Winery Senior Cellar Hand

Loveblock is a small, family-owned brand focusing on organic or minimal intervention farming and winemaking. Our Marlborough vineyards, located in the Awatere Valley, have over 100Ha of vines producing mainly Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir.

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Winery Senior Cellar Hand to join our production team.

In this senior role, you will take ownership of daily cellar tasks and provide vital hands-on leadership to temporary and seasonal cellar hands, particularly during the busy harvest vintage.

You will work closely with our winemaking team to ensure our products maintain the highest standards of quality.

Key Responsibilities And Duties

• Lead and perform daily cellar operations, including juice and wine transfers, rackings, additions, and barrel management.
• Set up, operate, and clean specialized winery equipment independently (e.g., grape presses, destemmers, filtration units, and pumps).
• Monitor and manage fermentation vessels, taking samples and executing winemaking interventions as directed.
• Oversee and strictly maintain winery hygiene, sanitation protocols, and food safety standards across all cellars and tanks.
• Provide guidance, training, and operational oversight to junior cellar hands and vintage staff.
• Assist with laboratory sampling and basic analytical testing when required.

Experience

Key Skills, Qualifications, and Experience Required

• Previous harvest experience or an equivalent level of work experience is required.
• Winery laboratory experience is preferred.
• A tertiary qualification or formal education in wine is preferred.

Technical Skills

• Proven ability to operate complex filtration, crushing, and press equipment safely and independently.
• Strong understanding of winery specific hazards, manual handling, confined spaces, chemical safety and overall winery H&S practices.

Physical Fitness

• This is a physically demanding role requiring heavy lifting (ability to lift to 20kg), stair climbing, and the ability to work comfortably in confined spaces or at heights.

Communication

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Flexibility

• Willingness and flexibility to work extended hours, rotating rosters, and night shifts during peak harvest periods.