Senior Viticulture and Grower Relations Manager

Overview

Hess Persson Estates is a leading, family owned Napa Valley wine producer with a legacy of mountain-grown winemaking, sustainable farming practices, and premium quality. We steward our estate vineyards with great care and collaborate closely with grower partners across California. The Senior Viticulture & Grower Relations Manager oversees estate wine growing operations for approximately 500 Napa Valley acres—100 acres directly farmed on Mt.

Veeder and 400 acres farmed through a full-service contractor—while leading grower relations and grape procurement across the North Coast, Central Coast, and California Interior regions. This role operates with a high degree of autonomy while partnering closely with executive leadership for strategic direction and final decision-making. This role requires a technically skilled viticulture leader who can balance quality and economic objectives in close partnership with Winemaking and the COO/CFO.

The ideal candidate excels at managing both estate vineyards and multi-region sourcing while fostering collaboration across operational teams.

• Estate Vineyard Management (100 Direct-Farmed Acres + 400 Contractor-Farmed Acres)
  • Direct-Farmed – 100 Acres (Mt. Veeder):
    Lead all technical farming decisions including pruning, canopy management, irrigation, pest/disease control, crop load management, and harvest operations.
  • Manage in-house vineyard staff, supervisors, seasonal labor, and farm labor contractors (FLCs).
  • Integrate sustainable and regenerative viticulture practices consistent with winery goals.
  • Conduct regular scouting, data monitoring, vine/soil health assessments, and fruit quality evaluations.
  • Plan, coordinate, and oversee harvest scheduling, logistics, and labor deployment for estate vineyards.
• Contractor-Farmed – 400 Acres (Napa Valley)
  • Provide strategic and technical oversight of a full-service vineyard management contractor.
  • Review and approve annual farming plans, viticulture protocols, and budgets.
  • Conduct regular vineyard visits to ensure quality execution and adherence to winery standards.
  • Align contractor operations with winemaking needs, economic targets, and long-term vineyard goals.
  • Coordinate harvest logistics and scheduling in collaboration with contractor teams and harvest crews.
• Estate Grape Sales
  • Manage sales of estate-grown grapes to third-party winery customers, including communication, quality assurance, vineyard access, and harvest coordination.
  • Work with internal teams to ensure grape sales agreements align with business and brand strategies.
• Capital Projects
  • Lead the planning and execution of approved vineyard capital projects, including replants, irrigation and trellis upgrades, in alignment with capital plans and budget approvals.
• Additional Estate Responsibilities
  • Drive yield forecasting, quality monitoring, and harvest planning with Winemaking.
  • Ensure regulatory compliance across labor, safety, pesticide use, environmental programs, and sustainability certifications.
• Grower Relations & Grape Procurement (North Coast, Central Coast, California Interior)
  • Implement grape sourcing strategies established in collaboration with the COO/CFO and Winemaking across multiple California regions.
  • Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with growers, offering technical guidance to support quality and consistency.
  • Conduct periodic vineyard visits at key phenological development stages to assess canopy development, crop load, vine health, maturity, and fruit quality.
  • Support and participate in grower contract negotiations under the direction of the COO/CFO, including preparing technical, pricing, and quality inputs. Oversee fruit sampling, maturity assessment, and harvest coordination.
  • Collaborate with Winemaking to meet program specifications & manage pick decisions.
  • Provide accurate crop estimation and identify supply opportunities or risks.
  • Coordinate harvest scheduling, logistics, and labor management to optimize quality and winery efficiencies.
• Cross-Functional Leadership & Operational Planning
  • Serve as the primary operational liaison between Viticulture, Winemaking, Operations, and Finance. Work closely with the COO/CFO and…