What are the responsibilities and job description for the Hospitality Associate position at Crimson Wine Group LTD?
Company Background
At Crimson Wine Group, we are the guardians of 1,000 acres of pristine vineyards, iconic estates, forests, and wildlife habitats along the West Coast. Our success stems from the wide range of perspectives that our team brings to every single one of our wines – from vine to bottle and beyond. Our portfolio is cultivated to elevate any occasion and to simply make life better.
At Crimson Wine Group (CWG), we are dedicated to building an inclusive environment with a culture of belonging. We strive to create an inclusive environment where all our team members feel connected, engaged, and can live their true identities at work. Here at CWG, we celebrate the value that comes with inclusivity and different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, which all help foster a culture of collaboration and creativity with the wine industry as a whole.
Position Summary
The Hospitality Associate delivers warm, personalized winery experiences through thoughtful service, guided tastings, and engaging storytelling. This role builds meaningful guest relationships while driving wine and wine club sales in alignment with brand standards. The ideal candidate is service‑driven, team‑oriented, adaptable, and passionate about wine and hospitality.
Values in Practice
Hospitality teams are expected to demonstrate company values through daily actions and guest interactions.
We Serve – We Focus on Excellence - We Deliver on Commitments
Service Heart & Preparedness
- Demonstrate a genuine service heart by delivering gracious, intentional hospitality to guests and teammates.
- Prepare for each day’s visits by reviewing reservations, guest notes, special occasions, and expectations so guests feel truly expected.
- Anticipate needs, remove obstacles, and create a seamless experience from first contact through post-visit follow-up.
- Practice active listening and intentional conversation to personalize each interaction and elevate the guest experience.
Brand Representation & Storytelling
- Represent the winery and its brands with professionalism, enthusiasm, and authenticity.
- Confidently share the brand story, estate highlights, and hospitality philosophy to create a meaningful sense of place and connection.
- Act as a brand ambassador in all guest interactions.
Teamwork & Accountability
- Support a collaborative service culture through proactive communication, knowledge sharing, and mutual support.
- Take ownership when service standards are not met and partner with leadership to resolve issues and prevent recurrence.
- Maintain discretion and confidentiality regarding guests, trade visitors, and internal winery operations.
Commitment to Excellence & Growth
- Exhibit a growth mindset by welcoming feedback, embracing continuous improvement, and adapting to evolving guest and business needs.
- Participate in daily pre‑shift communication and follow safety expectations to help maintain a safe, inclusive, and engaged environment.
Community & Stewardship
- Uphold respect for the estate, land, and community by aligning daily actions with sustainability, outreach, and responsible hospitality principles.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
The following reflects management’s definition of essential functions for this job but does not restrict the tasks that may be assigned. Management may assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time due to reasonable accommodations or other reasons.
- Deliver exceptional, personalized hospitality experiences aligned with winery brand standards.
- Guide guests through engaging tastings, tours, and educational experiences focused on wines, vineyard sourcing, culinary pairings, and winery philosophy.
- Drive wine, merchandise, tasting, and wine club sales through relationship‑based hospitality.
- Confidently recommend wines and wine club memberships, consistently meeting or exceeding individual sales and membership goals.
- Adapt service approach to individual guest preferences while maintaining awareness of service flow, pacing, and experience quality.
- Collaborate with guest services, wine club, and events teams to ensure seamless daily operations and special event execution.
- Support tasting room operations, including opening and closing procedures, space setup and breakdown, POS transactions, shipping orders, and inventory support.
- Maintain high standards of professionalism, presentation, cleanliness, safety, and attention to detail in all guest and work spaces.
Qualifications
- Previous experience in winery, hospitality, retail, or restaurant environments preferred.
- Proven ability to engage guests, build rapport, and drive wine and wine club sales through relationship‑based hospitality.
- Demonstrated sales mindset with the ability to meet or exceed individual sales and conversion goals.
- Strong communication and storytelling skills to professionally represent the winery and its brands.
- Service‑driven, detail‑oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
- Collaborative, dependable team member with accountability for guest experience and results.
- Ability to learn and retain wine knowledge, brand standards, and hospitality practices.
- Current Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) and Food Handler’s Certificates required.
- Ability to perform essential physical functions of the role, with or without reasonable accommodation, including standing for extended periods and lifting up to 50 pounds.
- Required to follow all safety, sanitation, and responsible alcohol service policies.
- Must be at least 21 years of age.
The projected hourly pay rate for this position is $17.13 per hour (in addition to tips and commission for DTC). This rate is the projected compensation for this position, however the actual compensation offered may vary based on job-related factors such as (but not limited to) candidate qualifications, related experience and education, candidate work location and market data. Crimson Wine Group reserves the right to modify the pay range/rate at any time in the future.
Salary : $17