MICHAEL HORTON
Personal Email
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LinkedIn Profile
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Personal Website
EXPERIENCE
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Albens Cider (PT Indosarnia)
Bali, Indonesia
Cidermaker & Production Manager
2013–Present
Increased production capacity from 1,000 cases to 4,000 cases per month.
Product development: re-directed cider style and helped introduce new flavoured cider products.
Created all standard operating procedures (SOPs) for production and laboratory activities.
Production planning and execution: directing and training 11 employees in all production activities.
Stock management: detailed recordkeeping and ordering of all raw and packaging materials.
Maintaining all facility equipment, acquiring and installing new and updated machinery.
Vasse Felix
Margaret River, Western Australia
Winery Assistant
2013
 Worked with winemakers and cellar staff to complete all processes at 2,000-ton boutique winery.
 Operating and maintaining equipment: forklift driving, destemmer/crusher, presses, pumps, filters, etc.
Niven Family Wine Estates
Edna Valley, California
Night Shift Supervisor
2012
 Trained and directed crew of 6 workers at 4,000-ton custom crush facility: grape reception through fermentation
management, filtration, and bottling preparation.
 Responsible for winery’s dry goods area and completing all additions as specified by winemakers.
 Assisted winemakers with several product development trials focused on tannin and yeast selection.
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Indevin
Marlborough & Gisborne, New Zealand
Client Winemaker (Dual Vintage)
2011
Participated in transitional vintage at Indevin’s recently acquired Gisborne winery (old Montana Gisborne Winery);
helped transition Gisborne team onto new winery operating system.
Planned day to day cellar operations including floatation, yeast propagation, and fermentation management.
Participated in automation and calibration of Della Toffolla Continuous Floatation Unit.
Planned blending and centrifuge program for finished ferments based on bottling priority and wine stability.
Worked consecutive vintage in Marlborough; solely responsible for two clients, totaling approximately 16% of
32,000-ton intake and 2 million litres of juice and cloudy wine for dispatch.
Assisted with logistical setup, trials, and operational training regarding JuClas Continuous Floatation Unit.
Conducted yeast propagation trial: successfully fermenting 4.6 million litres with no troublesome batches.
Frank Family Vineyards
Napa Valley, California
Vintage Assistant Winemaker
2010
 Assisted with all aspects of planning and executing vintage at 3,000-ton custom crush facility: grape reception and
processing, cold settling, inoculations, and fermentation management.
 Completed vineyard maturity tracking and harvesting decisions in conjunction with head winemaker.
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Pernod Ricard (Montana Gisborne Winery)
Gisborne, New Zealand
Vintage Winemaker
2010
Planned all day to day cellar operations at 15,000-ton facility: solids separation (via floatation), yeast propagation
and inoculation program, fermentation placement, and fermentation management.
Assisted setting up, troubleshooting, and planning operation of CT6 juice concentration machine.
Planned centrifuge program for finished ferments based on priority of bottling and stability of wine.
Organized and directed trials in regards to fermentation and floatation.
MICHAEL HORTON
Personal Email
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


LinkedIn Profile

Personal Website
Niven Family Wine Estates
Edna Valley, California
Night Shift Supervisor
2009
Trained and directed crew of six workers in all vintage activities at 4,000-ton custom crush facility: grape reception
through fermentation management, filtration, and bottling preparation.
Responsible for winery’s dry goods area and completing all additions as specified by winemakers.
Operating and maintaining winery equipment: destemmer/crusher, presses, pumps, filters, etc.
Assisted winemakers with several product development trials focused on tannin and yeast selection.
Pernod Ricard (Montana Gisborne Winery)
Gisborne, New Zealand
Fermentation Winemaker
2009
 Planned and directed inoculation program with regards to juice adjustment, yeast propagation, dry pitch
inoculations, ferment additions, and ferment placement.
 Organized and supervised trials for product development and alternative processing methods.
 Helped train day and night shift employees to ensure best winemaking practices consistently followed.
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Niven Family Wine Estates
Edna Valley, California
Cal Poly Winemaker & Night Shift Supervisor
2008
Winemaker for university’s ultra-premium wine label mentored by Christian Roguenant.
Responsible for every stage of the winemaking process from harvest through bottling.
Conducted wild yeast trials on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Trained and directed crew of six workers in all vintage activities at 4,000-ton custom crush facility: grape reception
through fermentation management, filtration, and bottling preparation.
Tolosa/Courtside Cellars
Edna Valley, California
Laboratory Technician & Cellar Worker
2006-2007
Solely ran laboratory for two years during harvest swing shift at 15,000-ton custom crush facility.
Responsible for mock blending, fining trials, stability testing, bottling QC, all analyses required throughout year.
Assisted Larry Brooks with validation trial of Adams-Harberston Phenolics Assay.
Participated in all aspects of cellar: crush pad, ferment & barrel management, filtration, blending, and bottling.
EDUCATION
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California Polytechnic State University
San Luis Obispo, California
Wine & Viticulture, B.S. – Enology Concentration & Wine Business Concentration
Agricultural Business, B.S. - International Agribusiness Management Concentration
Winemaker for university’s commercial wine label in 2008: earned 5 gold medals, 5 silver medals, and 12 bronze
medals in international wine competitions (http://www.calpolywine.com).
Helped establish on-campus winery and participated in inaugural vintage.
Worked in on-campus vineyard; activities included pruning, yield estimation, maturity tracking, vine splicing.
Conducted a cost-benefit analysis for updating a laboratory at a local, 10,000-ton winery.
Created a complete winery business plan with marketing, operating, and financial planning.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
 Forklift certification, CPR certification, First Aid certification, Confined Space trained, chemical trained.
 Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office, Adobe Suite, Winemaker’s Database, WIPS, web design/HTML.
References happily provided upon request.