Main role
A Sommelier is an expert in wine and high-quality products for restaurants, wine merchants, traders or other operators in the wine industry, or for consumers in sales outlets (wine cellars), wine bars, restaurants and supermarkets.
SIMILAR JOB TITLES
Wine Advisor, Wine and Spirits Consultant, Oenological Consultant
Job tasks
- Creating wine lists, selecting bottles, negotiating purchases with winemakers, and setting retail prices
- Managing the wine cellar: storage, ageing, stock control, product rotation, and overseeing the sales cycle
- Advising clients on food and wine pairings, organising tastings, and leading oenological workshops and events
- Promoting and selling products to private or professional clients, and training front-of-house staff
- Sharing wine culture, explaining product specifics through personalised advice, tastings, or discovery events
- Keeping up with market trends, discovering new vintages, attending trade fairs, and developing a network of partners
Required skills
Olfactory abilities, Taste culture, Interpersonal skills, Stress management, Organisational skills, Curiosity.
What you need to learn/master
Tasting methods, Food and wine pairing, Sales techniques, Fundamentals of oenology and viticulture.
- Level of qualification: Bachelor Year 3 (3 years of post-High School education)
Career opportunities & progression
After a few years’ experience, the sommelier–wine merchant can progress to roles such as head sommelier in fine dining establishments, wine cellar manager, wine tourism project manager, hospitality and wine tourism manager, oenology trainer, or wine and spirits consultant.
