Winemaker

A winemaker directs the process of converting grapes into wine by managing fermentation, blending, and maturation in a vineyard or winery setting. They make critical decisions about harvest timing, yeast selection, temperature control, and oak ageing to achieve desired flavour and quality profiles. The role combines chemistry, sensory analysis, and production planning to ensure consistency and compliance with food safety and labelling standards.

Monitor grape sugar levels, acidity, and phenolic ripeness using refractometry and chromatography to determine optimal harvest timing. Direct crushing, destemming, and pressing operations, selecting equipment settings based on grape variety and desired extraction. Manage fermentation by selecting yeast strains, controlling temperature between 12-30°C depending on wine style, and monitoring pH and residual sugar. Conduct sensory evaluation and chemical analysis (alcohol, volatile acidity, SO2, colour) using laboratory equipment and trained tasting panels. Blend wines from different parcels, vineyard blocks, or vintages to achieve target flavour profiles and consistency. Oversee malolactic fermentation by inoculating with Oenococcus oeni cultures and managing timing relative to oak ageing. Design and execute oak ageing programmes, selecting barrel toast levels and duration to complement wine style. Manage stabilisation treatments including fining agents, cold stabilisation, and crossflow filtration to clarify wine before bottling.

The standard entry pathway requires a bachelor degree or higher (ABS Skill Level 1). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

Harvest season demands 60 to 70 hour weeks for 6 to 8 weeks straight, with early mornings and weekend work non-negotiable. Your decisions made during those intense weeks affect the entire vintage, so the pressure is real. Pay tops out lower than you might expect for a degree-level role, and job security depends heavily on vintage quality and market demand for wine.

Practically speaking, you need to relocate to wine country to find work. Remote work isn't an option.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 2342, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Attention to Detailcore
• Inventory Trackingcore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Process Improvement Identificationcore
• Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
• Record Managementcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Research and Analysiscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Supplier Communicationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Written Communicationcore
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Data Entry and Accuracy
• Goal Setting and Planning
• Incident Reporting
• Microsoft Office Suite Proficiency
• Negotiation
• Reporting and Analytics
• Stakeholder Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026