In a recent SevenFifty Daily guide titled "So, You Want to Land a Wine Harvest Job?", author Tina Caputo provides a practical roadmap for wine professionals looking to gain hands-on production experience.

The article features our own Erin Mason, our Regenerative Agriculture Specialist, who shares her personal journey from directing an Atlanta wine program to working in the cellar:

"Erin Mason... got her internship through industry contacts. She directed the wine program at an Atlanta restaurant before telling California winemaker Ian Brand that she was looking for a change. 'Within a month,' Mason says, 'I quit my 10-year job and moved to California.'"

Mason emphasizes that the path to a permanent role often begins with the tenacity and flexibility shown during these seasonal stints:

"Mason’s harvest experiences eventually landed her a permanent job as the first regenerative agriculture specialist at Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles. She advises would-be interns to have a plan for when the season ends. 'You need to know what you want to do after that,' she says. 'Almost never does harvest turn into anything long-term. It’s like: right time, right place, right person. The stars have to align.'"

The guide highlights that while the work is physically demanding, the rewards come in the form of deep professional development and a unique understanding of the "changing rhythms of the season."