Cellar Master

Young's Holdings • Sonoma, California, United States • $70k - $85k / year • 2d ago

WHO IS HARPER’S REST?

Harper’s Rest is a small, premium estate winery in Russian River Valley, rooted in two distinct vineyards—one Regenerative Organic Certified®, the other currently transitioning to organic farming. Our approach to viticulture is grounded in soil health, biodiversity, and long-term sustainability.

COME WORK WITH US

Our success is a result of the passion and creativity of our people, our exceptional portfolio, and our shared commitment to our core values: integrity, family, quality, and entrepreneurial spirit. Whether you're looking for constant growth, meaningful work, career development, having fun at work, or opportunities for promotion, we're sure that you will find that here!

Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. They’re more than just words for us. We are committed to creating an inclusive and fair workplace that promotes and values diversity. We believe that when people feel a sense of belonging, they are more creative, innovative, and successful. While we know we have more work to do to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion, we’re investing to move our company and industry forward. In recruiting for our team, we welcome the unique contributions you can bring in terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, national origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and beliefs.

ABOUT THE JOB

The Cellar Master will work closely with the Winemaking team to coordinate the production schedule as well as execute and supervise daily cellar activities. We are looking for someone to join our small team that has high standards and takes pride in their work. The ideal candidate is passionate about wine, self-motivated and keen about the opportunity to play a critical role in the production of high-quality wine. The successful candidate will be well versed in wine production, be organized and able to plan workflow in the most efficient way possible. In the cellar, we practice minimal intervention winemaking—letting each site and vintage speak for itself with as little interference as possible. We're building something thoughtful and lasting, and we're looking for a Cellar Master who shares that mindset: someone with the hands-on skills to lead day-to-day cellar operations and the vision to help carry our work forward for years to come!

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/THE DAY-TO-DAY

Inventory Management: Maintain a clean and organized cellar and assist with monthly inventory.
Cellar Work: Lead all aspects of cellar work: racking, blending, bottling, barrel care, sanitation
Hands-on Support: Work closely with the Assistant Winemaker to coordinate and implement the production schedule. Collaborate with the winemaking team to execute a low-intervention philosophy. Support harvest operations, including fruit processing and fermentation management.
Inventory Management: Write work orders as needed, track inventory, and assist with compliance documentation.
Leadership & Training: Assist in the hiring, training and supervision intern crew.
Problem Solving: Work with vendors to coordinate maintenance on all cellar equipment. Able to perform basic cellar maintenance/troubleshooting as needed (barrel/hose repair, forklift daily maintenance etc.).
Hospitality: Serve as a client liaison and professional representative to guests and visitors. Occasionally participate in tastings and tours to share an insider’s view of our craft with guests and supporters.
Safety: Maintain cellar equipment and ensure safe, efficient operation. Holds safety and sanitation in the highest regard – enforce all safety protocols and lead by example.
This is not intended to be a comprehensive list of the duties and responsibilities of the position and that the duties and responsibilities may change without notice.

AM I THE RIGHT FIT?

Not everyone can be a Cellar Master. To be seriously considered for the role here is what you’ll bring:

Education/Licenses/Certifications:

Required
Highschool Diploma or GED
Must be at least 21 years of age due to the handling and/or tasting of alcoholic beverages as part of the job responsibilities, in compliance with state and federal alcohol regulations.

Experience:

5+ years of cellar experience, including at least 2 in a leadership role
Forklift experience
Experience in small-lot, quality-driven environments

Skills/Traits:

Able to detect wine flaws
Mechanically inclined and familiar with cellar tools/equipment
Punctual, reliable and honest
Calm and collected under pressure, self-motivated and has excellent communication skills
Comfortable engaging with visitors and sharing the story behind the wine
Able and willing to work overtime and weekends as needed during harvest and bottlings

Physical Demands:

Lifting and carrying: this requires to lift 50 lb chemical sacks and able to drag 50-100ft sections of 2-inch wine hose.
Standing and walking: this could include standing for long periods or walking for extended periods throughout the day.
Able to maneuver around tanks/cramped spaces and stand for extended periods of time.

If after reading through this long list you’re thinking – I’m not sure if I meet 100% of these requirements, should I still apply? YES – if you embody a growth mindset, see challenges as opportunities to develop, and find smarter (not harder) ways to get the real work that matters done, you sound like our kind of candidate. Regardless of where you come from, how you identify, or the path that led you here – we want to talk to you!

Our cash compensation amount for this role is targeted at $70,000.00 to $85,000.00 per year. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors including candidate experience and expertise and may vary from the amounts listed above.

Here are some of our favorite Perks and Benefits:

At Harper’s Rest, we ask a lot of our employees, which is why we give so much in return. In addition to your competitive total cash compensation, medical/dental/vision plans, we’ll also provide you with: