How do I set quality standards 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.

Establish comprehensive sommelier quality standards including precise wine service delivery expectations, consistent recommendation accuracy requirements, measurable performance criteria for guest satisfaction, rigorous cellar quality control standards, detailed professional development compliance, and excellence benchmarks that ensure exceptional wine programme delivery through systematic evaluation and continuous improvement protocols.

Common misunderstanding: Quality standards for sommeliers are subjective and difficult to measure.

Effective sommelier quality standards include measurable criteria such as guest satisfaction scores, wine knowledge assessment results, service consistency evaluation, cellar management performance, and sales contribution metrics. Clear measurement protocols ensure objective performance evaluation and programme improvement opportunities.

Common misunderstanding: Wine expertise automatically ensures quality service delivery.

Quality sommelier performance requires both wine knowledge and service execution excellence. Technical wine expertise must combine with consistent service delivery, guest interaction skills, and operational competency to achieve quality standards that enhance guest experiences and programme success.

What performance metrics should I use in a Sommelier job description?

Implement comprehensive guest satisfaction measurement through feedback analysis, systematic wine knowledge assessment protocols including tasting evaluation, detailed service consistency evaluation across all service periods, thorough cellar management performance review covering inventory accuracy and storage standards, sales contribution analysis including upselling effectiveness, and professional development compliance tracking for continuous improvement and career advancement.

Common misunderstanding: Guest satisfaction is the only meaningful performance metric for sommelier evaluation.

Comprehensive sommelier evaluation requires multiple performance metrics including wine knowledge demonstration, service consistency, cellar management efficiency, sales contribution, and professional development engagement. Single-metric evaluation often misses critical performance aspects that affect overall programme quality and success.

Common misunderstanding: Performance metrics should focus on individual achievement rather than programme contribution.

Effective sommelier metrics balance individual performance with programme contribution including team collaboration, guest experience enhancement, revenue generation, and wine programme development. Programme-focused metrics often provide better insights into sommelier value and long-term success potential.

How should I communicate wine service excellence standards?

Specify detailed wine presentation quality expectations including service timing and technique precision, establish comprehensive consistency requirements for all guest interactions regardless of service period, define clear knowledge demonstration standards through regular assessment, outline specific cellar maintenance benchmarks including inventory accuracy and storage protocol compliance, and detail professional development compliance requirements for ongoing education and certification maintenance.

Common misunderstanding: Excellence standards should be aspirational rather than specific and measurable.

Effective wine service excellence requires specific, measurable standards that provide clear performance expectations and evaluation criteria. Vague aspirational standards often result in inconsistent performance and unclear improvement pathways that compromise programme quality and staff development.

Common misunderstanding: Service excellence standards are static and don't require regular review.

Wine service excellence standards should evolve with programme development, guest expectations, industry trends, and operational improvements. Regular standard review ensures continued relevance and programme competitiveness while maintaining service quality and staff engagement through realistic yet challenging performance expectations.