Also called: Enologist, Head Winemaker
Decides when to pick the grapes and guides the whole process of turning them into wine.
At harvest you're up at dawn tasting grapes in the vineyard to decide which block to pick. Back in the cellar you check fermenting tanks, measure sugar and acid, and taste barrels to plan the final blend. The rest of the year is quieter, with bottling and hosting tastings.
Highly variable: small wineries pay modestly, big-name wineries much more.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in enology/viticulture (UC Davis, Fresno State, Washington State) or years of cellar experience.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Viticulture & Enology, Food Science, Chemistry.
Growing about average. Steady; wine consumption is flat but craft wineries keep opening.
Low risk for 10 years. Sensors and AI help track ferments, but tasting, picking decisions and craft winemaking stay human.
Classes: Chemistry, Biology, Agriculture class.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-1012.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.