Business Development & Sales Associate – Grapes, Juice, Bulk Wine, Private Label

Location: Remote with travel to customers, trade shows, and our headquarters in Sunnyside, WA

Reports to: Owner / Sales Leader
Compensation: $60,000 base salary + uncapped commissions & bonuses (OTE $90,000–120,000)

About Us

Airport Ranch Wine Estates is a fourth-generation, family-owned vineyard and winery in Washington State. In addition to producing 50,000 cases annually under our Airfield Estates and Lone Birch brands (12,000 cases DTC and 38,000 through distribution), we are a grower and supplier of grapes, juice, bulk wine, and private label programs.

Our estate is Sustainable WA certified. We’re investing in growth and building long-term partnerships that reflect both our heritage and our commitment to sustainability.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a driven, entrepreneurial Sales Associate who thrives on building relationships, opening new accounts, and staying after them until the sale is closed. This is not a maintenance role — it’s a hunter/closer position with a clear runway.

Products to support this role are sourced from family-owned estate vineyards with a strong track record of producing wines appreciated for their high quality. 3200 tons are expected to be processed at Airport Ranch Wine Estates this harvest. Leading varietals include Pinot Gris, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Syrah, and Merlot in descending order by volume.

This role will report directly to ownership, collaborate with our winemaker for cost and supply data, and be supported by experienced sales, marketing, and admin staff — freeing you to focus on prospecting, pitching, and closing.

What You’ll Do

Drive New Sales Growth across grapes, juice, bulk wine, bottling, and private label/control brands.
Prospect & Build Relationships with wineries, distributors, retail and restaurant groups, and hospitality buyers.
Develop & Close Deals by presenting availability, negotiating contracts, and securing long-term partners.
Leverage Differentiators, including Sustainable WA certification, lightweight glass, keg programs, and private label/control brand packaging.
Collaborate on Pricing with ownership (using cost inputs from our winemaker) to ensure competitive, margin-protected proposals.
Represent the Winery at trade shows, buyer activations, and industry events — domestically and internationally on occasion.
Maintain & Report on Sales Pipeline activity, providing weekly updates and quarterly forecasts. (We are in the process of adopting a simple CRM; in the meantime, reporting will be tracked with straightforward tools.)
Travel as needed to the headquarters in Sunnyside, WA, for team meetings, strategy sessions, and coordination.
What We’re Looking For

Proven closer with experience selling to winemakers, restaurant groups, retail chains, or similar buyers.
Strong ability to speak the language of both wine and sales — comfortable discussing wine styles, production needs, and pricing with industry professionals.
Track record of developing new accounts and driving revenue growth, not just maintaining business.
Excellent communicator and relationship-builder, comfortable with long sales cycles.
Entrepreneurial mindset: self-starter who thrives with autonomy and accountability.
Ability to travel for account visits, trade shows, and buyer activations.
Bachelor’s degree preferred; WSET or equivalent wine knowledge a plus.
Support You’ll Have

National Sales Manager: seasoned professional providing peer-level support and collaboration.
Winemaker: technical expertise, cost insights, bulk/bottling visibility, and credibility with winery buyers.
Admin/Marketing Support: contracts, customer follow-ups, and sales collateral — making sure you’re always equipped to pitch.
Ownership: strategic leadership, coaching, and final pricing alignment.
Compensation & Benefits

Base Salary: $60,000
On-Target Earnings (OTE): $90,000–120,000 with uncapped upside for top performers
Commission Plan: Aggressive structure rewarding incremental new sales; true earning power comes from sales growth
Travel & expense allowance, product allocation, and professional development support
Opportunity to be a key outward-facing sales representative for our bulk wine, grape, juice, and private label programs within a growing, sustainability-driven estate winery
Why Join Us

You’ll step into a role with immediate resources to sell — grapes, juice, bulk, and packaged wine — paired with a proven support team to help you focus on what you do best: building relationships and closing deals. You’ll have the autonomy to run your book of business, the credibility of a Sustainable WA certified, fourth-generation family-owned estate, and the opportunity to directly impact the growth trajectory of a respected Washington wine company.

Just as importantly, you’ll be selling products that deliver outstanding quality at competitive prices — a combination designed to generate wide interest in the market and reward an effective sales associate with meaningful growth potential.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:


401(k)
401(k) matching
Employee discount
Health insurance
Health savings account
Paid time off
Work Location: On the road