[Anita & Marco]

Hi all

I have already received some valuable information on the wine industry in NZ via a member on this forum, but am desperate to get a bit more. I am mainly looking for experiences in this industry both with work and study in any of the wine growing areas, because I would like to know whether a career change into the wine industry would be a sensible choice for me.

I have contacted the Institutes and a few of the wineries and vineyards, but would like to have an objective view on this.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Cheers,
Anita

[Piper]

You're not too far away so maybe you could plan a visit to the wine festival in Marlborough in February.
I doubt you'd find a better chance to meet a whole load of wine industry people in one place at one time.
Not only that, you get to try some of the finest wines around and it's a really good day out.

http://www.wine-marlborough-festival.co.nz/

[Anita & Marco]

Hi,
Thanks for the information, I indeed know about that but I have to decide before the Xmas period whether to enrol on any of the institutes and thus deciding to move etc. Like I said, I did a lot of research already, and am thinking of travelling to one of the wine areas next week.

Cheers
Anita

[Beachcombers]

Hello again Anita

Harvest is coming soon and the wineries here are gearing up and starting to recruit staff to work the "vintage". And getting work during this period is fairly straightforward, but expect it to be physically demanding and long hours (often 12hr shifts).

Check out www.winejobsonline.com

I know Kim Crawford is looking for a permanent cellar hand for example, which is a good position to start at a winery when you have no experince, from cellar hand - you move up the ranks to cellar master, then assistant winemaker, to full winemaker. This progression is complimented (and required) by study either here in Marlborough or down at Lincoln University in Christchurch.

If you want to work in a vineyard, it easy to get a "foot in", with on the job training provided and easy to climb a couple of rungs up the ladder fairly quickly.

This is a industry that encourages education and training, viticulture and wine making qualifications are required for certain positions, depending on the organisation.

However I do know a number of people, who have risen to managerial positions, just on the merit of their own hard work.

[Anita & Marco]

Thanks again Beachcomber,
It sounds that I just need to take the plunge, although after phoning around 10-15 people in the industry to apply for any available jobs, I have only had negative responses. So, I am worried when I start studying at NMIT I will end up without work - most of them tell me that they have all the people already in place to start the 2008 harvest. I was very surprised to hear this. I might just travel down next week and have a talk at NMIT and try to visit some vineyards in the area - that might be a better way to do it?

Cheers
Anita

[Beachcombers]

Hi Anita

Do you want to work in a vineyard or in a winery? Actually being here would help alot, if you can go "door knocking".

[Anita & Marco]

Hi

My initial idea is to start at a vineyard, but the study comprises both viticulture and wine production, so it would be great to experience each. The study is really hands-on so I can gain experience while studying as well.
I would basically need to have a job to be able to afford to study, since my partner will have to stay in our house in Wellington. And I would rather work on a vineyard or winery than somewhere else, so I can get some experience straight away.

All further ideas are very welcome,

Anita

[Beachcombers]

Hi

My initial idea is to start at a vineyard, but the study comprises both viticulture and wine production, so it would be great to experience each. The study is really hands-on so I can gain experience while studying as well.
I would basically need to have a job to be able to afford to study, since my partner will have to stay in our house in Wellington. And I would rather work on a vineyard or winery than somewhere else, so I can get some experience straight away.

All further ideas are very welcome,

Anita

The bigger the company ie Montana or Villia Maria, the more seperated the vineyard and winery operations are from each other. So you if you wish to work for one of these oganisations, you need to be clear which side you are going to work in.

However, the more "hands on" type wineries and the organic crowd have these lines very blurred. So places like Seresins, Fromm, Herzog, No 1 Family Estate, Sugarloaf, Domaine George Michel, Mahi, Dog Point and to a lesser extent Allan Scotts would be able to offer work both in the winery and vineyard. So I would start with these guys.

BTW, have you approached the wineries in Martinborough?

[Anita & Marco]

Thanks for that!
Yes I have approached one in the Wairarapa just for general information, but when I work there I cannot combine this with a course at one of the Institutes, so this is not really an option for me at the moment.

Cheers
Anita

[Moorf]

Hi Anita

Last year I approached a couple of distance learning courses which were free (NMIT?) providing I could get myself a teacher buddy. I know this might not be relevant to you as we were going to use our wee vineyard, and it would have entailed a local person from a proper vineyard coming to visit ours regularly to check our work and to be there to monitor new procedures etc, but perhaps there's a vineyard near you who will allow you to do practical work on their vines? It wouldn't even need to be a biggie?

Just a thought.
Moorf

[Anita & Marco]

Hi Moorf,
Good thinking.
Of course I could start with the basic work that is needed on a vineyard and work my way through the different areas of the business, but this will cost a huge amount of time. If I was 20 something I might want to do that. When I could combine the work with studying this would give me a better basic knowledge of the business, I guess and possibly better opportunities in combination with the skills I already gained.
Moreover, from Wellington it is a bit far out to the vineyards, so I would have to travel anyhow.

Cheers,
Anita

[Moorf]

Anita

Is there a particular area of working in a winery that you're interested in? Could you get in via a back-door by, for instance, working at a winery in admin or office/restaurant work? I find that if you can get in to a place and show interest or willing you can often get moved around in time?

Although, if you're far from the vineyards perhaps this isn't an option. Could you find some residential courses somewhere in NZ and spend a week or so on them? Might give you some networking opportunities too.

Have you tried asking this same question on www.lifestyleblock.co.nz - great forum there who are probably more in tune with the agri/wine industry :)

[Nick88]

You will find it much easier to get a foot in the door if you want to work in the vineyard. Being a wine-maker is an awful lot sexier, and there are alot of graduates in this field for employers to choose from. It is very specialist and requires alot of technical knowledge that can't really be picked up as you go along. Even small vineyards will often use a qualified, professional winemaker as a consultant to oversee the process. I'm afraid this is a very crowded job market.

Working with the vines is alot more hands on and lacks the kudos of being a winemaker. You still need a fair amount of technical knowledge of the biology and pathology of a vine but this can be a picked up to a certain extent. The job market is not quite so crowded, but you will be up against young, qualified people for the managerial jobs. Most vineyard work is minimum wage so don't expect too much in that direction. Much of it is seasonal so outside of vintage or pruning times the staffing is relatively small, and you will find it harder to get work.

I honestly don't mean to burst your bubble, but I have personal experience of the industry here and in Aus. The best thing to do is get a job over the next vintage, and talk to the boss as much as you can.

[Anita & Marco]

Hi Nick

Thanks for the additional information - it is indeed not easy to get a foot in the door I have noticed, but that applies for a lot of businesses here in NZ.

Would a vineyard indeed rather hire a 25 year old with a degree and hardly any experience over a mature person to manage the place? (I must say that I see exactly this happening here in Wellington very often) And what is your position in the wine industry? Are you working in the industry yourself?

Since the wine business is still growing it should be possible to get a stake in it, isn't it? In the end there will not be enough experienced/skilled people? Or do I forget something here?

Cheers
Anita

[Nick88]

I'm afraid they would hire the graduate, because they have the technical background. Knowing the biology of the vines means the graduate can anticipate problems better, and devise solutions easier. There is a great deal of money involved and it only takes a small lapse in the growing to compromise the quality of the wines.

I am not in the wine industry any more, I have gravitated to a very similar business. I was offered the vineyard manager's job in a fairly prestigious vineyard, but family commitments forced me to turn it down. I also worked in the industry in Western Australia, where job were very very easy to get.

I wouldn't like to say there will be a skill shortage in wine making. Many young people are going into this area rather than general horticulture, or even agriculture because of the perceived status. Like many other fields, alot of them go to Aus for better pay. I'm not even sure that vineyards will expand all that much here, soil types limit the area that can go under vines, and climate (frost) can make it too expensive or difficult to manage.

Having said that try and get a job for the vintage and see if it suits you. You will have to knock on a few doors, many of the vineyards I knew had the same ladies come back every year. The atmosphere can be very jolly.

[Beachcombers]

Hi Antia

Is there a danger of over analyzing all of this?

Consider the following.

The wine industry is growing, by 2010 it is estimated there will be a 50% increase in capacity here in Marlborough. New vineyards are being planted at a ever increasing rate. The 2009 vintage is expected to bring a large increase in grape volume, as large new blocks planted come online (barring any climatic disaster). The wineries have to expand accordingly.

Three new wineries have started here in Nelson/Marlborough this year. Sugarloaf, Yearlands Estate and Anchorage in Nelson.

Kiwi winemakers are in huge demand world wide, many are currently overseas now finishing vintages in Europe and the USA. They are in demand for their technical ability, new world winemaking techniques and the "can do" attitude.

Entry level vineyard and cellar hand positions are fairly easy to come by.

If you have a desire to do this, then it requires faith, guts and determination.

A bit like moving to NZ in the first place. ;)

[Anita & Marco]

Hi Antia

Is there a danger of over analyzing all of this?
- Yes there is a danger of this, and I fully realise this as well.

Consider the following.

The wine industry is growing, by 2010 it is estimated there will be a 50% increase in capacity here in Marlborough. New vineyards are being planted at a ever increasing rate. The 2009 vintage is expected to bring a large increase in grape volume, as large new blocks planted come online (barring any climatic disaster). The wineries have to expand accordingly.

Three new wineries have started here in Nelson/Marlborough this year. Sugarloaf, Yearlands Estate and Anchorage in Nelson.
- That is good to know

Kiwi winemakers are in huge demand world wide, many are currently overseas now finishing vintages in Europe and the USA. They are in demand for their technical ability, new world winemaking techniques and the "can do" attitude.

Entry level vineyard and cellar hand positions are fairly easy to come by.
- This I was not that sure off after having phoned around the vineyards that had vacancies advertised (they indeed seem to like to have the very young ones?)

If you have a desire to do this, then it requires faith, guts and determination.

A bit like moving to NZ in the first place. ;)

The last bit is very true in my opinion and sometimes I think the move to NZ was even easier!! I have had some negative experience here in the work place, that's probably why I am so cautious, what is normally not one of my features ;-)

Thank you guys for all the information and like I said, I will just take the plunge - enrolled at NMIT in the mean time, so here I come!

Anita

[Piper]

Hi Antia

Is there a danger of over analyzing all of this?

Consider the following.

The wine industry is growing, by 2010 it is estimated there will be a 50% increase in capacity here in Marlborough. New vineyards are being planted at a ever increasing rate. The 2009 vintage is expected to bring a large increase in grape volume, as large new blocks planted come online (barring any climatic disaster). The wineries have to expand accordingly.



Where are they going to put all those vines, I wonder? Travelling through Blenheim it seems like there's very little land that's not planted already. Here's a pretty dodgy shot from the air -just about everything you can see is vines. The road to Christchurch was interesting though and showed a massive amount of recent vineyard planting - should keep all those wineries very busy indeed.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii24/piper2nz/Blen07.jpg

Good luck with the course Anita - this picture shows you your possible future stomping ground!!

[Beachcombers]

Where are they going to put all those vines, I wonder? Travelling through Blenheim it seems like there's very little land that's not planted already. Here's a pretty dodgy shot from the air -just about everything you can see is vines. The road to Christchurch was interesting though and showed a massive amount of recent vineyard planting - should keep all those wineries very busy indeed.



You can see my house! :D

Your right Piper, land is getting scarce (and expensive) in the Wairau Valley, most new plantings are in the Awetere Valley and the Blind river area near Ward (still in Marlborough).

[Anita & Marco]

Good luck with the course Anita - this picture shows you your possible future stomping ground!!

Thank you Piper - and thanks for the picture as well! It looks great. I will be cycling through there later this month.

Beachcomber, I will also be cycling through Ward and the area, so will have an eye out for the developments there. It is an interesting business indeed.

Anita

[Piper]

You can see my house! :D

Your right Piper, land is getting scarce (and expensive) in the Wairau Valley, most new plantings are in the Awetere Valley and the Blind river area near Ward (still in Marlborough).

Wow, what a coincidence! :laugh :laugh Piper Photography at your service!! And my first picture on the forum too :o

We drove up by Fairhall and saw a lot of new planting on land that had previously been considered unsustainable. I guess all the new frost prevention measures have made it more viable in certain areas. (Although I heard about the 200 helicopters that descended one night earlier this year!!)

[b&k]

I did my Advanced Certificate in Wine and Spirits through the New Zealand Institute of Wine Education.

http://www.nziwe.co.nz/courses.php

It's run by 2 masters of wine - Bob Campbell MW and Jane Skilton MW. They do run courses in Wellington as well. Send them an email for more info. You're supposed to do the Intermediate course first but, as long as you have a good knowledge of world wines and basic wine production, you can start on the Advanced.

It's a more business focused qualification but it does take very long to do and is a good grounding. I did a 4 day intensive course and a fair amount of private study and passed with distinction. The course will also provide you with some good networking opportunities as the wine companies send their employees along. I met someone from Villa Maria and lined up a cellarhand job as a result.

I'm now back in the UK doing my Diploma in Wines and Spirits.