Cellar Hand - Petersons Wines Hunter Valley

Petersons Wines Hunter Valley; Cessnock; On-site; AUD 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Petersons Wines Hunter Valley is seeking a motivated Cellar Hand to support winery operations from grape reception through to bottling prep. You will work under seasoned cellar and winemaking staff, gaining hands-on experience across fermentation, barrel work, and routine lab-style tasks.

Ideal for those starting a winery career or with existing exposure, the role emphasizes training, safety, and attention to detail while handling weekend shifts during the busy vintage period.

Qualifications

• Forklift licence is required or willingness to obtain.
• Current driver licence required.
• RSA or willingness to obtain (for occasional events).

Responsibilities

• Grape receival and sampling tasks.
• Fermentation support and data entry.
• Cellar work including pump-overs, transfers, and barrel management.
• Barrel work: filling, topping, washing, analysis checks.
• Maintain hygiene of tanks, pumps, hoses and equipment.
• General duties: forklift handling, housekeeping, safety checks.

Skills

Forklift licence

Driver licence

RSA

Tools

Safety compliance

Job description

Cellar Hand - Petersons Wines Hunter Valley

Ideal for those starting their winery career or already established, this role offers broad exposure and training, to vintage and winery operations in a dynamic environment. You’ll be working under the guidance of experienced cellar and winemaking staff, gaining valuable hands-on skills across all aspects of winery operations from grape receival through to preparing wines for bottling.

Key Responsibilities

• Grape receival: fruit intake, sampling, weighing, processing set-up.
• Fermentation support: inoculations/yeast prep, temperature checks, Baume testing, data entry.
• Cellar work: pump-overs, plunging, racking, transfers, juice/wine movements, additions (as directed).
• Barrel work: filling, topping, washing, analysis checks.
• High Standard of Equipment Hygiene: tanks, pumps, presses, hoses, fittings, floors.
• General duties: forklift, housekeeping, waste management, record keeping, safety checks.

Learn basic laboratory techniques and perform laboratory analysis.

• Previous vintage, cellar, brewery, or food production experience an advantage, but not essential.
• Forklift licence required (or willingness to obtain) + current driver licence required.
• RSA or willingness to obtain (for occasional events).

About You

• Enthusiastic, reliable, safety-minded and a team player.
• Strong work ethic withability to perform manual tasks.
• Comfortable workinglong shifts and weekends during the vintage harvest period.
• Excellent attention to detail and communication skills.

Applicants must have Australian citizenship/residency or a valid existing Australian work visa.