Hey everybody!
I am currently looking for 2013 harvest work and I keep running into the same problem of “sorry we don’t hire anyone without experience”. Well that is exactly what I am trying to accomplish. I currently live in Billings, Mt (far far away from any real wine country) but I am working towards relocating to San Luis Obispo county to further pursue a career in the wine industry. I have been employed at our local wine bar for the last 5 years, managing the last 4, so I do poses a fare amount of wine knowledge. I am just ready to become more involved in the whole process with a hands-on experience ( and yes I do understand that harvest work is “real” work ) I am open to working the harvest in California, Oregon, or Washington. Anyone have any helpful suggestions or ideas??
Email producers you like and ask if they have any needs. Beyond that I would check wine business.com jobs listing. You should not need experience for “harvest work” though anything above that usually wants to see it. Don’t overlook working a tasting room at a smaller place that may need all hands on deck for harvest. Also prior to harvest is bottling then cellar clean up so you may be able to start there with a foot in the door.
Can you drive a forklift? If not go get certified somewhere local that should help with the experience thing a bit.
Thanks for your reply! Actually I can drive a forklift! I have applied at multiple vineyards thru winejobs.com and thru contacts I have made with my current job and they all keep giving me the same answer. Experience needed. I will keep trudging along and shoving my résumé infront of anyone willing to look. Hopefully someone will bite!
It’s still pretty far out for harvest. Could be the ppl hiring now are looking for the “cream of the crop.” Might be as we get into the summer you’ll find folks willing to hire someone without experience.
Expect to be doing a lot of shoveling. 
Shoot me your résumé and any other details you want to include. I will see what I can do. There might be action up her for you, if you don’t mind working with a TINY winery, or perhaps a couple of us.
You can also hit me up if you don’t mind working in the seedier section of wine country (no French Laundry, several places for good carnitas as long as you go before dark). We’re getting our own place up and running this year, 20+ varieties, 50+ different wines. We don’t mind greenhorns provided they don’t mind doing the dirty work.
You have restaurants? Must be Up Town!
Working here would entail suffering though meals at the winery
It’s that or starve.
In addition to the forklift good things to have:
Speak Spanish
MUST lift 30 pounds over and over again
The wine bar experience is nice, but stress how much you liked to clean after the bar closed.
We only eat Mexican and Pizza during harvest here.
Thanks everyone for your advice and information! It is much appreciated. Hopefully I will find my place in the wine world soon enough!
Hi. Send me your resume. steve@clospepe.com. We harvest at night from 9pm to 6ish am. Harvest is usually six weeks during Septemebr and October with winemaking woven in.
Keep an eye on winejobs.com and winerysite.com. I’ve seen a flood of intern positions on these sites.
(Just read the whole thread, you already know this.)
I was INCREDIBLY fortunate to get an opportunity through posting here. Hoping the same for you.
When you land here in Cali, buy some grapes and make some wine!
Hi Mary,
I’m in the same boat as you. I’ve tried for two harvests in a row to get an internship so I can learn more about wine making and grape growing before making the choice to go back to school or not. I actually moved to CA in the hopes of this happening and ended up working at a restaurant with a great wine program, but that’s as close as I’ve been able to get in the wine industry. I’ve sent tons of cover letters and resumes through winejobs.com and leads from this forum but i’m either too late or they want experienced workers. I’m still looking for an internship for this harvest season, so if anyone needs some helping hands I’m available. If not, does anyone have any more advice on getting an internship for next year? Thanks in advance.
As far as permanent work in winemaking in the future? The industry is oversaturated with winemakers. There are 125-150 resumes for just about every job posting. The schools, IMO, are graduating too many people at this point. If you are looking for a slam-dunk easy career, this is not it. ![[titanic.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/c/c10e01083bf29ff5ad2c72e91aa0e8ebfd467983.gif "titanic"){kind=small}
Thinking about this a little harvest is the time I’m most swamped with people wanting to help out. Friends, customers, random resumes, there’s no shortage of volunteers. Mostly we say no since inexperienced hands when we’re trying to move fast are a big negative. When I could really use help and the volunteers are long gone is January when first rackings start and I’m trying to get all the vineyards pruned. Instead of adding your resume and cover letter to a huge stack at Harvest why not try ‘Pruning Intern’. That would get you in the door too.
Hi everyone!
Thanks for the advice and the help! I’ve found an internship starting this September!
Happy harvest