Wine Educator/Event Captain

O’Neill Vintners and Distillers•Sonoma, CA

53d•Onsite

About The Position

As a Wine Educator, you are the heart of our hospitality, dedicated to curating personalized, luxury wine experiences that leave a lasting impression. Your role is more than just pouring wine; it's about crafting memorable moments, sharing compelling stories, and ensuring every guest feels valued, welcomed, and at home. With a passion for hospitality, an appreciation for fine wines, and a commitment to seamless service, you create tailored, immersive tasting experiences that reflect our certified organic vineyard's excellence. This is a single, full-time, non-exempt role that toggles between two modes based on business needs. As a Wine Educator, you lead the daily tasting room experience. As an Event Captain, you serve as a peer-level, staff-facing leader on the floor during events, in partnership with the Associate Manager, Hospitality and Events and the estate's outside events contractor. The ideal candidate moves fluidly between these two modes: warm, engaging, and detail-oriented on the tasting room floor, and a calm, steady presence among the team when the estate moves into event mode. They build genuine connections, remember guest preferences, and maintain an ego-less approach to hospitality, always prioritizing the guest's experience with grace and professionalism.

Requirements

2+ years of experience in luxury customer service, sales, or hospitality.
A natural ability to connect with people and build rapport.
Passion for wine, food, and agriculture, with a desire to continuously expand knowledge.
Keen attention to detail and an unwavering commitment to creating exceptional guest experiences.
Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, with comfort coordinating with outside vendors and contractors during events.
Comfortable using technology (experience with Tock or WineDirect is a plus).
Ability to multitask, stay composed under pressure, and make thoughtful decisions in a fast-paced setting, including demonstrated leadership on the floor during high-volume or high-pressure event moments.
Availability to work nights, weekends, and holidays as needed by the business.
Certification in California Food Handler Training, California RBS (Responsible Beverage Service) Training, and California Alcohol Server Training, each required within 30 days of employment.
Must be at least 21 years of age.
O’Neill team members are Forward Thinkers . Hard Working without Drama. Friendly Problem Solvers who work as One Team to Always Deliver .

Nice To Haves

Experience with Tock or WineDirect is a plus.

Responsibilities

Welcomes every guest with warmth, ensuring a customized and exceptional experience whether they are first-time visitors or longtime members.
Shares the history, craftsmanship, and unique qualities of our wines in a way that captivates and educates guests.
Works closely with the hospitality, culinary, and concierge teams to elevate the guest journey and maintain smooth operations.
Builds genuine connections, remembers guest preferences, and curates experiences that feel exclusive and personal.
Enhances winery and membership events by engaging guests and assisting with setup, décor, and execution.
Serves as an ambassador, representing the winery both on-site and at off-site events, ensuring the brand's integrity and high standards.
Stays informed on wine trends, compliance regulations, and interstate shipping laws to assist guests with purchases and logistics.
Takes pride in maintaining an elegant, welcoming space, ensuring all hospitality areas are pristine and well-appointed.
Cultivates meaningful relationships that naturally lead to wine sales, club memberships, and repeat visits.
Embodies our company values, contributing to a supportive, passionate, and high-performance team environment.
Serves as a peer-level, staff-facing leader during events, setting the pace and modeling service standards for other employees and event staff.
Acts as the day-of point of contact between the external event contractor and the Ram's Gate hospitality team, communicating logistics, timing, and last-minute changes to staff.
Coordinates event-day staffing and breaks with the Associate Manager, Hospitality and Events, balancing tasting room coverage with event needs.
Leads a pre-event briefing with hospitality staff working the event to align on guest expectations, VIP or Member attendees, and service standards.
Troubleshoots in-the-moment guest service issues during events and escalates to the Associate Manager, Hospitality and Events as needed.
Models and reinforces Ram's Gate hospitality standards for other Wine Educators and Guest Relations Associates working events.