ABOUT HESS PERSSON ESTATES
Hess Persson Estates is a leading, Family Owned, Napa Valley wine producer with a legacy of mountain-grown winemaking, sustainable farming practices, and premium quality. We steward our estate vineyards with great care and collaborate closely with grower partners across California.


POSITION SUMMARY
The Senior Viticulture & Grower Relations Manager oversees estate winegrowing operations for approximately 500 Napa Valley acres—100 acres directly farmed on Mt. Veeder and 400 acres farmed through a full-service contractor—while leading grower relations and grape procurement across the North Coast, Central Coast, and California Interior regions. This role operates with a high degree of autonomy while partnering closely with executive leadership for strategic direction and final decision-making.

This role requires a technically skilled viticulture leader who can balance quality and economic objectives in close partnership with Winemaking and the COO/CFO. The ideal candidate excels at managing both estate vineyards and multi-region sourcing while fostering collaboration across operational teams.


KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•  Estate Vineyard Management (100 Direct-Farmed Acres + 400 Contractor-Farmed Acres)
•  Direct-Farmed – 100 Acres (Mt. Veeder)
•  Lead all technical farming decisions including pruning, canopy management, irrigation, pest/disease control, crop load management, and harvest operations.
•  Manage in-house vineyard staff, supervisors, seasonal labor, and farm labor contractors (FLCs).
•  Integrate sustainable and regenerative viticulture practices consistent with winery goals.
•  Conduct regular scouting, data monitoring, vine/soil health assessments, and fruit quality evaluations.
•  Plan, coordinate, and oversee harvest scheduling, logistics, and labor deployment for estate vineyards.
•  Contractor-Farmed – 400 Acres (Napa Valley)
•  Provide strategic and technical oversight of a full-service vineyard management contractor.
•  Review and approve annual farming plans, viticulture protocols, and budgets.
•  Conduct regular vineyard visits to ensure quality execution and adherence to winery standards.
•  Align contractor operations with winemaking needs, economic targets, and long-term vineyard goals.
•  Coordinate harvest logistics and scheduling in collaboration with contractor teams and harvest crews.
•  Estate Grape Sales
•  Manage sales of estate-grown grapes to third-party winery customers, including communication, quality assurance, vineyard access, and harvest coordination.
•  Manage Capital Projects
•  Grower Relations & Grape Procurement (North Coast, Central Coast, California Interior)
•  Conduct periodic vineyard visits at key phenological development stages to assess canopy development, crop load, vine health, maturity, and fruit quality.
•  Cross-Functional Leadership & Operational Planning


QUALIFICATIONS
Required:
•  Bachelor’s degree in Viticulture, Enology, Plant Science, Agronomy, or related field (Master’s a plus).
•  6+ years of progressive vineyard management experience in premium winegrowing regions.
•  Strong technical viticulture experience in both mountain and valley-floor environments.
•  Experience managing vineyard teams and overseeing contracted vineyard management firms.
•  Strong communication, collaboration, and leadership skills.
•  Demonstrated ability to balance economic and quality tradeoffs in partnership with Finance and Winemaking.
•  Ability to manage multiple regional sourcing programs and travel as needed.
•  Valid California driver’s license, insurable, clean driving record.

Desired Experience:
•  PCA license.
•  Experience managing farm labor contractors (FLCs) and navigating labor compliance requirements.
•  Familiarity with AgCode and other vineyard management or analytics systems.
•  Multi-region grower relations experience across California.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements
•  Primarily based at the Napa Winery, with frequent travel to vineyard sites across the state.
•  Ability to navigate steep, rugged vineyard terrain.
•  Extended hours during peak farming and harvest periods.
•  Ability to lift up to 40 lbs and work in variable weather conditions.


COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
•  Competitive base salary.
•  Annual bonus and merit increase programs.
•  Compassionate and family-oriented management team and company culture.
•  Comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental and vision insurance.
•  Short- and long-term disability, AD&D, and life insurance plans 100% paid by the employer.
•  401k plan with a 100% company match up to first 6% of salary rate that the employee contributes (eligible after 6 months of employment).
•  Paid Time Off (starting at 3 weeks’ vacation, 10 sick and 10 paid holidays).
•  Wine Club Membership to Hess Persson Estates.
•  Employee wine discount.
•  A work environment where you can be your authentic self and be a part of a winning team!



This role’s compensation is anticipated to fit within the range of $120,000-140,000 annual salary. These figures represent what we reasonably expect to pay for this position, but the actual compensation offered will depend upon numerous job-related factors, including but not limited to candidate skills, experience, knowledge and education.

Hess Persson Estates is an equal opportunity employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, protected veteran status, or other protected class. For more information, see the EEOC's "Equal Employment Opportunity is The Law" poster. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at 707-265-3487.