Vintage at Whitehaven! (Wine Jobs: Vineyards & Cellars )

  Whitehaven Wine Company Limited

  Marlborough, Marlborough

Founded in 1994, we are a family-owned winery based in Marlborough producing an award-winning collection of 100% Marlborough wines from accredited sustainable vineyards from across the region. Over the past three decades, we’ve grown steadily and established strong markets and reputation both in New Zealand and overseas. Our growth has been driven by strong market demand – and we’ve done it in a way that we are proud of: without compromising our standards or the quality of our wines.

We’ve invested in modern equipment and, most importantly, in great people who take pride in what they do. Today, we’re a 10,000-tonne winery that still feels like a tight-knit team. Combining traditional winemaking approaches with modern technology, our winemaking philosophy is centred around respect and attention to detail for every parcel of fruit grown. We are committed to improving all aspects of our social and environmental integrity by adhering to strong core values centred on caring for people, our environment and embracing innovation.

Believing our wines can only be as good as the people making them, we pride ourselves on providing a fantastic working and learning environment for anyone that joins our team! Working closely with our seasoned permanent winemaking team, we are seeking dynamic and driven individuals that can form strong team bonds by applying excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Dependable, positive and with a great sense of humour, you will complement our passionate winemaking team for vintage 2026.

All positions are for a fixed term, located in Blenheim, Marlborough. The positions will commence late-February/early-March 2026 and run for a minimum period of 7 weeks.

The standard hours of work are 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday.  However, a minimum of 30 hours a week is guaranteed.  Additional hours worked over 30 hours a week will be paid at the normal gross hourly rate for the position.

Our busiest fruit intake period runs for approximately 3 weeks when we operate 24hrs a day, 7 days a week, working in 2 x 12-hour shifts. Work weeks during this shift work period will be rostered 6 days a week, including weekends (maximum 72 hours a week).

Vintage Cellar Hands

Hourly Rate: $26.00 - $32.00 gross an hour (depending on skills and experience). 

Key tasks:

• Operating machinery and performing cellar and lab tasks in a timely manner, to assist in the production of the highest quality wines

• Assisting with staff training, as required

Key Work Areas:

• Receivals/Press area – Receiving and pressing fruit, operation of receival equipment and systems

• White cellar – Juice/lees/wine racking’s, transfers, additions, barrel work, plate and frame filtration batch flotation

• Red cellar – End to end process from receival of fruit to cap management and additions to barrelling down

• Juice filtration – Filtering juice lees with Rotary Drum Vacuum filters

• Laboratory – Sampling and analysing juice and wine

Skills & Experience:

If no previous winery experience, knowledge and skills from the following types of industries and occupations will be advantageous:

• Dairy, Horticulture packhouses, Warehousing, Food and Beverage manufacturing, Aquaculture processing, Mechanical or Electrical trades, Machinery operators, Shift work

• If prior vintage experience, a solid understanding of cellar processes and operations, with strengths in one or more of the following areas: Laboratory, RDV operation, batch flotation operations, fruit receival including processing and Diemme press operation, plate and frame filter operation, barrel operations, cold settling racking’s, yeast rehydration and juice inoculations, red wine production. Don’t forget about CLEANING!

• If applying under the Specific Purpose Work Visa scheme, you must have a minimum of 4 months work experience as a cellar hand

• Forklift experience is desirable and may be essential depending on work area

• Highly organised with strong attention to details

• Good level of written and spoken English

As well as the necessary experience and skills, you will have/be:

• A good level of fitness

• Supportive of teamwork in a fast-paced work environment

• Excellent communication skills

• Ability to work flexible and long hours and weekends

• A respect for New Zealand workplace safety requirements

• An awesome sense of humour!

The ability to lawfully work in New Zealand or obtain the right to lawfully work in New Zealand

We will provide you with:

• One meal per day and a selection of fruits, cakes and bread during 24hr shift work

• Vintage gift packs of wine, branded clothing and assorted goodies

• Slip on work boots and other Personal Protective Equipment, as required by task

Accommodation and Transport

You will need to find your own accommodation although we can assist if you struggle with this.

For the standard contract period of 7 weeks (8 weeks if a returning intern), transport will be available to and from several pick-up points in the Blenheim area. For longer contracts, you will need to organise your own transport after this.

Please specify the position you are applying for in your cover letter and send your application, including cover letter and current CV with at least two referees, and your work visa (if applicable), via the "apply" button above.

Whitehaven is committed to improving workplace diversity and inclusion

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