Job Description

Gibbston Valley Wines is seeking a Winemaker to join one of Central Otago’s most established and inspiring destination wineries.

Woking with the Head Winemaker, this is a rare role for someone who enjoys both the creative and disciplined sides of winemaking. You will be a key member of the team producing Organic Central Otago wine from Bendigo, Gibbston and Pisa.

At Gibbston Valley Wines, driven by a commitment to quality, and continuous improvement, our culture is built on the values of: Care Always | Craft with Purpose | Grow Together | Honour the Land

Why this role matters

• You will bring thoughtful, creative, and technical input across the winemaking programme.
• You will help shape wines through active tasting, blend trials, conditioning decisions, and quality reviews.
• You will help connect vineyard intent with winery execution through regular vineyard observation and liaison
• You will own much of the operating rhythm of the winery: cellar workflow, wine condition, technical bottling readiness, compliance, records, stock, equipment upkeep and monthly reporting.
• You will help lead and set up cellar and vintage teams.
• You will represent GVW wines in a destination-winery setting through selected wine club, media, trade and visitor tastings.

What you will own

• Day-to-day wine condition, analysis and oenological monitoring
• Operational vineyard follow-through
• Cellar-hand supervision, work orders, vintage staffing support and practical team setup.
• Bottling readiness, Vintrace accuracy and production records.
• WSMP, BioGro/organic audit readiness, traceability and compliance evidence.
• Stock visibility for bulk wine, additives, consumables and cellar supplies.
• Equipment upkeep, service tracking and readiness for cellar work.

Vineyard interface

The Winemaker will have an important operational role in making sure vineyard prescriptions are understood, monitored and fed back into winery decisions.

Hands-on winery work

This is an active, hands-on role in a working winery. You will lead the cellar rhythm, but you will also be part of the work. Cellar-hand support will be available for part of the year, particularly around vintage and peak workload periods, but the Winemaker should expect to remain involved in day-to-day winery work.

About you

• You are technically strong, organised and calm.
• You are physically capable, practical and comfortable doing active cellar work throughout the year, not only supervising it.
• You are comfortable moving between vineyard observation and hands-on winery work, with enough vineyard literacy to recognise and communicate issues that affect wine quality.
• You enjoy the craft of tasting and blending, but also value records, systems, audit readiness, and follow-through.
• You can lead cellar people well and communicate wine clearly to internal teams, trade, media and wine club audiences.
• You have experience in premium still and sparkling wine production
• Compliance experience would be advantageous.

A competitive salary will be offered based on experience. Additional benefits may include vehicle or vehicle allowance, wine allowance / staff allocation, and professional development support, staff discount.

*We are accepting applications solely from individuals with unrestricted work rights in New Zealand. Due to the popularity of positions at Gibbston Valley Wines, only candidates who are shortlisted will be contacted.