Running a winery well takes a team of people. One of the behind the scenes jobs that not a lot of people may know about is the viticulturist. The viticulturist works directly with the vineyard manager to manage the more technical aspects of the grape growing process. This position will require an individual to attend college and gain experience in the science of growing quality grapes.

Educational Requirements

There are a few requirements a person must meet in order to become a viticulturist at a vineyard. A bachelor’s degree in viticulture or a related field will be required for this position. Management skills, strong communication skills, and leadership skills will all be necessary in this position as well. Most wineries will look for a person who has at least five years of experience in grape growing.

Job Description

Some of the duties and responsibilities for a viticulturist include the weekly monitoring of grapes; this includes the health and water status of the vines. Monitoring for diseases and pests, nutritional and fertilization of the vines will also be part of the job. The viticulturist must be able to give estimations of what the crop output will be. In addition, the viticulturist will be in charge of managing the seasonal help and field crews. It will be their job to make sure the crops are producing at their fullest potential at all times.

Job Salary

The position of viticulturist is not an entry-level position. A person looking for a job in this area will have to have the education and years of experience behind them in order to gain a position at a winery. This position is important to the winery, but the pay scale is on the low end of winery positions with the average starting salary at around $35,000 to $40,000 per year.

The science of growing grapes is fascinating and there is a lot involved in the process. A person who has an interest in outdoor work along with the knowledge of how things grow could become very successful as a viticulturist. This is a position that is vital to the wine making industry as the whole process all comes back to the grapes.

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