Cellar Master: Lead Premium Winemaking & Heritage Estate

Placements24; Stellenbosch; On-site; ZAR 750,000 - 1,100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wine allowance

Employee discounts

Professional development

International vintages

Job summary

Placements24, on behalf of a historic wine estate in Paarl, Western Cape, seeks a highly skilled Cellar Master to lead winemaking from grape reception to bottling. The role requires hands-on leadership, deep viticulture and winemaking expertise, and a commitment to heritage and terroir.

You will oversee fermentation, maturation, blending, and records, manage the cellar team, ensure quality, safety, and budgeting, and participate in industry events.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years in winemaking and cellar management.
• Academic background in Oenology or Viticulture.
• Proven success in producing award-winning wines.
• Knowledge of fermentation techniques and barrel maturation.
• Strong leadership and record-keeping skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all winemaking processes from grape to bottle to meet quality standards.
• Manage grape reception, fermentation, maturation, blending and bottling operations.
• Conduct regular must and wine analysis and make timely decisions.
• Lead, train and mentor the cellar team; ensure precision and excellence.
• Maintain meticulous records of cellar activities, including batch logs and inventory.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety and hygiene regulations in the cellar.
• Maintain and calibrate cellar equipment for optimal performance.
• Contribute to vineyard management decisions based on grape quality.
• Develop and manage the cellar budget and controllable costs.
• Stay updated on latest winemaking techniques and technologies and implement when appropriate.
• Represent the estate at wine shows, tastings and industry events.

Skills

Winemaking

Leadership

Quality control

Laboratory analysis

Education

Oenology degree

Viticulture degree

Tools

Winemaking software

Job description

Placements24, on behalf of a historic wine estate in Paarl, Western Cape, seeks a highly skilled Cellar Master to lead winemaking from grape reception to bottling. The role requires hands-on leadership, deep viticulture and winemaking expertise, and a commitment to heritage and terroir.

You will oversee fermentation, maturation, blending, and records, manage the cellar team, ensure quality, safety, and budgeting, and participate in industry events.