‘Dream Job’: Sonoma Winery Will Pay 6 Figures To Live Rent-Free

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Sonoma County in California has attracted visitors worldwide as one of the most unique and diverse wine growing regions in the world, the county’s tourism group says. More than 10 million visitors traveled there in 2018, according to the agency's most recent yearly economic report.

Now, one person will become a permanent resident for a full year as the recipient of a “dream job” that will not only pay someone to sample the wines, but to live rent-free, too.

Murphy-Goode Winery has a job listing offering $10,000 a month, and a year’s worth of free wine, to someone to live rent-free in Sonoma County and work at the winery. Whoever gets the job could become a winemaker, or help with harvesting and other tasks, a video promoting the job opening shows.

The person will shadow Dave Ready Jr., the son of one of the Murphy-Goode founders and their current head winemaker who has been described as a “rockstar in the winemaking world and out” for the first 90 days.

“As Murphy-Goode’s winemaker, I have a fortunate advantage: our winery’s history. I know the taste of the grapes; my direct experience tells me when the vineyard is at optimal ripeness,” Ready Jr. said on the winery's website.

Learning from Ready Jr. and his expertise on wine will amount to a “dream job” on its own, the winery’s description, titled “A Really Goode Job,” reads.

Just getting the job “will instantaneously catapult you into the wine stratosphere,” it says.

Wine lovers interested in applying need to upload a video application that describes what their dream role at the winery would be if hired. The specific duties of the job haven’t been set in stone, and owners have said they can be adjusted based on the strengths of the person hired.

Patch has reached out to Murphy-Goode for more on their candidate search.

Applicants will be evaluated on “role value, creativity and design, applicable experience and skill set,” the description said. The person hired must “repetitively” lift at least 50 pounds and may be asked to work some weekends.

The winery is accepting applications through June 30.