Jennifer Muir
Blenheim,New Zealand
Summary
Winemaker with extensive experience at INDEVIN and VILLA MARIA, specializing in wine production planning and quality control. Demonstrated ability to optimize processes and enhance team performance, resulting in improved operational efficiency. Skilled in troubleshooting and ensuring compliance, consistently achieving successful outcomes in high-pressure environments.
Overview
2026
2026
years of professional experience
Work History
Winemaker/Production Winemaker
INDEVIN / VILLA MARIA
2019 - Current
- Planned all stages of wine production, issuing and updating job operations.
- Conducted wine quality checks, determining specifications for blends, finings, and finishes.
- Organized logistics, managing dry goods and overseeing stock takes.
- Managed staff workload to optimize productivity levels across all departments.
- Ensured compliance with market standards and implemented sustainability innovations.
- Assisted lab by performing analyses during peak blending periods, ensuring accuracy in results.
- Facilitated internal and external tastings to enhance product presentation and quality assurance.
- Supported customer team through relationship building and a solution-oriented selling approach.
- Crafted wines using traditional and innovative winemaking techniques.
- Trained staff on best practices in winemaking procedures.
- Collaborated closely with team members to achieve project objectives and meet deadlines.
- Worked with cross-functional teams to achieve goals.
- Approached customers and engaged in conversation through use of effective interpersonal and people skills.
- Utilized advanced technical skills and expertise to troubleshoot complex problems and implement solutions.
Lead Nightshift Winemaker (Vintage)
DEFINED WINE
01.2023 - 2023
- In this role, I was responsible for looking after client wine, ensuring quality and efficiency from fruit receival through to finished ferment, led the winery in all winemaking decisions, production decisions and lab work, manage all employees and ensure health and safety.
- My primary focus was to help to improve processes and quality.
Lead Nightshift Winemaker (Vintage)
INDEVIN / VILLA MARIA
01.2020 - 01.2022
- Responsible for all operations and ferment round on nightshift.
- Responsible for maintaining workflow and quality.
- Training nightshift vintage winemaker.
Assistant winemaker and Technical viticulture Graduate
VILLA MARIA
, New Zealand
01.2019 - 12.2021
- This was a split role where for 6 months of the year I held an assistant winemaker role, helping with all stages during harvest and blending, issuing and updating operations, ensuring quality, monitoring ferments, contributing to tastings, stock takes and ensuring good workflow.
- The other half of the year I was involved in technical viticulture where I assessed the health, pest and disease and phenology of the vines along with conduct research trials to benefit the company, train staff and supervisor yield, maturity and P&D work.
- I changed roles to full time Assistant Winemaker at the end of 2021.
- (References on request)
Vintage Assistant winemaker and full time Senior Cellar hand
GIESEN
, New Zealand
01.2016 - 12.2019
- For my 2020 vintage I was Assistant Winemaker for the premium products, learning Vintrace, writing job orders, trial blends and looking after ferments and barrel work.
- 2019 Supervising a team of 5-6 people in the press area during vintage working 12hours 6 days a week.
- Outside of vintage, I was the Senior Cellar Hand where I was tasked with designing and implementing systems, updating SOPS and training.
- (Reference: Nikolia ST George, Chief winemaker 02151372)
- (Andrew Hawker, Operations Winemaker)
Cellar hand
YEALANDS ESTATE
, New Zealand
01.2014 - 12.2016
- 2014 and 2016 Vintages were with Yealands Estate. Where I worked in the press area, white cellar and red cellar.
- My daily activities included making additions, setting lines, operating presses, operating receival bins, transfers, barrel work, finished wine transfers, cleaning, racking.
Grafter/Supervisor
TOP GRAFTING NZ LTD
, New Zealand
01.2012 - 12.2014
- From 2012 - 2014 I travelled around New Zealand on a seasonal basis with a small team.
- Top grafting is a physical job where traveling is essential.
- During this time, we lived and worked together.
- This was great experience, where I learnt to work as part of a team and to supervise a team.
- (Jamie Cots 0220811253)
Waitress/Bar manager
HOSPITALITY
, New Zealand
01.2010 - 12.2013
- Working in hospitality for a few years, waitressing for a few local restaurants then moving into a bar Managers role.
Laborer & Administrator
MARLBOROUGH HORT LTD
, New Zealand
01.2000 - 12.2013
- From a young age I worked for my father's company Marlborough Hort LTD.
- This enabled me to experience management practices and practical skills.
- Management practices included book work, pays and general administration.
- (Bob Lee 0220811253)
Education
Bachelor - Viticulture and Winemaking
NMIT
Diploma - Business Marketing and Sales
NMIT/ TANZ eCampus
WSET Level 2 & Level 3 -
Wine and Spirit Education Trust
Diploma - Professional Wine Management / Sommelier (achieving)
New Zealand School of Food and Wine
HSR Level 2 -
Health and Safety
Certificate - Early Childhood Education
Open2Study
Skills
- Wine production planning
- Team leadership
- Self motivation
- Quality control
- Troubleshooting
- Production line operation
- Compliance management
- Inventory management
- Workflow coordination
- Staff training
- Customer relationship management
- Project coordination
- Attention to detail
- Meeting sales targets
- Solicit sales
- Sales operations management
- Multimedia marketing
- Event planning
- Customer engagement
- Verbal and written communication
- Wine pairings
Languages
English
Personal Information
Nationality: New Zealand
Health
Excellent
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Lead Nightshift Winemaker (Vintage)
DEFINED WINE
01.2023 - 2023
Lead Nightshift Winemaker (Vintage)
INDEVIN / VILLA MARIA
01.2020 - 01.2022
Assistant winemaker and Technical viticulture Graduate
VILLA MARIA
01.2019 - 12.2021
Vintage Assistant winemaker and full time Senior Cellar hand
GIESEN
01.2016 - 12.2019
Cellar hand
YEALANDS ESTATE
01.2014 - 12.2016
Grafter/Supervisor
TOP GRAFTING NZ LTD
01.2012 - 12.2014
Waitress/Bar manager
HOSPITALITY
01.2010 - 12.2013
Laborer & Administrator
MARLBOROUGH HORT LTD
01.2000 - 12.2013
Winemaker/Production Winemaker
INDEVIN / VILLA MARIA
2019 - Current
Bachelor - Viticulture and Winemaking
NMIT
Diploma - Business Marketing and Sales
NMIT/ TANZ eCampus
WSET Level 2 & Level 3 -
Wine and Spirit Education Trust
Diploma - Professional Wine Management / Sommelier (achieving)
New Zealand School of Food and Wine
HSR Level 2 -
Health and Safety
Certificate - Early Childhood Education
Open2Study