Senior Winemaker BC

Job Description:

At Andrew Peller Limited, we believe great wine starts with great people, great places, and a passion for doing things extraordinarily well.

We’re looking for an experienced Senior Winemaker, BC to provide leadership across our British Columbia winemaking team while leading the winemaking program at Tinhorn Creek.

This is an opportunity to shape the future of a diverse BC wine portfolio, bring together talented winemakers across multiple properties, and lead the creation of wines that reflect the distinct character of their vineyards, brands and markets.

If you’re a passionate winemaker and people leader who thrives at the intersection of wine quality, innovation, strategy and collaboration, we’d love to hear from you.

Location - this role will be in the Okanagan Valley, moving between our estates and vineyards in the Kelowna and Oliver areas. Travel is expected and a car allowance will be given. Tinhorn is based in Oliver BC however we do not require the successful candidate to be located in Oliver.

Startdate - We are flexible on timeline and would also consider candidates that are only available after the BC Harvest season.

What This Teammate will do

Lead BC Winemaking

Provide leadership, direction and coaching to the BC Winemaking team, establishing clear expectations around wine quality, operational performance and business priorities.
Translate the Company's winemaking vision and strategy into actionable priorities across the BC wine portfolio.
Lead, coach and develop BC Winemakers, building technical capability, leadership effectiveness and succession strength.
Foster a collaborative culture that encourages knowledge sharing, innovation, constructive challenge and continuous improvement.
Establish and promote consistent winemaking standards, processes and best practices while respecting the unique identity and positioning of each winery and brand.
Lead cross-winery tastings and sensory discussions to evaluate quality, style and opportunities for improvement.
Partner with Viticulture, Operations and Supply on grape quality, harvest planning, production requirements and long-term supply strategy.
Stay current with emerging winemaking techniques, technology, industry trends and consumer preferences.

Lead the Tinhorn Creek Winemaking Program

Lead all aspects of the Tinhorn Creek winemaking program, from grape sourcing and harvest through fermentation, maturation, blending, stabilization, filtration and bottling.
Establish and maintain wine styles and quality standards that reflect the Tinhorn Creek brand, vineyards and market positioning.
Develop and execute the annual harvest strategy, including grape intake, production planning, staffing, equipment and cellar requirements.
Lead fermentation management, laboratory analysis review, barrel programs, blending and final wine preparation.
Lead sensory evaluation and blending decisions to ensure wines consistently achieve established quality and stylistic objectives.
Manage wine specifications, inventory, barrel programs and bulk wine.
Plan and coordinate bottling requirements in partnership with Operations, Supply and other stakeholders.
Lead new wine development, product improvement and innovation initiatives in partnership with Marketing and Sales.
Ensure Tinhorn Creek wines meet VQA approval and all applicable quality and regulatory requirements.
Continuously identify opportunities to elevate wine quality, strengthen the brand and enhance the overall Tinhorn Creek wine program.

Shape Harvest & Production Strategy

Provide leadership and coordination for BC harvest planning in partnership with Winemaking, Viticulture, Operations and Supply.
Support grape supply balancing and allocation decisions across BC wineries based on quality, brand requirements, production needs and commercial priorities.
Ensure production plans appropriately balance wine quality, consumer expectations, cost and operational requirements.
Identify production risks and opportunities and work cross-functionally to develop solutions.

Build & Develop Great Teams

Lead, coach and mentor the BC Winemaking team, creating clear expectations, accountability and development opportunities.
Build winemaking bench strength and support succession planning for critical technical and leadership roles.
Provide technical mentorship to Winemakers and Assistant Winemakers and create opportunities to broaden their experience across brands, wine styles and winery operations.
Lead and develop the Tinhorn Creek cellar and winemaking team through training, performance management, work assignment and development.
Create an inclusive, collaborative and high-performing environment where people are encouraged to contribute ideas and continuously improve.

Drive Operational & Financial Performance

Develop, monitor and manage the Tinhorn Creek winemaking operating budget.
Provide input into broader BC winemaking budgets, resource requirements and priorities.
Identify capital requirements and support the development, prioritization, procurement and commissioning of winemaking equipment and technology.
Identify opportunities to improve productivity, efficiency and cost effectiveness without compromising wine quality.
Partner with Operations to optimize winery processes, capacity, equipment utilization and production planning.
Develop, maintain and continuously improve Standard Operating Procedures and winemaking processes.

Be a Brand & Industry Ambassador

Partner with Marketing, Sales and Estate teams to ensure winemaking decisions support brand strategy, consumer expectations and commercial objectives.
Participate in tastings, customer and trade events, media activities and other brand-building initiatives.
Act as a senior technical and brand ambassador for Tinhorn Creek and the broader BC wine portfolio.
Represent the Company and its brands at industry conferences, associations, competitions and other relevant

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