Vintage 2024 is just around the corner and while it still feels a little way off, we are gearing up and looking ahead for an awesome winemaking/cellar hand team to get on board and help us make great wine.

About us

The Hawke's Bay Wine Company is a custom crush facility based in urban Napier, making commercial premium and ultra-premium wine for a range of clients since 2013, from the very largest wineries in New Zealand, through to small boutique producers. This mix ensures a constant variety of work and gives exposure to many different wines, wine styles and winemaking philosophies. 

But it’s not all about the plant and machinery. Over the last couple of years, we’ve brought together a group of people who have the right stuff to help us make the wines we want to make. You could liken a winery to a church – it’s not actually about the building, more the people in it.  

About the job  

We are looking for some experienced Cellar Hands that love the wine industry. Our Cellar Hands are involved in various winemaking and cellar operations from barrel work and blending, to despatch. We generally employ our vintage Cellar Hands fixed-term for a period of 10 weeks although, again, this may change depending on seasonal considerations. 

Shift work and 8 – 12 hours, up to 6 days per week are generally required during the harvest period. To keep your stamina up, delicious and hearty vintage meals are provided along with snacks and treats. Assistance with accommodation is possible if needed. We are paying experienced Cellar Hands with 3+ vintage experience between $26 - $28p/h depending on experience and qualifications. You are paid for every hour worked and are guaranteed a minimum of 30hrs per week. 

About you: 

• You have at least 3 vintages under your belt and know the ropes. 
• You're a positive, reliable team player who turns up for work with a smile, can-do attitude and have awesome attention to detail. 
• Are all about Health & Safety, love following safety procedures, happily use your PPE correctly, and report incidents when they happen to keep everyone safe, because that’s what we are all about! 
• Have a good level of fitness to haul hoses, dig out tanks and climb stairs. 
• Have a current full driver’s licence. Forklift training will be provided if necessary. 

Most importantly, you are a good sort who can laugh with others and at yourself. 

Benefits and Culture 

The right people, precision, intuition, and toys are what a winery needs to create great wine. Join our passionate winemaking team in the beautiful Hawkes Bay region. We offer competitive pay rates, a fun, safe and inclusive team environment, to work and learn alongside our winemakers, lab, office, vineyard, and cellar door crew. 

We enjoy a good laugh and getting together for a glass of wine, or (more often than not) a cold beer and a BBQ. There are many benefits including a wine allowance, wine tastings and access to our Employee Assistance Program.

If this sounds like you, please apply with your CV and a little bit about yourself. We look forward to hearing from you!

• For information about working in New Zealand, visit the Immigration Department website: www.immigration.govt.nz
• For information about New Zealand's Inland Revenue Department (for tax purposes and getting tax numbers etc), visit www.ird.govt.nz
  
• For information about the Hawkes Bay wine region, click here.
  
• Jobseekers should be aware that the start and finish dates of harvest work employment may change from those suggested by wineries at the time of your job offer. Vintage dates can not accurately be predicted.
  
  It is therefore important that you understand that depending on your employment arrangements with the employer there may be a period of time where you have no work or less work than you were expecting, and should have sufficient financial arrangements in place should this occur. Your actual start and finish dates may vary - if you have queries around this, check with your winery employer before booking airline tickets etc.
• For general information about New Zealand, click here or here for two helpful websites. 

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