Overview
Viticulture Director Jobs in Napa, USA at Crimson Wine Group
Viticulture Director
At Crimson Wine Group, we are the guardians of 1,000 acres of pristine vineyards, iconic estates, forests, and wildlife habitats along the West Coast. Our success stems from the wide range of perspectives that our team brings to every single one of our wines – from vine to bottle and beyond. Our portfolio is cultivated to elevate any occasion and to simply make life better.
Crimson Wine Group (CWG) is dedicated to building an inclusive environment with a culture of belonging. We strive to create an inclusive environment where all our team members feel connected, engaged, and can live their true identities e at CWG, we celebrate the value that comes with inclusivity and different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, which all help foster a culture of collaboration and creativity with the wine industry as a whole.
The Viticulture Director is a senior position at Pine Ridge overseeing the farming of its luxury vineyard assets in the most prestigious AVA of Napa Valley as well as supervising any contracted grape supplies. The Viticulture Director is responsible for the quality and quantities of Pine Ridge’s grape supplies while managing its yearly budget and preparing the viticultural future of Pine Ridge.
This position reports to the Pine Ridge Winemaker.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
The following reflects management’s definition of essential functions for this job but does not restrict the tasks that may be assigned. Management may assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons.
Strategic Planning and Annual Budgeting
- Create a long range vision for each estate vineyard, including vineyard layout, clonal selection, viticultural practices, biodiversity mapping, land use, etc.
- Determine the Long Range Plan for vineyard development and its budget. An interest in future looking technologies is required
- Create a game plan for transitioning our vineyards to regenerative farming practices aiming at productivity that exceeds typical operational expectations (aka >100 year timeline)
- Prepare annual Vineyard Plans for each Vineyard to meet quality and cost goals
- In association with Winemaker and Director of Production Finance & Accounting prepare annual expense and capital budgets
- Grow viticultural talents within the team to ensure succession and individual team member growth
Vineyard Management People & Team Management
- Supervise the vineyard team across all estate vineyards spanning five AVAs, from Carneros to Howell Mountain
- Hire, onboard, and train approximately 20 vineyard workers, including H2A teams currently sourced through Farm Labor Contractors
- Ensure all staff are properly trained and that vineyard activities are performed safely and to standard
- Maintain flexible availability including weekends, holidays, and seasonal night duties during frost, spray, and harvest
Vineyard Operations
- Direct all day-to-day field activities including pruning, tying, suckering, canopy management, fruit thinning, and harvest
- Ensure all viticultural practices are executed consistently and in alignment with each wine tier’s quality and budget targets
- Oversee the safe and proper execution of all vineyard tasks across the estate
Pest, Nutrition & Soil
- Manage the estate’s pest control program, ensuring timely and effective interventions
- Coordinate and direct spray applications, including writing work orders and ordering chemicals
- Working alongside a vineyard consultant, monitor vine health and nutrition across all blocks
- Coordinate tissue sampling to identify nutritional deficiencies and inform amendment decisions
- Direct the application of soil amendments including compost, gypsum, and compost tea
Crop Tracking & Forecasting
- Monitor all aspects of crop development throughout the growing season
- Track phenological stages and produce reliable estimates of harvest dates
- Forecast crop tonnage and communicate projections to the Winemaker to support wine program planning
Irrigation
- Interpret data from Tule sensors and weather stations to assess vine water needs
- Write and issue irrigation orders based on real-time field conditions across all vineyard…
Title: Viticulture Director
Company: Crimson Wine Group
Location: Napa, USA
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