Looking for an internship......

I am looking for an internship (paid or not paid) where I can learn the ropes of all aspects of working and running a commercial winery. Unfortunately I am only available on Saturdays and Sundays because of my career. Does anyone know of an opportunity like this in Northern CA? What are the chances of me finding something with this limited availability?

Thank you!

You also posted about starting a vineyard. What’s your story, your goals? Why wine? Maybe we can help if we knew more.

Thank you for the response Michael.

I forgot that I am new to these message boards so I will share a little about me. I am a 40 year old father of 2 boys and we live in Northern CA near Sacramento. I worked in finance for 20 years and now I work in insurance. I like my job but it is not fulfilling. My father worked for UPS for 30 years and then retired. I believe he hated 29 of the 30 years so as I get older I have decided that I want to find something that I find fulfilling and is not just a job. I am a very hard worker, great test taker, quick learner, and when I commit to something I am willing to do whatever it takes to be successful.

I remember my first experience with wine was when I was in my early 20’s and someone had a few bottles of Sutter Home White Zinfandel. I remember how awful it tasted compared to the beers I enjoyed so I figured all wine tasted that bad. (Anyone have any Sutter Home White Zin in their cellars?) I didn’t drink win until 5 years ago when I met my current wife. Her parents are from Santa Rosa, CA and are very much into into wine. I begrudgingly went wine tasting with them a few times (to get in their good graces) but never really liked the wine. I was almost embarrassed to go tasting because my father in law would describe all of the smells and flavors he tasted in the wines but everything tasted the same to me. Eventually I learned to enjoy the stories about the wines we were tasting. I liked to hear about the story of the winery, where the grapes were from, how blending was done, and the characteristics of each varietal. Eventually I began to appreciate wine for more than just an alcoholic beverage and wanted to know more. I am an avid reader so I listed to every book I could get my hands on (Audible.com) that had to do with wine. Some of my favorite books were stories about Robert Mondovi, Kendall Jackson, Hall Wines, Schafer, the 1976 Paris Tasting, and The Road to Burgundy by Ray Walker. Through these books I got so much enjoyment and found myself infatuated with wine and spending all my free time reading, talking, and of course drinking wine. I have also watched every wine movie I could get on Netflix which are wonderful.

I now have a great appreciation for wine and the wine making process. I have joined numerous wine clubs and spend a lot of time at the local wine shop buying wine. That is why my wife and I have decided that we want to have our own vineyard and make our own wine. I am also enrolled in the UC Davis Winemakers Certificate Program which I absolutely love.

My goal is to finish my life with a career in wine whether its working for someone else and making my own wine for my family and friends, or having a commercial winery someday that I can run the way I want to. In the meantime I am going all in on this wine career and for the first time I believe I have found something fulfilling.

Thank you for listening to my story and please let me know if you have any tips or know of any internships available.

Wesley

So you’re using Ray Walker as inspiration?

Good luck to you Wesley.

Also, it’s Mondavi, not Mondovi. Might wanna brush up on names if that’s your angle.

I think most harvest internships are a full time or at least not just weekend job (probably impossible to find a paying weekend gig). I know there are some websites out there for winery related jobs only i’m sure someone can help with that.

Good luck!

Harvest internships are filled long before harvest and require 24-7 dedication for 3-4 months.

Considering that you’re looking to plant a vineyard, I’d recommend you find a winery to start working with right now as a vineyard intern. There’s plenty to do, and even just doing weekends might be fine with some places. Then, as a weekend employee, you could be an extra hand during harvest.

You aren’t going to find a weekend-only harvest intern position.

You are going to want at least a full year cycle of hands-on vineyard experience before you want to consider what sort of land you want to purchase, what and how to plant, etc. Do you really want to make some of the most crucial decisions before you know what you’re doing?

Wes - That would be the most practical thing to do but I like to be a little unconventional.

Smart but unconventional. I have to keep in mind that I may be dead tomorrow so time is of the essence.

Why the urgency?

If you’ve decided to do something, why wait?

Because if it’s really important to you, and you go somewhere to ask people who are experts for their advice on how to make it happen, and then someone with experience and expertise says. “Do you really want to make some of the most crucial decisions before you know what you’re doing?” and your response is to ignore that advice and push ahead without knowing what you’re doing because you feel like there is no time to waste… then yeah, it raises questions (for me anyways) why time is more important to than listening to the advice you asked for.

And by you, I mean the OP, not you, Nolan. lol.

Easiest weekend work to find would be in the tasting room

I’m with Nolan and the OP on this one. Just do it. If you wait around for the perfect situation and perfect knowledge, you’ll talk yourself out of doing anything. The OP is doing research, taking classes, and has faith in himself. If he fails a little and has to make some changes or waste some money because he didn’t wait, so be it. But at least he won’t be in an insurance job he doesn’t like any more.

Measure twice, cut once.

We’re talking a multi-year path. Footwear is footwear. Who cares if it’s hiking boots or flip flops? Just throw something on and run that marathon.

Completely agree. I started a business 21 years ago. I still don’t have all the answers.

I think we scared off Mr. Cable.

50 Tips for Cellar Rats: How to Get (and Keep) a Great Job as a Winery Cellar Rat or Harvest Intern

Good luck!

Thank you everyone for the kind words. Why do you refer to me as OB?

That’s OP - original post.

Wonder what happened to young Wesley.