Hospitality Associate/ Wine Educator

Job Summary:

The Hospitality Associate/Wine Educator reports directly to the Tasting Room Manager and assists with the daily operations of the Tasting Room and associated Hospitality and Wine Education events. The Hospitality Associate/Wine Educator helps to assure that all aspects of the wine tasting experiences and tours are executed in a smooth, efficient and accurate fashion, while providing guest experiences of optimum quality.

Job Duties:

Management may assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time as needs require.

The primary duties of the Hospitality Associate/Wine Educator are as follows:

• Greet VIP tour groups, Cellar Club members and other visitors
• Confidently provide information about Breaux Vineyards and its products
• Conduct tours of Breaux Vineyards production facility and vineyard on foot
• Present and pour the wines of Breaux Vineyards here at the winery in any of our facilities, at special events and outside tasting events as required
• Conduct wine tasting experiences and tours for small to very large groups
• Provide coverage on weekends, tours, offsite tastings and special events
• Support in the operations and the set-up, execution and breakdown of special events
• Assist in educational programs and projects, as needed
• Conduct regular wine inventories and maintain appropriate supply levels for the Tasting Room
• Stocking wines and merchandise as needed
• Selling wine and increasing wine club memberships
• Light housekeeping, as necessary:
  • insure glassware is clean
  • trash and recycling is removed
  • floors are swept
  • kitchen is clean and tidy
  • bathroom rooms are clean and tidy
• Maintaining compliance with the Virginia ABC laws
• Upholding the company policies
• Participate in staff meetings and training
• Be familiar with the information in staff notes and updates as provided by management
• Accurately handle routine sales on the Point of Sale including cash, check, and credit and gift card transactions while applying proper discounts
• Expected work hours:
  • Weekends and some holidays
  • Long and irregular hours during peak seasons and/or special events

Qualifications & Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management or related field is preferred, not required
• Two or 2 or more years experience in winery, hospitality or related field is preferred
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential
• Enthusiasm for wine in general and Virginia wines and Breaux Vineyards products in particular is important
• Valid Virginia driver’s license and the ability to maintain a clean DMV record
• Ability to re-locate from one facility on the Breaux Vineyards estate to another during one shift
• Mobility required conducting tours of Breaux Vineyards winery and grounds and facilities on foot
• Relaxed, friendly and professional demeanor.
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Basic computer skills preferred
• Wine Education Certification, e.g. WSET, CSW or similar is a bonus
• TIPs certification is required and training is provided
• Commitment to excellenceand high standards in customer service and working with the public
• Strong problem-solving
• Flexibility and ability tomanage constantly changing priorities with enthusiasm
• Knowledge of winesand wine production is highly desired
• Professional appearance and demeanor
• Ability to correctly check the identification of patrons to verify that they are 21 or older
• Ability to lift at least 45 pounds (case of wine)
• Ability to stand for long periods of time (8 + hours per day)
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.