Associate Winemaker

Cave Spring Vineyard seeks a skilled and innovative Associate Winemaker to join our dynamic team. Reporting to the Head Winemaker, the Associate Winemaker plays a key role in optimizing production processes and supporting the day-to-day operations of all wines. The Associate Winemaker possesses a hands-on leadership style, playing a role in cellar operations, production scheduling, quality assurance and staff supervision.  The ideal candidate will have experience with laboratory and fermentation protocols particularly with indigenous yeast fermentations.  They also possess a strong knowledge of cellar operations and vineyard protocols and how they affect the wines.  This role provides the right candidate an excellent opportunity to expand their skills, assume responsibility at a highly innovative and award-winning Canadian winery and work in a collaborative and family environment.

Duties & Responsibilities

Under the leadership of the Head Winemaker, the Associate Winemaker will be responsible for:

Production

• Coordinate and assist daily cellar operations and execution of production tasks.
• Create and manage production schedules, coordinate workflow with cellar staff.
• Create and monitor progress on work orders, ensuring deadlines and quality standards are met.
• Coordinate fruit receiving, crushing, pressing, fermentations, racking, blending, stabilization, and finishing of wines
• Coordinate blending trials and collaborate on final blend decisions
• Responsible for coordinating lab analysis and organoleptic analysis of wines throughout the production process to ensure quality and be able to identify problems and enact solutions.
• Monitoring of wines throughout the year to ensure they remain chemically and biologically stable.
• Facilitate ongoing and new research projects and grant proposals
• They will understand the challenges of using indigenous yeasts and know how to overcome these challenges.
• Help troubleshoot production issues, including staffing or equipment challenges, to minimize downtime.

Vineyard

•  Working with the Head Winemaker, coordinate with the Vineyard Manager and vineyard partners on crop estimates, fruit quality, and harvest timing
• Participate in vineyard scouting and provide feedback on viticultural practices affecting wine quality
• Participate in grape maturity sampling and harvest scheduling in collaboration with vineyard partners

Cross-Departmental

• Coordinate production planning to meet sales forecasts and seasonal demand
• Work with sales, marketing, and hospitality teams to support product knowledge and staff training
• Participate in tastings, winemaker dinners, media visits, and industry events as required
• Contribute to new product development and continuous quality improvement initiatives