1mo ago , from Wine Network Consulting Pty Ltd
Hambledon Wine Estate is the birthplace of English wine, established in **** and remains dedicated to producing premium sparkling wine. Now owned by Berry Bros. & Rudd, the UK's oldest fine wine and spirits merchant, and Symington Family Estates, the world's leading producer of premium port. This shared history, expertise and commitment to the industry is guiding the next chapter of Hambledon's evolution and transformative growth.
The estate is in the village of Hambledon in Hampshire, with a 220-acre vineyard and 500-tonne winery, producing traditional-method sparkling wines, across 4 tiers. Expansion and improvement plans are well underway with recent capital investment across the wine estate.
This is a rare chance to join pioneers of wine excellence with a vision to create the finest English sparkling wine, earning a place alongside the world's most prestigious houses. You will have the opportunity to build a legacy as a benchmark producer and your career working alongside industry leaders.
Reporting to the Managing Director, the Head Winemaker will drive wine style and quality, shaping the Hambledon portfolio through technical leadership and brand advocacy. Part of the senior management team, this role will be responsible for managing the winery and ensuring excellence across the wine production pipeline. Providing hands‐on leadership to the winemaking and laboratory teams, you will champion a proactive and innovative culture for growth and development.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Winery & Wine Production Management:
Manage the winery and production, overseeing all winemaking activities




Lead, train and mentor the winemaking and laboratory teams, building a high-performance culture and technical capability
Set winemaking styles, technical standards, specifications and production processes
Drive wine quality, maintaining rigorous assurance processes, controls, standards and benchmarks
Ensure wines meet regulatory compliance and standards, including HACCP and PDO
Work closely with the Head of Wine Operations to align production plans with sales forecasts and inventory strategy
Manage winery budgets, delivering forecasts and reports
Maintain accurate and up to date winemaking and production systems and records
Operate a safe work environment, ensuring processes are followed and regulatory compliance is met
Oversee contract winemaking projects, ensuring clients wines meet agreed specifications and quality standards
Strategic Management & Collaboration:
Work collaboratively with the wine leadership team, ensuring excellence and consistency across the winemaking pipeline
Work closely with the Vineyard Manager on harvest decisions and grape specifications
Partner with the Head of Wine Operations to ensure seamless execution




Collaborate with commercial and marketing teams to align product with brand strategy and customer expectations
Contribute to capital investment decisions and projects to improve winery efficiency, operations and quality
Represent Hambledon as a brand advocate among trade, media, partners and industry
Lead new product development and refine wine styles, ensuring Hambledon remains at the forefront of English sparkling innovation
Introduce and embed improvements in efficiency, quality and sustainability
Champion sustainable winemaking practices and resource efficiency across the winery, assessing winemaking inputs and processes
KEY REQUIREMENTS
Tertiary qualification in Oenology or equivalent
Relevant winemaking experience within a commercial winery
Proven track record of producing high-quality sparkling wines, with robust technical knowledge and experience of traditional method production
Well-developed wine sensory and quality assessment skills, with training in wine assessment, sensory analysis, wine show judging, or similar an advantage
Commercial awareness alongside technical excellence
Hands‐on leadership style and experience developing technical teams
Strong collaboration and communication skills across vineyard, operations, and commercial teams
High standards and attention to detail
Curious, innovative and improvement-oriented
This role is open to international applicants with visa sponsorship available. If you have UK citizenship, permanent work rights, or are eligible for a UK Ancestry Visa, this will be an advantage to your application.
#J-*****-Ljbffr

📌 Head Winemaker (Melbourne)
🏢 Wine Network Consulting
📍 Melbourne