Consulting Winemaker Job Description

The Livermore Valley Consulting Winemaker is responsible for providing confidential technical consultation to individual wineries and leading overall quality initiatives across the Livermore Valley wine region.

Key Responsibilities
Regional Wine Quality Leadership
Encourage lab analysis and lead the Livermore Winegrowers Lab Analysis programs. Evaluate and report on overall wine quality through regular consultations with individual winemakers and through sensory analysis of wine samples and analyzing lab reports.
Lead group tastings, technical discussions, and quality-focused meetings across the region.
Analyze wine chemistry and laboratory reports to develop clear, balanced, actionable recommendations.
Winery Consultation & Technical Support
Proactively work with winemakers to offer constructive, practical feedback on wine quality.
Recommend improvements related to winemaking processes, techniques, additives, fruit selection, and stylistic goals.
Assist wineries in identifying and correcting defects while enhancing aromatics, structure, phenolics, and overall sensory profile to meet targeted markets.
Winemaker Forums & Collaboration
Organize and lead regular winemaker tasting forums to build familiarity with wines across the region.
Facilitate knowledge-sharing, best practices, and open dialogue among winemakers.
Strengthen professional networks that foster trust, collaboration and continuous improvement.
Education & Industry Engagement
Identify and engage outside consultants and subject-matter experts to present technical seminars and training sessions.
Chair pre-harvest planning and post-harvest recap sessions with viticulture consultants.
Documentation & Communication
Write regional reports and presentations on Livermore Valley wine quality, including current assessments and ongoing improvements. Present the data to winemakers and Winegrowers Quality committee.
Provide clear written reports summarizing technical observations and recommendations.
Maintain accurate and organized records of winery consultations and initiatives.

Qualifications
Education & Experience
Bachelor’s degree or higher in Enology
Minimum of 4 years of head winemaking experience at a production winery
Skills
Familiar with industry wine laboratories and wine addition products
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to provide constructive feedback in a respectful, collaborative manner
Has regular local office hours available (min. 2 days per week) especially if reside outside of Livermore area (office location is provided by LVWA if needed)
Extensive experience in wine tasting and sensory analysis, including evaluation of phenolics and identification of defects
Broad knowledge and tasting experience of wines from major world wine regions
Highly Desired
Resident of the Tri-Valley area
Familiarity with Livermore Valley wines, wineries, and winemaking community
Certifications and coursework

Livermore Valley Consulting Winemaker Goals and Metrics

Objective
To establish key performance metrics that ensure alignment and accountability for the consulting winemaker, with the goal of driving measurable improvements in overall Livermore Valley wine quality for the Association.
General Guiding Principles

Exercise discretion and confidentiality when discussing individual winery results, ensuring trust and professional credibility.
Remain style-agnostic and respectful of each winemaker’s individual choices and philosophical approach.
Provide constructive, instructional guidance to winemakers with humility, integrity, and respect for continuous learning on all sides.
Clearly communicate and document technical observations and recommendations, maintaining accurate, well-organized records of activities.
Maintain collaborative relationships with viticulture consultants, wine laboratory professionals and other external consultants to support integrated decision making.
Stay technically current by engaging outside consultants and subject matter experts to expand professional knowledge and networks for winemakers.
Continuously refine measurable goals and initiatives to drive ongoing improvement and accountability across programs and services.
Highlight collective accomplishments and measurable impacts to external organizations and member wineries to strengthen visibility and sustained support.

Strategic Goals:

Develop insight into Livermore Valley wine quality by systematically analyzing customer feedback, wine scores, sensory evaluations and wine chemistry data; produce and present bi-annual reports on the state of regional wine quality and related initiatives.
Identify and address production gaps that negatively impact wine quality by communicating findings and developing actionable plans to close those gaps.
Promote winemaking best practices by assessing proven methods across the industry and translating those insights into practical guidance for winemakers.
Demonstrate technical leadership through hands-on engagement by providing direct expertise to winemakers, including sensory evaluation, troubleshooting and remediation strategies.
Collaborate proactively with winemakers to establish shared quality benchmarks, driving continuous improvement and elevating commonly accepted winery standards across the Livermore Valley region.