AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
OK, we don't really have classified ads on this program since, you know, it's a radio show. But we felt like this help wanted listing was worth flagging. The desired qualifications are unusual.
AILSA CHANG, HOST:
Like, takes life one step at a time.
CORNISH: Your preferred Swiss Army knife is a wine key.
CHANG: Answers yes, please, when someone asks you, red or white?
CORNISH: The compensation is pretty competitive.
RICK TIGNER: A $10,000-a-month salary is a serious salary. And having to come out to Healdsburg and live in Sonoma rent-free for a year is life-changing.
CORNISH: Rick Tigner is the CEO of Jackson Family Wines, which owns the Murphy-Goode Winery in Healdsburg, Calif. They're behind the nationwide job search or, rather, PR stunt. We should mention it comes with a year of free wine.
CHANG: The job description is pretty open-ended. It's basically a foot in the door for a devoted wine lover looking for a career change. It has been a tough year for the wine industry. Wines Vines Analytics says U.S. wine sales were down 8% during the pandemic. Here's Tigner.
TIGNER: It's been devastating to a large degree. Think about this. I mean, thousands of restaurants have closed, and people really had nowhere to go to dine, to eat food in restaurants and enjoy wine with food. And so that part of the business went away.
CHANG: He hopes the contest can be a small source of joy amid all of that.
CORNISH: It apparently has been for some of the people who have submitted video applications.
(SOUNDBITE OF MONTAGE)
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: I have wine-themed kitchen towels.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: I can gargle wine while singing.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #3: I once had a pet hermit crab named Merlot.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #4: My cheeks turn the color of rose when I smile.
CORNISH: If you think you can do better, the deadline is June 30.
(SOUNDBITE OF CITY OF THE SUN'S "VENTURA") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.