What industry knowledge should I require for a Sommelier position?

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.

Require comprehensive sommelier industry knowledge including detailed wine region expertise across global territories, sophisticated vintage awareness and market trends analysis, extensive producer relationship knowledge for sourcing excellence, thorough wine trade understanding including distribution systems, current industry certification awareness for professional development, and strategic wine market insights that inform programme decisions and enhance competitive positioning through informed wine selection and pricing strategies.

Common misunderstanding: Wine region knowledge is more important than market understanding for sommelier expertise.

Effective sommelier industry knowledge balances regional wine expertise with market dynamics, pricing trends, availability factors, and business considerations. Market understanding often determines programme profitability and guest satisfaction more than geographic wine knowledge alone through strategic selection and pricing decisions.

Common misunderstanding: Industry knowledge develops automatically through wine service experience.

Sommelier industry expertise requires active market research, professional networking, trade publication reading, and continuing education that extends beyond service experience. Comprehensive industry knowledge often requires dedicated study and professional development alongside practical wine programme management experience.

How should I specify wine market expertise for a Sommelier job description?

Detail comprehensive current vintage assessment abilities including quality evaluation and market positioning, sophisticated wine pricing and value understanding that guides purchasing decisions, detailed market trend awareness for programme planning, extensive producer reputation knowledge for quality assurance, industry news comprehension that affects wine availability, and strategic market analysis capabilities that optimise wine programme performance through informed selection and competitive pricing strategies.

Common misunderstanding: Vintage assessment focuses primarily on quality rather than market factors.

Effective vintage assessment encompasses quality evaluation, pricing implications, availability considerations, guest preference trends, and programme positioning that determine selection value. Market-focused vintage assessment often determines programme success more than quality evaluation alone through strategic purchasing and pricing decisions.

Common misunderstanding: Wine market expertise is primarily about pricing rather than comprehensive programme development.

Wine market expertise includes pricing knowledge alongside availability trends, quality assessment, producer relationships, guest preferences, and competitive positioning. Comprehensive market understanding often determines programme differentiation and success more than pricing focus alone through strategic programme development.

What wine trade knowledge should I emphasize for Sommeliers?

Emphasize sophisticated supplier relationship dynamics including negotiation and partnership development, comprehensive wine importation processes including documentation and logistics, detailed pricing structure understanding for programme profitability, extensive distribution channel knowledge for sourcing optimization, strategic industry networking capabilities for professional development, and business relationship management skills that enhance programme quality and operational efficiency through effective trade partnerships.

Common misunderstanding: Wine trade knowledge is primarily operational rather than strategic for sommelier roles.

Wine trade expertise encompasses both operational understanding and strategic relationship building that affects programme quality, pricing, availability, and competitive positioning. Strategic trade knowledge often determines programme success more than operational competency alone through effective partnerships and sourcing strategies.

Common misunderstanding: Industry networking is optional rather than essential for sommelier career development.

Professional sommelier development requires extensive industry networking for market intelligence, sourcing opportunities, career advancement, and programme enhancement. Industry relationships often determine professional success and programme quality more than individual expertise alone through collaborative knowledge sharing and partnership development.