Waimea Estates is located on the Waimea Plains and produces premium Sauvignon Blanc, along with a range of aromatics including Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Gruner Veltliner, Pinot Gris and Albariño from our vineyards. Also in the Nelson region, our Gravity Winery located on the Moutere Hills is a gravity-fed facility with a focus on producing premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with fruit from both our own local vineyards and our Central Otago wine company Bannock Brae.

Waimea and Gravity are part of Booster Wine Group which is a collection of NZ wineries including Awatere River Wine Company, Bannock Brae and Sileni Wines. It is here at Waimea Estates and Gravity Winery, where we are now recruiting for dynamic, reliable team players with vintage positions available for skilled press operators, cellar hands and a laboratory technician to join our Nelson-based wineries for the 2024 Harvest.

The vintage positions will commence in early-March, depending on the grape growing season. We offer an 8-week minimum contract, with a chance of extending some contracts depending on experience. As expected, long vintage hours and shiftwork are required during the peak of harvest, and we provide a meal each day over this peak. We contribute towards your accommodation with a subsidy, and we are happy to assist you with finding accommodation, if required. 

Our ideal candidate will possess:

• A Minimum of 2 vintages experience (previous experience in a mid-to-large winery is advantageous)
• A passion for making wine
• Can-do attitude with attention to detail
• Appetite for hard work with a reasonable level of fitness
• Health & Safety conscious
• A great sense of humor and the ability to communicate effectively in English
• The ability to work well with others as part of a team.

Vintage Cellar hand responsibilities & tasks:

• Grape receival, processing and pressing
• Flotation & filtration
• Racking & transfers
• Additions & Inoculations
• Red wine management
• Barrel management
• General cellar & Equipment hygien
• Previous experience in RDV and Dieme Presses is an advantage but not essential.

Vintage Lab tech responsibilities & tasks:

• Assisting Nelson Winemakers during the vintage period
• Maturity sampling
• Conducting daily ferment rounds and collection of samples
• Collaborating closely with the Nelson Winemakers and cellar hands to ensure precise and reliable analysis is obtained
• Experience with equipment such as Aspiration Sulphurs, Auto titrator, DMA (Density meter), vintrace software and Excel spreadsheets is an advantage but not essential

We can offer you variety, exposure to numerous aspects of the winemaking process, and the opportunity to be part of a close-knit, friendly team who are dedicated to producing quality wines.

In return, we will provide:

• A competitive wage rate depending on experience
• An 8-week contract with a minimum of 32 hours per week in the periods before and after harvest
• 10-12 hour shifts during peak, with rostered days off
• 1x daily meal during peak shift work
• Assistance finding accommodation as well as a subsidy towards accommodation
• Full on the job training
• Chance to increase your knowledge of New Zealand wine

If this sounds like you, please forward a CV, two references, and a cover letter outlining your main areas of experience via the ‘Apply Now’ button.

• 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 more information about the Nelson 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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