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

Date modified: 29th September 2025 | This FAQ page has been written by Pilla Founder, Liam Jones, click to email Liam directly, he reads every email.

Sommelier Job Description Template

This job description template provides a full working exmaple using our six step approach. Open the template in the Pilla app and customise each section to make it specific to your role and business.

We operate an award-winning restaurant with an extensive wine program featuring 300+ carefully curated wines from established and emerging regions worldwide. Our sommelier leads wine service excellence, educating guests and staff while managing our comprehensive wine collection. The role combines guest interaction with wine program management, including inventory control, supplier relationships, and staff education. You'll work in an elegant dining environment serving wine enthusiasts, special occasion diners, and corporate guests seeking exceptional wine experiences. This position offers excellent opportunities for professional development, including wine travel, supplier visits, and involvement in wine events and tastings that enhance our restaurant's reputation as a wine destination.
• Provide expert wine recommendations and pairings, enhancing guest dining experiences through knowledgeable service • Maintain comprehensive wine inventory including purchasing, storage, and rotation to optimize quality and profitability • Develop and update wine lists, including seasonal selections and special wine program features • Conduct staff training on wine knowledge, service techniques, and upselling strategies • Manage wine cellar operations including temperature control, storage systems, and inventory tracking • Build relationships with wine suppliers, distributors, and producers to source exceptional wines • Organize wine events, tastings, and educational dinners to promote wine program and drive revenue • Ensure proper wine service standards including decanting, temperature control, and glassware selection • Handle wine complaints and quality issues with professionalism and expertise • Collaborate with kitchen team on food and wine pairing development • Monitor wine program profitability including cost control and pricing strategies • Maintain wine service equipment and ensure compliance with licensing requirements
Essential Skills: Comprehensive wine knowledge across major wine regions, varietals, and production methods; expert tasting abilities with skill in identifying wine characteristics and quality; outstanding guest service abilities with confidence in wine presentation and education; strong organizational skills for inventory management and cellar operations; effective communication skills for staff training and guest interaction; ability to work collaboratively with kitchen and service teams. Preferred Qualifications: Formal sommelier certification (Court of Master Sommeliers, WSET Level 3+); 2+ years wine service experience in fine dining environments; additional language skills for international wine knowledge; spirits and cocktail knowledge for complete beverage program management; experience with wine inventory software and POS systems; knowledge of wine law, importing, and distribution.
We're looking for passionate wine professionals with solid foundation knowledge and genuine enthusiasm for sharing wine expertise with others. You should have at least 18+ months wine service experience and be working toward or have achieved sommelier certification. While advanced certifications are great to have, we care more about your passion for wine, ability to connect with guests, and commitment to continuous learning. We provide ongoing education support including wine courses, supplier tastings, and travel opportunities to wine regions. Career advancement opportunities include head sommelier positions, beverage program management, and involvement in wine program development across our restaurant group. We support professional development through certification programs and industry networking.
We're looking for someone who combines deep wine knowledge with approachable personality, making wine accessible and enjoyable for all guests regardless of their wine experience level. You should be naturally curious about wine, eager to continue learning, and skilled at sharing knowledge without intimidation. The ideal candidate will have excellent memory for wine details, palate development for quality assessment, and patience for educating both guests and staff. You should be detail-oriented in cellar management, reliable in inventory control, and creative in wine program development. We value professionalism, continuous education, and collaborative approach to beverage program success within our restaurant's overall hospitality experience.
Competitive salary of £28,000-£35,000 annually based on certification level and experience, plus wine sales commission structure and quarterly performance bonuses. Comprehensive benefits package includes: wine education allowance for courses and certifications; wine tasting budget for menu development and supplier evaluations; 26 days paid annual leave plus bank holidays and professional development time. Professional development opportunities including wine region travel, supplier visits, and industry event attendance. Health and wellness benefits, staff meal programs, and wine industry networking opportunities through our established supplier relationships.

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.