Tasting Room Manager

Introduction

The Tasting Room Manager at Red Tail Ridge knows that they make a major contribution to the success of the winery through the management of daily operations of the Tasting Room. You arrive to work by driving through beautifully maintained vines up a winding road past a pond and a wildflower field toward the sleek and modern Tasting Room. Black Walnut Trees dot the edges of the vineyard along with other trees native to the Finger Lakes. As you walk to the front door, the open-air Pavilion is to the right, providing guests with protection from weather, while still enjoying intimacy with the vineyard. In front of you is a stunning view of Seneca Lake, vines of Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Blaufrankish. To the left is the Tasting Room elegantly clad inside by wood reclaimed from the trees that were removed from the land when the vineyard was planted.

As you walk through the doors to the Tasting Room, you are focused on making the day ahead as successful for your Tasting Room Guides and the Guests and the overall business as possible. Once settled and clocked in, you set the team up for success by ensuring the lights are on, cash is counted accurately, menus are up-to-date and printed in the quantity needed for the day, and food preparation is in a good place. Then you make sure the space is beautiful and the team is prepared with all the information, training, and tools they need to be successful. You communicate and manage the team in a kind, respectful, and focused manner. You are able to run the floor smoothly between the reservations made online and guests walking in the door ensuring that the Guides are moving guests through their experiences in a timely, but still appropriate manner, that guests are directed to the experiences we are able to provide them in the moment and ensuring that reservations are honored in a timely manner. On slower days when it is perhaps you and one or two guides on the floor, you are able to provide educational-based tastings to guests. Through the experiences you provide, your ability to connect to people within a short period of time and your salesmanship shines. In those moments, you show the team that you are there with them, while also providing the framework and the decision-making abilities to keep the day running smoothly.

You are always supported by your team and your General Manager, and you give as you receive throughout the day. You can see the floor like a chess board, making sure that glassware is maintained, product restocked, guests are taken care of and the Guides are provided with breaks when needed. When rushes are slowing down, you encourage the team to get everything reset.

At the end of the day, you know that working together with the team, the close of the day is smooth and the floor is reset to ensure the success of the team the next day. As you walk out the door you know how much you have contributed to the success of the day and what needs to happen moving forward to keep Red Tail Ridge progressing in a positive direction. You are able to have pride in the product you are representing, the space you are working in, and the people you support and assist every single day.

Winery History

Red Tail Ridge is one of the regions most well-respected wineries. Owned and operated by Michael Schnelle (viticulturalist) & Nancy Irelan (winemaker), a husband & wife partnership who moved to the Finger Lakes 20 years ago to plant the vineyard at this specific place on Seneca Lake. Nancy holds a PhD in Grape Genetics and prior to founding Red Tail Ridge was a Vice President at Gallo in California, heading up the Research and Development branch with research vineyards across the state. Michael holds an MBA and not only leads the vineyard management team, but also heads the financial side of Red Tail Ridge.

This winery is their life’s work. Nancy & Mike are as passionate about making beautiful wine as they are about how it is presented to guests in the Tasting Room. They are forward-thinking people, building Red Tail Ridge to be the one, and currently only, LEED-gold certified winery in New York State. The winery has been nominated for a James Beard Award multiple times was a semi-finalist for the award twice. We are known for our Sparkling and Cool Climate Red wines, which include some varietals that are rare in the world and in our region. With Nancy’s talent in winemaking and Michael’s meticulous care of the vineyard, we provide unique, character-driven wines that are technical, precise, and innovative.

During COVID, Nancy & Michael put their vision to work in creating the open-air Pavilion to provide guests a comfortable space to enjoy wine, while being sheltered from weather events. It’s slatted design and maneuverable walls make for a space that is both rustic and sophisticated. The winery’s newest addition is the Tasting Room, which is still in the process of being completed. When done it will have a commercial kitchen, wrap around tasting bar made from the same wood used for the cladding of the space, and additional patio for guests to enjoy during the summer months.

We look for people with a passion for great wine, care for guest experience, and the respectful team-oriented work to make Red Tail Ridge as great a place to work as it is to visit.

Job Description

The Tasting Room Manager provides the Tasting Room Team with the tools, knowledge and guidance to ensure that guests receive an outstanding and unique tasting experience. We focus on an educational and comfortable tasting experience that takes guests through not just the flavor notes expressed in the wine, but also the technical and contextual importance of the wines we produce. We provide as much or as little information as the guest would like. As we move forward in the development and expansion of the Tasting Room, we will be incorporating food into daily operations in an incrementally expansive manner. In order to provide this type of experience to our guests, the following are specific qualities that are essential for our Tasting Room Manager to have:

Knowledge Criteria

- General Wine Knowledge is critical for this role

• Extensive knowledge of Sparkling wines, European Red Grape Varietals and European wine growing regions is strongly preferred.
• Technical Wine Production knowledge is preferred

- An understanding of the following business principles is critical for this role

• Cash Management
• Inventory Management
• Safety & Labor Regulations
• Liquor Regulations for the State of New York
• Financial Goals and their importance for the health of the business
• Fundamental understanding of the principles of the Hospitality Industry

Hospitality and Service Criterea

• Providing the team continuously with the skills and knowledge necessary to provide ideal guest interaction
• Ensuring that all guidelines and expectations are met by the members of the Tasting Room team.
• Guiding the team toward better practices when failures occur, and best practices as their skills and knowledge are built
• Floor Management to ensure that guests are provided timely and positive tasting experiences
• Experience in Wine Club Management or relevant translational experience

Managerial Experience

• The expectation at Red Tail Ridge is that all managers utilize a leadership-based managerial style
• Ability to manage a restaurant floor
• Experience with scheduling a team of 10 to 15 is critical for this role
• Inventory management experience is essential
• Proven ability to create and implement structural procedures

Timeliness

• Show up to work at a time that will ensure your success and that of the team.
• During busy times, a proven ability to keep turns occurring to assist as many guests as possible
• All tasks and projects are completed in an efficient and timely manner.

Communication

• Communication style is consistently professional, humanistic, respectful and calm.
• Updates, guidelines and policies must be communicated across the team in an efficient and effective manner.
• Daily communication with the General Manager is critical for success

Problem Solving

• The ability to problem-solve during daily operations is essential to this role
• A primary understanding of what issues should be brought to the attention of leadership

Support

• This role is an essential support mechanism for the General Manager of the winery.

It is the goal of Red Tail Ridge to be a professional and humanistic company. We focus on solid business fundamentals, kindness and respect in interactions, and providing our colleagues and guests the best experience possible. In becoming a member of the Red Tail Ridge Team, you are becoming an essential piece to our success. We will rise based on the skills and abilities of each member.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $20.00 - $25.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid sick time
• Paid time off
• Paid training
• Vision insurance

Restaurant type:

• Fine dining restaurant

Shift:

• Day shift

Weekly day range:

• Every weekend

Application Question(s):

• What are the origins of the Pinot Noir grape and what are the typical characteristics of it?
• What is your process for implementing structure to your team?
• List the first three things you do when you enter into work every day?

Experience:

• Restaurant management: 2 years (Required)

Work Location: In person