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Viticulturist

Viticulture is the science and art of cultivating grapevines and involves a range of roles

Training, qualifications and skills PA1 and PA3 Spraying Certificates, and usually a foundation degree or an introductory course in viticulture
Career progression opportunities You would normally start as a vineyard assistant, and after some experience, move on to vineyard manager roles or maybe consultancy.
Useful links Wines of Great Britain
EnglishWine.com
 

Focus on: Vineyard and estate manager

Matt Strugnell
Ridgeview Wine Estate
Full time, salary up to £45k
Sussex

A vineyard manager is responsible for growing grapes for either a vineyard in its own right or a wine producer. At Ridgeview we not only have our own vineyard, but we also have grapes grown under contract, and my job involves overseeing all of this. I spend a lot of time with our contract growers to offer them advice and my responsibility is to ensure they deliver a high quality crop.

Be prepared to work hard in all weathers – hours vary but harvest can mean long hours. There is a lot to learn in viticulture so be prepared to do a lot of learning on the job.

While my job is more managerial these days, I do still work hands-on in the vineyard and occasionally I get to jump on the tractor. My formal training was an HND in Wine Studies at Plumpton College in 2002 – the equivalent today is the Foundation Degree.

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.