading up the Wine and Grape Research and Development Department supporting wineries and commercial vineyards across the state and around the globe. Michael holds an MBA and not only leads the vineyard management team but also heads the financial side of Red Tail Ridge.

This winery is their life’s work. Nancy & Mike are as passionate about making beautiful wine as they are about how it is presented to guests in the Tasting Room. They are forward-thinking people, building Red Tail Ridge to be the one, and currently only, LEED-gold certified winery in New York State. The winery has been nominated for a James Beard Award two times & was a semi-finalist for the award twice. We are known for our Sparkling and Cool Climate Red wines, which include some varietals that are rare in the world and in our region. With Nancy’s talent in wine-making and Michael’s meticulous care of the vineyard, we provide unique, character-driven wines that are varietally correct, precise, and innovative.

We look for people with a passion for great wine, care for guest experience, and the respectful team-oriented mindset to make Red Tail Ridge as great a place to work as it is to visit.

Job Types: Part-time, Seasonal

Pay: $16.50 - $18.00 per hour

Expected hours: 8.0 – 30.0 per week

Benefits:

Employee discount
Flexible schedule

Education:

High school or equivalent (Required)

Experience:

Hospitality: 1 year (Preferred)
Wine sales: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

Red Tail Ridge Winery

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Tasting Room Guide