Group Viticulturist - Stellenbosch

HotelJobs; Stellenbosch; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

International Wine Group in Stellenbosch seeks a Group Viticulturist: External Vineyards to lead external vineyard sourcing and grower partnerships. This senior, relationship-driven role focuses on securing high-quality grapes and bulk wine essential for the winemaking programme and business strategy.

You will contract with third-party grape producers from contracting through harvest, provide hands-on technical guidance, negotiate supply agreements, and ensure every block meets quality, volume,

Qualifications

• Senior winegrape production experience (10+ years).
• Experience working with grape producers and contracting winegrapes (5–7+ years).
• Exposure to local and international winegape production trends.

Responsibilities

• Contract new/existing grape and bulk wine supply agreements annually.
• Negotiate annual grape pricing with producers within budget.
• Lead third-party bulk wine sourcing per group strategy.
• Build strong, trust-based grower relationships and provide feedback on performance.
• Provide viticultural guidance and technical support to producers during the season.
• Coordinate harvest scheduling and grape intake for accurate forecasting.
• Monitor ripeness during harvest to support quality decisions.
• Maintain records of production, costs, and traceability data.
• Support certification/compliance with sustainability standards (IPW, WIETA, BSCI).
• Share insights within the viticulture team via forums.

Skills

Negotiation

Relationship-building

Viticulture guidance

Contracting

Quality assurance

Education

Grade 12 Agric in Viticulture and Winemaking

Job description

International Wine Group based in Stellenbosch is looking for an experienced Group Viticulturist: External Vineyards to lead their external vineyard sourcing and grower partnerships. This is a senior; relationship-driven role at the intersection of viticulture; commercial negotiation, and quality assurance responsible for securing the high-quality grapes and bulk wine that underpin their winemaking programme and business strategy across the group. You’ll work closely with third-party grape producers from contracting through to harvest; providing hands-on technical guidance; negotiating supply agreements and ensuring every block delivers on quality; volume; and sustainability commitments.

Duties:

• Contract new and existing grape and bulk wine supply agreements each year, aligned with group vineyard and costing strategy and based on availability of bulk wine within in the group
• Negotiate annual grape pricing with producers, in conjunction with the head of grape procurement, within budget and strategy
• Lead third-party bulk wine sourcing in line with company sourcing strategy
• Build and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with growers, providing regular feedback on grape performance
• Provide ongoing viticultural guidance and technical support to producers throughout the growing season
• Coordinate harvest scheduling and grape intake planning across production facilities for accurate, reliable forecasting
• Monitor and sample ripeness levels during harvest to support quality control and timely decision-making
• Maintain accurate records of production, costs, producer information, and traceability data
• Support certification and compliance with external sustainability standards (e.g. IPW, WIETA, BSCI) in line with ASA's ESG goals
• Participate actively in the CAV forum, sharing insights and best practice across the viticulture team

Requirements:

• Grade 12 Agric in Viticulture and Winemaking
• At least 10 years' experience in a senior winegrape production role
• At least 5–7 years' experience working directly with grape producers and contracting winegrapes
• Local and international exposure to winegrape production trends and practices
• Strong negotiation skills and commercial acumen, balanced with genuine relationship-building ability
• A hands-on, field-based approach comfortable spending regular time with producers throughout the season