Cellar Hand

About Us

Home to the iconic Villa Maria brand, our vision is to be one of the world’s great wine companies, sharing the best of New Zealand wine with the world.

We manage over 6,000 hectares of vineyards and operate wineries in three of New Zealand’s renowned wine regions – Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay, and Gisborne. Our wines are proudly exported across the globe.

From grape to glass, we’ve been pioneers in wine industry practices since 2003. We’re passionate about what we do and proud of our incredible footprint – from bulk wine supply to branded wine production.

Key Responsibilities

The role

We currently have one full-time, permanent Cellar Hand position available at our Hawke’s Bay winery.

We are looking for an experienced Cellar Hand who will be an integral part of our team, taking on added responsibility, including Team Leader/Shift Supervisor duties, particularly over vintage.

The role operates Monday to Friday, with increased hours and responsibilities during vintage.

What we are looking for

• A strong commitment to health and safety in everything you do


• Proven experience and competency in a similar cellar-based role, ideally with supervisory responsibilities


• Proficiency with winery equipment and processes, capable of operating at a "trainer" level


• High attention to detail and strong problem-solving skills


• The ability to multitask, work under pressure, and maintain accuracy


• Physically fit, hands-on, and ready to muck in with the team


• Self-motivated, with a positive attitude and strong work ethic


• Forklift license, MEWP operation, and confined space entry experience (advantageous)

What you need to be successful

• Minimum 2 years of winery experience with demonstrated competency across key cellar processes (e.g., press work, flotation, centrifuge clarification, filtration, dispatch). RDV experience highly valued.


• Leadership experience, including team supervision and training


• Flexibility to work shifts, including night shifts and weekends, as required throughout the year and over the vintage season.


• A desire to grow, learn, and contribute within a team


• Initiative and a continuous improvement mindset


• A strong commitment to quality winemaking and safe work practices

What we offer

If you're seeking a challenging role that values your contribution and supports your career development, then this is the opportunity for you! We prioritise the well-being, development, and diversity of our team members, and you can expect a supportive and caring work environment. We offer the following benefits:

• Competitive hourly rate ranging from $30.00 to $32.00 depending on experience and skills.  Additional hours worked over 40 hours a week will be compensated at the normal gross hourly rate.


• 1x You Day per annum - a day for you, to do what you choose!


• Additional company-paid parental leave.


• Wellness allowance.


• Wine allowance.