Assistant Winemaker

William Heritage Winery takes pride in their premium estate grown wines. The vineyard & winery is located in Mullica Hill, New Jersey and recently received 90 point ratings from such publications at the Wine Advocate, Wine & Spirits Magazine and Wine Enthusiast. William Heritage Winery has begun cementing itself as a benchmark producer in the southern winegrowing region of New Jersey. This region is now an officially recognized American Viticultural Area know as the Outer Coastal Plain.

The Heritage family historically owned over 150 acres of apple and peach orchards and decided to establish the vineyard and winery in 1998. The vineyard has grown to approximately 60 acres of grapes consisting of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chambourcin, Syrah, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Semillon, and Sauvignon Blanc along with various experimental plantings. The winemaking facility produces 20,000-30,000 cases of wine annually. Wine styles range from premium estate-grown wines to sweet & semi-sweet fruit wines. The owners Bill & Penni Heritage along with their sons Richard, Bryan and Erik have a lifelong passion for wine and farming wine grapes. They have a tremendous dedication towards quality and fostering a positive and exciting work environment that values creativity and dedication to the winemaking process. They are also an outgoing bunch that enjoys good conversation and an ice-cold beer after a long days work.

William Heritage Winery is currently seeking to fill an assistant winemaker position to help ensure superior wine quality at all stages of wine production. The position is physically active and requires hands-on and supervisory skills. Applicants should possess an understanding of winemaking fundamentals, equipment, and lab work, a solid work ethic, and attention to detail and cleanliness. The successful candidate will have a strong passion for wine, a good sense of humor, and the ability to work as part of a team.

Primary Responsibilities
•  Perform and help to supervise all winemaking activities from crush to bottle in a timely fashion and according to all quality standards
•  Daily sensory evaluation of wines
•  Clean and sanitize barrels, tanks, fermentation bins, pumps, hoses, and all other winemaking equipment
•  Perform daily cellar operations such as racking, additions, filtering, bottling, etc.
•  Maintain wine during aging, including topping, stirring, sulfur additions, and headspace management
•  Manage laboratory and perform analysis as needed (FSO2, pH, TA, Malic Acid, RS, YAN)
•  Assist the Winemaker in preparation of blends and trials
•  Help to hire, manage, and train a harvest intern
•  Participate in vineyard trips and fruit sampling and analysis
•  Execute all harvest activities, including fruit receival and sorting, pumpovers, punchdowns, inoculations, nutrient additions, pressing, and barreling down
•  Keep accurate records and track all harvest, fermentation, and bottling activities
•  Maintain an accurate inventory of winemaking and bottling supplies
•  Contribute to continuous improvement of winemaking processes
•  Maintain cleanliness of all areas within the winery

Qualifications
•  Must have 2-3 years cellar experience
•  Bachelor’s degree relevant to winemaking or significant experience in viticulture and/or enology
•  Ability to work variable schedule including extended hours, especially during harvest
•  Ability to lift 50 pounds
•  Proficiency with Microsoft Office and other basic computer programs
•  Ability to operate a forklift
•  Valid driver’s license
•  Must be at least 21 years of age