Assistant Winemaker

NexTerra Wine Company is a premier wine producer built on the belief that great wine begins in the vineyard.
Headquartered just outside of Chicago, the 125,000-square-foot facility houses an onsite winery, state of the art bottling system and distribution center.
Partnering with distinguished growers across the globe, NexTerra sources the highest quality grapes and nurtures each wine to its individual needs—a philosophy that has resulted in over 600 national and international wine awards.
With deep industry knowledge, boundless creativity, and advanced winemaking techniques, NexTerra has grown to one of the largest U.
S.
producers outside of California projecting over 1.
1 million cases produced in 2023, and a growing keg program of over 170,000 gallons worth of kegs.
NexTerra is looking for an Assistant Winemaker that will support all activities of the winemaking process.
This role encompasses responsibilities for influencing Nexterra wine from purchase, receiving, blending, bottling, and the quality of wine delivered to the consumer.
The Assistant Winemaker will facilitate effective and streamlined communication.
The Assistant Winemaker will focus on safety, work order generation, lab data interpretation, data compilation, cleaning/sanitation monitoring, bulk wine QA, SOP documentation, and fermentation monitoring.
*Responsibilities include but are not limited to:* · Creates Work Orders (WOs) according to the daily cellar schedule.
· Collaborates with team to plan daily cellar activities.
· Collaborates with Winemakers, Cellar Master, and Lab Manager to ensure all WOs and critical activities are completed - monitors and communicates progress of activity throughout the day; recognizes and communicates when and where adjustments need to be made and offers problem solving solutions.
· Ensures all wines are bottle ready – according to specification – including stabilized and filtered to meet bottling schedule deadlines.
· Audits lab reports for completeness and accuracy - reviews concerns with Winemakers and Lab Manager.
· Monitors and corrects SO2 levels and wine health – responsible for daily WOs addition calculations and weekly SO2assessments: addition recommendations, WO generation, and post addition assessment.
· Conducts weekly inventory checks, assesses discrepancies with WOs, orders supplies, generates POs, checks-in, and labels received supplies.
· Cross trained on Cellar Operations Administrative tasks (i.
e.
WO generation and posting WOs) · Manages off-site sample receiving spreadsheet/database, checks-in, labels, and organizes received samples.
· Monitors and charts on-site fermentations.
· Data compilation of offsite harvest data and other projects.
· Manages facility tank temperatures through TankNet system.
· Able to work independently and has flexibility to ensure schedule coverage.
· Collaborates with Cellar Master to create, review, and update SOPs.
· Reviews cellar processes, proposes new protocols.
· Works up trial blends for tasting as assigned by Winemakers.
· Sets up, and participates in, wine evaluation and blending tasting sessions in Tasting Lab.
· Maintains a clean and organized Tasting Lab.
· Tastes and learns current wine SKU and styles.
· Recognizes wine faults – analytical and sensory.
· Other duties and projects as needed.
*Requirements:* · B.
S.
degree in Enology or related sciences.
· 2 years minimum of full-time experience in a winemaking related role.
· Experience working with bulk wines from multiple sources, preferred.
· Experience using winery software.
· Experience blending wines from multiple appellations, preferred.
· Experience with international/imported bulk wines preferred.
· Hands on cellar and lab experience.
· Advanced wine sensory skills.
· Experience at a large winery preferred.
· Experience writing Work Orders and wine tracking.
· Skilled in Microsoft Excel.
· Proficient in Microsoft Office.
· Experience in data compilation and charts.
*Supervisory Responsibilities:* · Supervisory experience, preferred.
*Physical Job Functions:* · Must be able to lift at least 50 lbs, as needed.
· Must be able to stand and be on your feet for long periods of time, working 10-hour shifts per day.
NexTerra is an Equal Opportunity Employer Job Type: Full-time Pay: From $65,000.
00 per year Benefits: * 401(k) * 401(k) matching * Dental insurance * Employee discount * Health insurance * Life insurance * Paid time off * Vision insurance Schedule: * 10 hour shift Work Location: In person