National Sales Manager - We are looking for a team player to manage top-tier distributor relationships while personally telling the winery's story to key sommeliers, retailers, and trade guests
Position Overview
The National Sales Manager will oversee all wholesale sales, distribution partnerships, and market execution for our boutique Napa Valley estate. Managing roughly 3,000 cases annually in the wholesale market of ultra-premium wines, our focus is on communicating sales plans and objectives, building deep relationships with distributors, and securing placements in the country’s finest restaurants and retail accounts.
This is a dynamic, multi-faceted role requiring a blend of high-level strategic planning, hands-on market work, executive reporting, and on-property trade hospitality.
Key Responsibilities
Sales & Distribution Management
•  Channel Strategy: Manage and grow the wholesale footprint across core domestic and export markets, ensuring the brand is positioned in high-image, fine-wine accounts.
•  Distributor Relations: Build and maintain strong relationships with distributor leadership and sales teams. Conduct regular portfolio reviews, set annual goals, and manage distribution for tight-supply inventory.
•  Market Work: Travel to key markets to work "in the bags" with distributor reps, host trade dinners, and personally manage relationships with top-tier accounts.
Financial Budgeting & Allocation Management
•  P&L and Budgeting: Develop, manage, and execute the annual wholesale sales budget, depletion targets, and travel and entertainment (T&E) expenses.
•  Pricing & Margin Structure: Manage distributor pricing structures, depletions, and promotional spend to maximize profitability while maintaining strict adherence to our premium SRP positioning.
•  Sales Planning: Strategically allocate production across markets to balance historical performance with strategic growth markets, preventing out-of-stock gaps while maintaining brand exclusivity.
Executive Reporting & Strategy
•  Performance Metrics: Provide the ownership/executive team with comprehensive monthly and quarterly sales reports tracking depletions, shipments, inventory health, and market trends. Report quarterly to the Board of Directors.
•  Sales Forecasting: Deliver accurate, data-driven sales and production depletion forecasts to align wholesale demand with future vintage bottling plans.
•  Market Intelligence: Monitor and report on competitive landscape trends, pricing shifts, and distributor consolidation impacts within the ultra-premium Napa Valley segment.
On-Property Trade Hospitality
•  Trade Hosting: Serve as the primary brand ambassador on-property for visiting trade. Design and host high-level educational tastings, vineyard tours, and lunches/dinners for key sommeliers, retailers, and distributor executives.
•  DTC Collaboration: Partner closely with the estate’s Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) and hospitality teams to ensure a seamless, luxury experience for trade guests that aligns with the overall estate brand standard.
Qualifications & Skills
•  Experience: 5–7+ years of wine sales experience, with a proven track record managing premium/luxury brands ($100+ SRP) within the three-tier system.
•  Relationships: Existing, strong relationships with fine-wine distributors and key luxury accounts across major US markets.
•  Financial Acumen: Strong proficiency in spreadsheet modeling, budget creation, inventory allocation, and interpreting distributor depletion data.
•  Communication: Exceptional public speaking and presentation skills, with the ability to authentically convey a small estate's story, farming philosophy, and winemaking style to discerning trade professionals.
•  Travel: Ability to travel 35–45% of the time for market travel and trade events.
Physical Demands & Logistics
•  Must possess a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record.
•  Ability to lift and carry up to 45 lbs (sample cases).
•  Based in or able to commute regularly to the Napa Valley for on-property trade hosting and executive alignment.