Estate Manager - Chalk Hill Estate (CA)

Tasting Room Expo; Healdsburg (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Foley Family Wines & Spirits seeks an Estate Manager for Chalk Hill Estate to lead luxury hospitality programs, ensure impeccable guest experiences, and collaborate across Culinary, Garden, Facilities, and Winemaking teams.

The role requires managing estate operations, driving guest satisfaction, and maintaining brand standards while partnering with ownership and VIP guests.

Qualifications

• Strong wine knowledge and ability to independently lead tastings, tours, VIP experiences, and trade events.
• Advanced hospitality leadership with a track record in luxury settings.
• Experience managing winery/estate operations or luxury resort environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead hospitality, estate, and tasting room operations to drive guest satisfaction and revenue.
• Achieve tasting room revenue, profitability, and wine club growth goals; track KPIs.
• Oversee daily operations of Hospitality Center and Estate to ensure exceptional service and presentation.
• Develop partnerships with community organizations, winery partners, and trade groups.
• Collaborate with Culinary, Garden, Facilities, Winemaking, and Operations teams for events and programs.
• Serve as primary liaison for ownership and VIP guests, ensuring elevated experiences.
• Ensure estate readiness, grounds maintenance, and property improvements.
• Coach and develop high-performing teams aligned with core values.
• Analyze hospitality and guest feedback data to inform decisions.
• Prepare estate for ownership visits and special events.

Skills

Wine knowledge

Hospitality leadership

Estate operations

Communication skills

MS Office / POS

Facilities knowledge

Work flexibility

Education

Bachelor's degree or wine-related degree

Job description

The History of Foley Family Wines & Spirits

In spring of 1996, Bill & Carol Foley purchased 1,000 acres of lush and fertile earth within the then relatively unknown Sta. Rita Hills region of Santa Barbara County. Their plan – produce hand-crafted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that reflected the best of California’s Central Coast. Named for their two daughters – Lindsey & Courtney – Lincourt Vineyards was born, and with it, the beginning of Foley Family Wines & Spirits.

In the 25 years since, Foley Family Wines & Spirits has grown into one of the world’s largest producers of fine wine, adding some of the industry’s most valuable wineries, located in the most recognized winemaking regions, including Napa, Sonoma, the Pacific Northwest, and New Zealand. Today, the Foley Family Wines & Spirits portfolio boasts a number of the most-celebrated names in wine, including Chalk Hill Estate, Chalone, Ferrari-Carano, and Sebastiani.

Job Summary

The Chalk Hill Estate Manager is a dynamic, hospitality focused, and strategic thinking leader with exceptional communication, operational and organizational skills. A successful candidate can prioritize, multitask, solve problems and ensure that all aspects of the Chalk Hill Estate are maintained to the highest standards of excellence.

The role serves as the primary steward of the estate experience and is responsible for the successful execution of all hospitality programs through close collaboration with Culinary, Garden, Facilities, Winemaking and Cellar Operations teams. This role leads estate wide efforts delivering best-in-class guest experiences, maintaining property presentation and operational readiness, and ensure all customer-facing experiences reflect the quality, luxury and legacy of the Chalk Hill Estate.

The Estate Manager serves as the primary liaison for family members and ownership while on property and ensures all estate facilities, grounds, gardens and hospitality venues consistently meet brand standards and operational expectations.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Lead all hospitality, estate, and tasting room operations at Chalk Hill Estate, driving sales, profitability, wine club growth, guest satisfaction, and operational excellence. Serve as the primary steward of the estate, ensuring luxury hospitality standards across all guest-facing experiences while partnering with leadership, ownership, community organizations, and cross-functional teams.
• Achieve tasting room revenue, profitability, membership, retention, and guest experience goals while tracking and reporting KPIs to leadership.
• Lead daily operations of the Hospitality Center and Chalk Hill Estate, ensuring exceptional service, presentation, and execution of all guest experiences.
• Develop partnerships with community organizations, winery partners, trade groups, and key stakeholders to enhance brand visibility and business opportunities.
• Collaborate with Culinary, Garden, Facilities, Winemaking, and Operations teams to deliver best-in-class experiences, private events, wine club programs, trade activities, and VIP hospitality.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for ownership, family members, VIPs, media, trade partners, and special guests, ensuring seamless, elevated experiences.
• Oversee estate readiness, facility appearance, grounds maintenance, preventative maintenance initiatives, and continuous property improvements.
• Lead, coach, and develop high-performing teams while fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement, and alignment with Foley Family Wines Core Values.
• Analyze hospitality, sales, wine club, and customer feedback data to drive decisions, improve performance, and provide insights to senior leadership.
• Ensure the estate is prepared for ownership visits, special events, activations, and public-facing hospitality programs.

Qualifications

• Must be 21+ years old.
• Strong wine knowledge with the ability to independently lead tastings, tours, VIP experiences, and trade events.
• Advanced hospitality leadership skills with a commitment to exceptional customer service and operational excellence.
• Experience managing luxury hospitality, winery, resort, private club, or estate operations.
• Strong communication, leadership, analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to work effectively with ownership groups, VIP clientele, senior leaders, and community partners while maintaining discretion and confidentiality.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; POS and cash-handling experience required.
• Knowledge of facilities management, property stewardship, operational planning, and grounds maintenance preferred.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree or wine-related technical degree preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive hospitality, estate, luxury resort, private club, or winery management experience preferred.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and complex guest experiences.
• Wine industry experience strongly preferred.

Physical & Work Environment Requirements

• Ability to work in a fast-paced hospitality environment, stand and walk for extended periods, lift up to 40 lbs., and communicate effectively with guests, employees, and vendors.
• Non-smoking environment; fragrances that may interfere with wine tasting are prohibited.
• Work is performed in a hospitality setting with moderate noise, high guest traffic, food and beverage service, and office equipment.

Company Core Values

• Teamwork – Be a Spirited Partner
• Commitment – Crush Every Day
• Quality – Good vs. Grape: It’s All in The Details
• Integrity – It Takes a Community
• Safety – Tend the Vines
• Entrepreneurship – Love the Wine You’re With
• Fun! - Smile! You Have Purple Teeth!