Cellar-Hand
(Wine Jobs:
Vineyards & Cellars )
Contract
Gradil, Portugal,
England
Keen on making wine in Portugal this summer?
We're looking for some help in the winery. We rely on seasonal help during the harvest, and we are presently looking for someone to work in the winery from mid-August till the end of October. It's an excelent opportunity to really get first-hand knowledge about the entire wine-making process, as well as experience life on a beautiful, bustling working farm with a strong family feel and lots of excellent food and wine.
The Winery
Quinta de Sant'Ana is a historic property, around 30km north of Lisbon. James and Ann Frost have been shaking up the wine establishment with the introduction of Riesling and Pinot Noir varietals, which benefit from our cool Atlantic climate. Since starting in 2005, our wines have won numerous awards, most recently two 93 points from Wind Advocate.
The Job
This job is hard work but very satisfying - and you will learn how to operate the winery in oder to make delicious wines. This work would entail the following:
-collecting grapes from the vineyards for ripeness tests
-ripeness tests –total acidity, pH, probable sugar (these can be taught at the time)
-sanitizing of winery and equipment prior to harvest
-processing of grapes as they arrive at the winery; emptying boxes of grapes into press (whites) de-stemming/crushing machine (reds), Sulphur additions
-foot treading, pump-overs, lees stirring
-controlling and monitoring fermentation temperatures
-de-vatting and pressing of reds
-emptying, washing and filling barrels.
You should be prepared to work long hours when necessary, be physically fit, happy climbing ladders to a height of 4m and have black hands and feet for a few weeks! It is an ideal all-round hands-on experience for someone who wants to learn about almost all aspects of winemaking. We have a Portuguese consultant winemaker who visits us regularly during the vintage, who has a wealth of in-depth knowledge that can be tapped.
Conditions
We pay a monthly salary of €500, accommodation with cooking facilities and some food are provided on site.
We start the harvest at the end of August with Pinot Noir, in the second week in September when we usually start harvesting the whites and soon after the reds. We are busy till the end of October, when we have a large open day with tastings, dancing, hog roast etc.
Please apply via email with your CV and a short cover letter