Have you ever found yourself lost in an overload of senses while your nose hovers over a glass of Pinot Noir?

If so, you might have what it takes to become an expert in wine!

What is a sommelier?

It may be a hard job title to pronounce but the role is actually quite easy to define: a sommelier is an expert in all things relating to wine. 

You will most often find them working in bars and restaurants alongside other front of house staff. At a higher level they may serve as gastronomic consultants or wine buyers for restaurant groups.

Their duties also include managing and maintaining inventory, training front of house staff on the basics of wine, and collaborating with the kitchen. 

They are also responsible for sampling, assessing, and choosing the wines for the establishment they work in. 

Well trained wine stewards aren’t only experts in wine, they’re also experts in delivering an incredible hospitality experience for their guests. 

What is the purpose of a wine expert?

The world of wine is vast and complex, with different styles, vintages, and origins to consider when looking at a wine list to choose a glass or bottle. Sometimes, all of these choices can be overwhelming for guests.

A wine expert is there to step in and help. They will ask you the types of wine you normally enjoy, which dishes you are ordering, and other details so they can recommend the perfect wine for the occasion.

While they are dedicated to serving guests in the front of house, they are also in close collaboration with the head chef. A trained wine steward and a chef work together to create food and wine pairings that are meant to excite the senses and take the dining experience to the next level.

How do I become an expert in wine?

It may take years to become a fully certified cellar master but anyone with enough passion and dedication can become an expert in wine.

The road to sommelier will be different for everybody depending on your previous experience and how familiar you are with the hospitality industry. Regardless of the path you take, they are some important things you need to do in order to become a true wine expert.

Develop your palate and take notes

You want to become an expert, well, you must “drink” a lot of wine. More specifically, you must taste a lot of wine. 

For some people, a bottle of wine is just a quick way to have a fun time. But for a wine lover, it’s a symphony for the senses. 

You should taste as many wines from different styles and regions as possible to develop your palate and nose. This will allow you to more expertly identify nuances in the flavors, textures, and aromas of every glass.

Wine bars and wine festivals are great places to learn. They give you an opportunity to sample a vast variety of wines by the glass so you can bounce from style to style as you see fit. 

Wine bars and festivals are also great places to meet other people who are passionate like you. You can compare notes with your wine tasting buddies and understand how others describe their experience. 

Study study study

Before spending the time and money to take a full certification course, there is a lot of studying that you can and should do all on your own.

Reading books about the history and basics of wine is a great start and can give you a foundation of knowledge.  These books will cover regions, styles, vintages, and everything else you need to know to start your transition from wine love to wine expert.

Beyond that, you should study the contemporary trends in wine. Listen to podcasts or watch YouTube videos made by wine experts to learn and a stay-up-date with the industry. 

These are useful resources where you can pick up insider knowledge and learn some of the vocabulary related to wine, so you can sound like an expert.

Make connections

Remember your new wine tasting buddies from earlier? They are going to be the first links in your new wine network. They can introduce you to other people who are just as passionate and may even know someone somewhere who is looking to hire a professional wine taster.

Beyond going to wine bars and festivals and meeting new people, there may also be a group of wine lovers in your city that have a weekly or monthly meetup that you could start attending. 

The more connections you make in the local wine scene, the better chance you have at sniffing out your first job opportunity.

You could also use social media to establish your personal brand as an influencer in the world of wine. With enough savvy, you can build a following that is interested in what you have to say and comes to you for expert advice.

Start working in the industry

If you want to be a professional in the world of vino, a great place to start is by becoming a server at a wine bar or restaurant that has a strong focus on wine and food pairings.

This will allow you to get experience in the industry in general and give you a great sense of how to interact with customers and understand their needs.

And you can learn a lot from the in-house sommelier by watching the way they work and understanding how they think about wine. This experience will either help you move up the ladder at your current establishment or in finding another place that is looking for a wine expert that fits your profile.

Get certified 

So you’ve self-studied, made connections, and gained your first experience in the wine world. This is the perfect time to consider taking a course and becoming a fully certified wine expert. 

A sommelier certification course will expand your knowledge and skills even further and give you an official document that lets the world know you are a maestro of wine.

If you think you have what it takes to be an expert in all things wine, check out Hosco’s open positions for sommelier jobs now!