A sommelier’s job involves serving wine. It requires exceptional skills and tasting ability to analyze and point out the uniqueness and other qualities of the wine. This job requires you to have extensive knowledge of wines.
A job as a sommelier involves identifying the type of wine requested by the customers, its characteristics, and the olfactory properties. It’s also a requirement to understand how different foods pair with various wines. Sommeliers work in restaurants, luxurious hotels, wine bars, high-end hotels, as well as wine shops.
Besides serving the customers, a sommelier must have excellent wine cellar management skills. They also play a significant role in providing advice and recommendations to wine manufacturers. Below is the ultimate guide on how to join the sommelier career path.
Duties And Responsibilities Of A Sommelier
A sommelier’s job duties and responsibilities vary with the working environment. You are required to design the wine list, separating them according to the brand names, characteristics, and taste properties.
It would help if you also took orders for wine and drinks requested by the customers. When the customers do not have a specific choice, it’s your responsibility to advise them on what to take, depending on the food they have requested.
Preparing a wine tasting for the customers is another essential duty. You will also need to monitor the wine list to modify when client demands and expectations change. You also must clean the wine cellar and check the inventory to make a list of what to purchase.
Skills And Qualifications
To be a professional sommelier, you must have a variety of different abilities. These skills include; wine cellar management skills, communication skills, a palate for wine, and an excellent memory. You must be sociable to win your customer’s trust when they want you to advise them on the wine to take. You should also be a bit of a storyteller and able to walk your customers through each wine’s wine-making process.
How To Become A Sommelier
The first step to joining the sommelier career path involves getting an education. A professional sommelier must have at least a bachelor’s degree in wine technology or any related degree. Many certified institutions are offering this course. During the four years or three years you study, you will gain extensive knowledge about wine and wine cellar management. Other courses related to a sommelier career include; enology, contact on viticulture, enography, and tasting techniques.
After graduation, ensure you enroll in an internship to enhance your skills. You must have worked for about a year as an intern in a recognized company or restaurant to be certified as a professional sommelier.
After earning a license, you are ready to work and make money. There are many companies in need of sommeliers, and they generally pay well. It would help if you look for new wine producers and labels to broaden your knowledge.
You should also attend many wine-tasting training sessions and practice regularly to advance your skills. Also, seek recommendations from other professional sommeliers to enhance your professional abilities. A good sommelier should be able to work closely with the other waitstaff. They should also be able to help customers choose wines that match well with the food they ordered.
Where To Find A Job
There are numerous websites where you may share your resume to secure a job in your dream company and in a place near you. These websites include LinkedIn, Indeed.com, CareerBuilder, Flex Jobs Corporation, and Craigslist. They have incorporated many companies, both local and international.
These websites provide a platform to advertise your skills. However, you can also apply in person at the establishments in your area. After getting a job, you must be a hard worker, friendly, and ready to continue learning about wine and wine cellar management.
Bottom Line
A sommelier career guarantees full-time jobs working in luxurious restaurants, wine bars, or advising wine manufacturers. You will be paid a great income, depending on your skills and your employer.
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