Winery & Viticulture Internship — USA
Paid vineyard-to-cellar training across a full growing season and vintage.
Program overview
Split your time between the vineyard and the cellar. You will learn canopy management, pruning, irrigation and vineyard nutrition, then move into harvest, crushing, fermentation monitoring, pressing, racking and basic laboratory analysis during vintage — the most intense and rewarding period of the wine calendar. Placements are with vetted USA host employers, with Agrilivex managing matching, visa documentation and in-country support end to end.
Eligibility
- Diploma / degree in Horticulture, Agriculture, Oenology, Food Technology or allied fields
- Age 18–35 with a valid passport
- Conversational English — no IELTS required
- Fit for physical cellar work and long vintage shifts
- Genuine interest in wine production as a career
Roles & Responsibilities
- Pruning, shoot thinning and canopy management
- Trellis maintenance, irrigation and vineyard nutrition
- Vineyard scouting, disease monitoring and spray records
- Harvest coordination and fruit intake at the crush pad
- Fermentation monitoring, plunging, pump-overs and pressing
- Cellar hygiene, racking, barrel work and basic lab analysis
Skills You'll Learn
- Viticulture across a full growing season
- Vintage cellar operations and winemaking workflow
- Fermentation management and sensory evaluation basics
- Wine lab testing — brix, pH, TA and SO₂
- Barrel handling, blending support and bottling exposure
- Cellar hygiene, food safety and equipment operation
Benefits
- Legal US paycheque in USD every two weeks
- Housing provided or heavily subsidised
- US host mentor plus Agrilivex support all year
- DS-2019 sponsorship and J-1 documentation handled end-to-end
- Certificate of Completion from host + Agrilivex
- Alumni network across the US agriculture industry
Structured week-by-week training.
Salary
Host farms pay USD 12–16/hour with paid overtime after 40 hours. Monthly gross typically USD 2,200–3,000 depending on state, farm size and hours worked. Housing is provided or subsidised on nearly every placement, so most interns save the majority of their earnings.
Accommodation
Private or shared room in farm-owned housing, normally within walking distance of the workplace. Utilities and Wi-Fi are usually included, and many placements provide a farm vehicle for work use.
Work Schedule
Typical 5–6 day week of 40–48 hours plus paid overtime, with seasonal peaks. One full day off per week, plus agreed leave for travel within the US.
From application to arrival.
J-1 Trainee or Intern visa sponsored through a US-designated sponsor organisation. Agrilivex handles DS-2019 issuance, SEVIS fee, DS-160, embassy interview coaching and pre-departure orientation. No IELTS required — English is assessed in a live sponsor interview.
Documents required.
- Passport (minimum 18 months validity)
- Education certificates and transcripts
- Updated CV highlighting any winery & viticulture or farm experience
- English proficiency proof (interview-based, no IELTS)
- Financial capacity documents for the visa
- Medical fitness certificate and police clearance
Frequently asked.
Do I need wine experience?
No. Most interns start with agriculture or food science backgrounds. Vintage is taught on the job, and a completed vintage is a genuinely valuable credential worldwide.
Do I need IELTS for the J-1 visa?
No. English is assessed through a live interview with the US sponsor — IELTS or TOEFL is not required.
How soon can I start the USA program?
Intakes run through the year around the winery & viticulture season. From a complete application, most candidates depart within 3–4 months once matching, offer and visa steps are done.
Start your USA internship journey.
Submit your application — we'll match you with certified host farms and guide the visa end-to-end.
Apply Now