Tasting Room Associate

The Brander Vineyard Santa Ynez, CA Apply Job Description:

The Brander Vineyard Los Olivos, California Founded in 1975, The Brander Vineyard is one of the original wineries of the Santa Ynez Valley and remains family-owned and operated today. Located on our estate vineyard in Los Olivos, Brander has built a reputation over the past five decades for Sauvignon Blanc, Bordeaux varieties, and wines that emphasize freshness, balance, and a strong sense of place. As we move into our next 50 years, we are looking for a part-time Tasting Room Associate to join our hospitality team and help create the warm, personal experience Brander is known for. -We are looking for someone friendly, dependable, outgoing, and comfortable connecting with people. This is first and foremost a hospitality position, but sales are also an important part of the role. Great hospitality should naturally lead to bottle sales, returning guests, and wine club memberships. Previous wine, tasting room, restaurant, retail, or hospitality experience is appreciated, but it is not required. We are happy to train someone who is genuinely interested in wine, enjoys working with people, takes initiative, and wants to learn. Responsibilities

• Welcome guests immediately and create a warm, memorable first impression
• Conduct relaxed, personal, and educational wine tastings
• Learn and confidently share the Brander family story, vineyard history, winemaking philosophy, and wines
• Read the table and tailor the tasting experience to different guests
• Provide attentive service while maintaining appropriate tasting pace
• Help grow tasting room wine sales and wine club memberships
• Process tastings, wine purchases, memberships, pickups, and shipping orders through Commerce7
• Assist wine club members with pickup orders and provide strong member hospitality
• Participate in winery events and special hospitality experiences as needed - What We Are Looking For
• Warm, approachable, and comfortable talking with new people
• Strong hospitality instincts and genuine interest in taking care of guests
• Reliable and punctual
• Positive attitude and strong communication skills
• Comfortable recommending products and asking for the sale
• Willingness to learn about wine, vineyards, winemaking, and the Brander story
• Able to stay organized while managing multiple guests and responsibilities
• Self-starter who notices what needs to be done without requiring constant direction
• Comfortable working as part of a small team
• Able to stand for extended periods and safely lift and move cases of wine
• Comfortable working in both indoor and outdoor tasting areas
• Weekend availability is important Previous winery, restaurant, hospitality, retail, or customer-service experience is preferred, but not required. Wine certifications or formal wine education are a plus. - Compensation & Perks
• $20.00 per hour
• Tips
• Monthly tasting room sales incentive opportunities
• Wine club sign-up incentives
• Employee wine benefits
• Ongoing staff wine education and tastings
• Eligible employees may apply for reimbursement for approved professional wine education programs
• Opportunity to learn directly within a working vineyard and winery environment -Schedule This is a part-time position, generally 2-3 days per week.

Availability on weekends is important, as weekends are some of our busiest tasting room days. Additional hours may occasionally be available for winery events, holidays, club releases, and other special occasions. To apply, please submit your résumé and a short introduction telling us a little about yourself and why you are interested in joining The Brander Vineyard.