Job Abstract

Hartford Family Winery was founded in 1994 because of Don and Jennifer Hartford’s appreciation for the wines, the people, and the unique vineyards near their Russian River Valley home. Located in the Sonoma County town of Forestville, the winery is about 15 miles from the cool Pacific Coast.  

Making delicious wines of high personality is directly related to the difficult locations of our vineyard sources, the limited production of our bottlings and the varietals we use. “Character through adversity” is an expression that we believe applies to people and grapevines and surviving adversity builds character, and personality, in both.  

Position description  

The harvest intern will be hired for a few months only, from July/August until November. The candidate will be performing a variety of tasks in the cellar including, but not limited to the following:  

Essential duties and responsibilities  

• Cleaning, sanitizing and sterilizing all winery equipment.
• Racking and pumping of juice and wine; moving hoses and equipment.
• Red fermentation management – pump overs, punch-downs, delestage.
• Additions to juice/wine.
• Filling barrels.
• Operating cellar equipment like pumps, presses etc.
• Forklift operation, moving barrels and case goods.
• Following and observing all safe cellar practices.
• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Required Qualifications and experience  

• Communicate effectively in English.
• Great skills in reading, writing and basic math.
• Reach with hands and arms, sit, walk, climb, stoop and kneel, and be able to regularly lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Individuals selected for this position must be reliable, punctual and have a strong work ethic.  Harvest time demands up to six days a week of work including daily overtime.
• Previous winemaking or cellar experience.

• Interest in learning more about premium winemaking and enthusiastic outlook on learning by doing.