WineTalent is working with Stoller Wine Group on a Vice President of Winemaking search
About the Company: Stoller Wine Group is a family of wine brands from Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Founded in 1993, the portfolio includes Stoller Family Estate, Chehalem Winery, History, Elouan, Chemistry and Stoller Swing. The company continuously seeks to improve its brands, and company with a lens towards quality, authenticity and sustainability. Stoller Wine Group is a certified B Corp.
About the Position: The Vice President of Winemaking provides executive leadership and direction for winemaking and winery operations across all Stoller Wine Group brands. As part of the executive leadership team, the VP of Winemaking collaborates with the Founding Winemaker on long-term planning and execution to align production, quality, resources and capital investments with organizational goals.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Planning & Executive Leadership
- Partners with the President and executive team to develop and execute the annual and long-range strategic plan for winemaking and winery operations, with a focus on quality excellence, operational efficiency, and business growth.
- Leads the strategic direction of wine production across all brands, tiers, and programs.
- Authorizes major projects and allocates resources to support production goals, quality standards, and cost objectives.
- Ensures annual operating plans and capital expenditures align with strategic priorities and approved production volumes.
- Serves as a key member of the executive leadership team, contributing to enterprise-level planning and decision-making.
Winemaking, Processing & Quality Oversight
- Provides executive oversight of all winemaking and processing activities from grape procurement through bottling.
- Maintains and enforces wine style, technical, and quality standards across the full portfolio.
- Oversees the Estate, Reserve, and Chehalem winemaking teams to ensure alignment with brand vision, quality expectations, and production goals.
- Leads continuous improvement of technical protocols, quality systems, and production practices
- Ensure consistency, scalability, and excellence across varietals, brands, and production volumes.
- Oversee bottling operations and create and manage bottling calendar in collaboration with winemaking and bottling teams.
- Oversee quality assurance programs, audits, and corrective action initiatives.
Grape Procurement & Supply Strategy
- Leads grape procurement strategy, including sourcing, grower relationships, contracts, and long-term supply planning.
- Aligns fruit sourcing with production forecasts, quality objectives, and financial targets.
- Collaborates with viticulture teams and external partners to ensure fruit quality, sustainability, and supply continuity.
Operational & Financial Management
- Ensures production plans, staffing models, and operating budgets support volume, cost, and quality objectives.
- Oversees capital planning, equipment investments, and facility improvements.
- Drives operational efficiency while safeguarding wine quality and brand integrity.
- Monitors and manages key performance indicators, including cost of goods, yield, quality metrics, and capacity utilization.
- Works closely with sales on product volumes, release dates, and bottling timelines.
New Product Development & Innovation
- Supports new product development initiatives from concept through commercialization.
- Partners with sales and marketing to guide portfolio strategy, innovation, and brand growth.
- Evaluates emerging technologies, production techniques, and industry trends to maintain competitive advantage.
People Leadership & Organizational Development
- Leads, mentors, and develops winemaking, production, and bottling teams.
- Fosters a culture of accountability, collaboration, safety, and continuous improvement.
- Supports succession planning and leadership development within the winemaking organization.
External Representation & Industry Leadership
- Represents the winery with national and international media, industry organizations, and external stakeholders when needed.
- Strengthens the winery’s reputation and credibility within the industry and marketplace.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Viticulture and Enology, Food Science, Chemistry, Microbiology or closely aligned science. Advanced degree highly desirable.
- 3 or more years in a Director or Vice President of Winemaking position and at least 10 years of winemaking experience.
- Proven leadership acumen and an understanding of complex interpersonal dynamics.
- High emotional intelligence and dedication to mentoring and coaching staff.
- Ability to manage up while collaborating with executives.
- Excellent communication, organizational, and analytical skills
- Ability to multitask and work with shifting priorities while maintaining clear direction for winemaking team.
Compensation and Benefits:
- This is a full-time, exempt position. The salary range is $170,000 to $200,000.
- Competitive salary plus incentive bonus. Benefits include medical, dental, vision and life insurance. Additional benefits include 401(K) with employer match, vacation, sick and holiday pay.
About WineTalent: WineTalent is a wine industry focused recruitment company. We work closely with our clients and our job seekers to find the right fit of talents, experience and work environment. All inquiries will be kept strictly confidential.
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