What core responsibilities should be listed in a sommelier job description?

List comprehensive wine selection and purchasing responsibilities including supplier relationship management, advanced cellar management with inventory control and storage optimization, personalized guest consultation with expert wine recommendations, comprehensive staff education and training programmes, strategic wine list development with pricing strategies, quality assurance through regular tasting and evaluation, and seamless collaboration with kitchen teams for food pairing development and menu integration.

Common misunderstanding: Sommeliers only serve wine to guests.

Modern sommelier roles require substantial operational responsibilities beyond serving wine. These include inventory management, cost control, and staff training alongside guest service.

Let's say you are a sommelier writing job descriptions that focus only on guest service. You need to include operational duties like managing wine inventory, controlling costs, training staff, and developing the business. Behind-the-scenes operational skills directly support service excellence.

Common misunderstanding: All sommelier jobs are identical.

Sommelier responsibilities vary significantly based on establishment size, service style, and wine programme complexity rather than being standardised across venues.

Let's say you are a sommelier copying responsibilities from another venue without considering your specific context. Fine dining venues may emphasise guest education and complex pairings, whilst wine bars prioritise accessibility and volume management. Each venue requires tailored sommelier skills.

How can I define essential sommelier duties for my establishment?

Define comprehensive wine programme management including curated list development with seasonal updates and pricing strategies, advanced cellar operations with climate-controlled storage and systematic inventory management, guest service excellence through personalized recommendations and educational interactions, team education with regular wine knowledge sharing and training sessions, strategic supplier relationship management for optimal purchasing and exclusive access, and ongoing wine programme development aligned with evolving menu concepts and guest preferences.

Common misunderstanding: Generic templates work for all venues.

Effective duty definition requires alignment with specific venue culture, guest demographics, and operational systems rather than using standard templates.

Let's say you are a sommelier using a standard template for your neighbourhood bistro. You need to adjust responsibilities to match your venue by focusing on approachable wines, value pairings, and casual education rather than complex wine rituals designed for formal dining.

Common misunderstanding: Sommeliers work independently.

Successful wine programmes require extensive collaboration with kitchen teams, service staff, and management rather than independent work.

Let's say you are a sommelier who prefers working independently in your role. Wine programmes need team integration through collaborating with chefs on pairings, training servers on wine knowledge, and working with management on programme strategy. Team collaboration often determines success more than individual expertise.

What daily operational responsibilities should sommeliers handle?

Handle comprehensive daily wine service operations including personalized guest consultations and expert recommendations, meticulous cellar maintenance with temperature monitoring and strategic stock rotation, regular staff briefings and ongoing wine education sessions, systematic inventory management with ordering and receiving coordination, continuous wine quality assessments through tasting and evaluation, active collaboration with kitchen teams for daily pairing development, and detailed record-keeping for programme optimization and cost control.

Common misunderstanding: Sommeliers just respond to daily requests.

Effective operations require proactive planning including inventory forecasting, staff education scheduling, and programme development rather than reactive responses.

Let's say you are a sommelier defining daily responsibilities as responding to guest requests and handling problems. Successful sommeliers plan ahead by forecasting inventory needs, scheduling staff training, monitoring wine quality, and developing programmes. Proactive planning prevents service disruptions.

Common misunderstanding: Others can handle operational duties.

Core operational skills directly support service quality and guest satisfaction rather than being delegatable tasks.

Let's say you are a sommelier allowing others to handle cellar management and inventory control entirely. Sommeliers who maintain hands-on involvement in operations typically deliver more consistent guest experiences because they understand wine quality, availability, and condition firsthand.