Lescombes Family Vineyards is a winemaking legacy with six generations | three continents | one passion.

We are looking for a passionate, experienced Winemaker to join our team in Deming, New Mexico. Our Winery is in the heart of Mimbres Valley, built in 1984, and situated on 15 acres. We have over 90 fermentation tanks on site with a 550,000-gallon capacity, which is the largest in New Mexico. Our 200-acre Lescombes family-owned vineyard is located 47 miles west of Deming, NM, at an elevation of 4,500 feet.

Position Summary:

The Winemaker is responsible for all day-to-day winemaking activities, ensuring the highest quality, image, and productivity in support of the winery's strategic goals. In order to achieve these goals, you will work closely with other departments (Cellar, Packaging, Lab, Maintenance, and Administrative), in order to meet the production needs of our brands.

Key Responsibilities:

Leads, communicates, maintains, and manages daily, monthly, and yearly winemaking tasks with Cellar Team, Winery Operations Manager, and all related departments.
Establishes winemaking processes and procedures; creates a "wine plan" that outlines quality and quantity objectives ensuring that winemaking operations meet expectations.
Leads, motivates, maintains, manages, and utilizes the current wine planning system (NAV) providing direction daily, weekly, monthly, and annually in the cellar process management of grapes, juices, and wines including chemical and ingredient additions, racks, transfers, clarification, blends, shipping and final preparation for bottling.
Leads, motivates, maintains, and manages the winemaking team with innovative and creative approaches; communicates winemaking goals to employees.
Leads, motivates, maintains, and manages the performance of daily cellar activities including wine transfers, additions, sampling, and cleaning.
Leads, motivates, maintains, and manages product quality and addresses supply/demand fluctuations to help meet product volume goals.
Leads, motivates, maintains, and manages grape and bulk wine assignments in existing systems to communicate product volumes.
Participates in harvest timing and ensuring optimum grape quality for winemaking objectives.
Organizes and participates in the wine-tasting process; attains wine flavor profiles that meet marketing needs. Identifies aromas and flavors in wines; recommends treatments to improve wine quality by tasting the inventory.
Develops wine blends and new wines in order to support short and long-term winemaking goals and objectives.
Recommends and evaluates new products; implements production on new approved wines.
Leads, motivates, maintains, and manages quality assurance processes and procedures to reflect and enhance wine-making procedures.
Assist in the supply/ingredient inventory, including pre-harvest winemaking supplies, all wine additives, and fining agents.
Collaborates with vineyard operations, compliance, maintenance, accounting, and the winemaking staff to ensure optimum production, efficiency, and quality.
Ensures that procedural and current best practice documents relating to the winemaking processes and procedures are developed and updated.
Leads, motivates, maintains, and manages the continuous improvement of processes through all phases of wine production.
Responsible for understanding and complying with applicable quality, environmental, ASI, and safety regulatory considerations. If accountable for the work of others responsible for ensuring their understanding and compliance.
Understanding and knowledge of pump operation, bottling line, filters, and other general cellar equipment.
Must be capable of working in a team-based environment under supervision while at other times will be expected to work independently.
Work within the expectations of Company Officers to meet wine quality and safety standards at all times, including active participation in meetings.
Responsible for maintaining clean and organized work spaces.
Leads, motivates, maintains, and manages associates on compliance of all company policies and procedures
Making and Preparing sample blends request from Procurement Manager for our contract bottlings and collaboration for the bulk wine program.
Cross-train and maintain general knowledge and working relationships with other Department Managers in order to support other areas when the need arises.
Perform additional work and other wine production activities as requested, especially during harvest.
Leads, motivates, maintains, and manages barrel management programs for topping, sulfites, and bringing in new barrels using old barrels for port style wine.
Conduct wine-tasting sessions, represent the winery at events, explain various aspects of wine and winemaking to visitors, and support with Vineyard & Winery tours.
Responsible for enforcing GMPs and ensuring their departments are in compliance with all food safety regulations specified by the Quality Control Manager.
Other job duties assigned by Manager.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Develops, coaches and mentors direct reports and others on the winemaking team.
Conducts performance evaluations; recommends salary adjustments; rewards employees or takes disciplinary action, as necessary; addresses complaints and resolves issues.
Comply with all ASI and OSHA guidelines and feel comfortable ensuring other employees are following.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

Strong knowledge of wine, winemaking process, and vineyard knowledge
Must have 4+ years of winemaking experience in a 50,000+ annual wine case production
Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry, Biology, Enology, Food Science, or related field required.
Strong understanding of wine compounds and the aging process of different varietals.
Must be able to work well as a part of a team, but also must be able to work independently
Must be able to work under pressure and meet deadlines, while maintaining a positive attitude
Good interpersonal/people skills and the ability to communicate effectively and clearly.
Must have the willingness to expand their wine knowledge.
Strong understanding of wine compounds and the aging process of different varietals.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to effectively communicate with internal and external customers
Must have computer knowledge (i.e. google docs, sheets)
Must have refined wine-tasting skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

Spanish language a plus

Individual will possess the following characteristics:

Passionate - displays a true interest in their profession and St. Clair Winery
Driven - completes tasks, achieves goals, doesn't give up
Leader - behaves with confidence that inspires others to be better
Curious - routinely questions process or methods to find better ways of doing things; always wants to learn
Optimistic - approaches problems or day to day work in a welcoming and positive manner
Accountable - takes ownership of their duties and responsibilities
Collaborative - enjoys and welcomes opportunities to work with others and listens to ideas from colleagues
Flexible - understands and is able to shift direction or priorities on a regular basis
Creative - thinks outside the box to find new or better ways to do things
Listens - takes time to actively listen to and understand the true needs of a customer before beginning work
Strives for Mutual Success - gives credit to others, demonstrates desire for others to succeed as much as or more than self

ADA Physical/Mental/Workplace Requirements:

Ability to safely and successfully perform essential job functions
Requires the ability to stand, walk, climb stairs and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. It also requires sitting, operating a computer keyboard, telephone and other equipment, reading, talking and hearing for extended periods of time.
Is exposed to loud noise, fumes and/or toxic chemicals
Works near moving, mechanical parts and lift truck traffic
Must be able to work weekends during peak season
Must be able to talk, listen and speak clearly on telephone

Check us out on our website: https://lescombeswinery.com/

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