Tasting Room Lead at Heron Bluff Vineyard and Winery

We are a family owned boutique winery. It is named for the Great Blue Herons that return each spring to the on-site rookery located in the tall trees near the massive basalt bluffs on the north boundary of this majestic vineyard location. The rich volcanic soils and fractured basalt of the estate soils provide unmatched minerality and flavor to the fruit produced on these southwest facing slopes using sustainable vineyard practices. Heron Bluff Vineyard and Winery is located 3 miles west of Red Mountain with 18 acres of vineyard overlooking the Yakima River. We are a relatively new facility first planting and building the winery in 2016 with plans to average about 2500 cases per vintage. We are preparing to open a new tasting room this summer. We are looking for a new member to this team where we take our estate fruit through the entire wine making process from vine to bottle. The successful candidate will possess a positive team attitude and be willing to approach any task a small business environment provides.

This position is filled by someone dependable, positive, willing to learn, and communicates well and possesses good organizational skills. This candidate is expected to maintain excellent tasting room cleanliness and organization, as well as keep up with day-to-day operations. Having a working knowledge of winery operations/flow is crucial and good time management is essential for candidate success. This is a great opportunity for someone interested in learning all aspects of operating a vineyard and winery from someone with decades of mentoring experience.

Capabilities and Skills desired:

•  Quickly connect with winery visitors and engage in conversation
•  Show a genuine interest in others and their wine preferences
•  Maintain a professional attitude and appearance with strong interpersonal skills
•  Know wine varietals and about Heron Bluff Wines in discussions with customers
•  Always striving to provide an outstanding wine experience for customers
•  Work to meet sales and wine club goals
•  Able to train and lead staff
•  Maintain a well organized, stocked, and clean tasting room and patio area
•  Always thinking of new event opportunities and how to improve upon the wine experience

Minimum Qualifications:

•  At least 2+ years experience working in tasting room or an AA degree with 1+ years industry experience
•  Good communication skills, positive attitude toward self and others
•  Valid driver’s license
•  Ability to lift 50+ lbs
•  Washington M.A.S.T. permit and have (or obtain) a food handlers permit
•  Ability to work weekends or evenings during special events

Interpersonal skills require working with others in a cooperative, non- confrontational manner, showing patience but requiring accountability, and not letting egos get in the way of progress. This person also works closely with the owners and other winery staff, helps assemble the wine club shipments, and is expected to understand the needs of administration and marketing. This person is responsible for ensuring that tasting room staff time is used efficiently, maintaining high standards of cleanliness, and the organization and storage of supplies and equipment. Candidate must be able to provide own transportation, must be eligible for employment in the U.S.

This is a part time position working about 30 hours per week. Compensation is $17+ per hour based on experience, plus tips and bonuses. If interested please provide a cover letter and resume to Eric Hoppe at ew_hoppe@yahoo.com