What Does a Sommelier Do? Your Wine Questions Answered.

Becoming a sommelier requires competence across three core areas: tasting, service, and theory.

• Tasting develops through repetition, calibration, and guided practice. Serious tasting groups, structured coursework, and consistent exposure to a wide range of wines are essential.
• Service is learned primarily on the floor. Time spent working with guests—managing pacing, recommendations, and hospitality—remains the most effective training ground for restaurant sommeliers.
• Theory requires sustained study. Sommeliers are expected to understand global wine regions, grape varieties, production methods, labeling laws, climate influences, history, and food culture across dozens of countries.

Formal certification is not legally required to work as a sommelier. However, structured programs provide sequencing, accountability, and credibility—particularly early in a career. The real cost of becoming a sommelier is not tuition alone, but the ongoing expense of tasting, travel, and continuous education in a fast-changing field. BECOME A SOMMELIER

At its simplest, a sommelier is a professional responsible for wine.

Historically, the term referred to a steward responsible for procuring and managing provisions, including wine. Over time, it evolved into a role centered on wine knowledge, quality control, and service.

Today, the term is broader. Many sommeliers work outside restaurants—in importing, retail, education, production, consulting, media, or corporate beverage management. In those contexts, “sommelier” signals advanced wine literacy rather than a specific job description. WHAT IS A SOMMELIER?

A sommelier’s responsibilities depend heavily on where they work.

In restaurants, sommeliers typically:

• Build and maintain wine lists
• Train staff
• Manage inventory and pricing
• Assist guests during service

Outside restaurants, sommeliers may work as:

• Wine buyers or importers
• Educators and instructors
• Winery or brand representatives
• Corporate beverage directors
• Writers, critics, or consultants

An increasing number of sommeliers now work outside traditional restaurant environments, a shift that accelerated after the pandemic.

It depends on your goals.

• Restaurant sommeliers almost always benefit from substantial floor experience. Service skill cannot be replaced by certification alone.
• Trade, education, retail, importing, or production roles may not require restaurant experience, though practical exposure to wine service is still valuable.
• Career-switchers often combine formal education with limited service roles to build credibility.

Employers generally view certification as a supplement to experience—not a substitute for it.

There is no fixed timeline.

• Entry-level competence may take 1–2 years of focused study and tasting.
• Advanced professional proficiency often takes 5–10 years, depending on opportunity, access, and specialization.
• High-level credentials require long-term commitment, repetition, and professional maturity.

Rushing the process often leads to burnout or shallow knowledge. Wine education rewards pacing and longevity.

Not necessarily, but geography still matters.

Living in a major wine market can offer:

• Easier access to tastings
• Broader professional networks
• Greater exposure to producers and importers

That said, online wine education, regional tasting groups, and targeted travel now allow motivated professionals to develop outside traditional hubs. Location affects access, not potential. LOCAL WINE SCHOOLS

Technical knowledge alone is not enough. Successful sommeliers typically demonstrate:

• Clear communication and translation of complexity
• Humility and calibration with peers
• Teaching and mentoring ability
• Commercial awareness and cost control
• Emotional intelligence under pressure

Many professionals plateau not because they lack knowledge, but because they fail to develop these complementary skills.

When people refer to “sommelier levels,” they are usually describing the tiered structure of the National Wine School and the Court of Master Sommeliers.

Traditionally, the progression includes:

1. Introductory
2. Certified
3. Advanced
4. Master

Early levels focus on foundational theory, tasting, and service. The Advanced and Master examinations are widely regarded as among the most demanding in the wine profession.

These levels reflect one institutional model, not a universal hierarchy. Other education systems structure advancement differently and may emphasize academic depth, production, or regional specialization. SOMMELIER CERTIFICATIONS

There is no single “best” certification—only the best fit for your objectives.

• Restaurant-focused careers often favor service-oriented programs like the Court of Master Sommeliers.
• Education, importing, retail, or production may align better with academically structured programs such as the Wine & Spirit Education Trust or the National Wine School.

Certification does not guarantee competence. Wine knowledge depreciates quickly unless actively maintained through tasting, study, and engagement with the trade.

When evaluating programs, consider:

• Instructor experience and transparency
• Curriculum depth and accuracy
• Examination integrity
• Alignment with your career goals
• Total cost beyond tuition

Marketing claims should be weighed carefully. Rigor, consistency, and accountability matter more than brand recognition alone.

Prospective students should understand:

• The full financial cost, including tastings and retakes
• Time commitments beyond class hours
• Pass-rate transparency (or lack thereof)
• Retake policies and economics

Certification is an investment. Treat it like one.

Smoking is strongly discouraged for anyone working professionally with wine.

Regular smoking dulls olfactory sensitivity and impairs flavor perception. While some professionals do smoke, it comes at a measurable sensory cost. For examinations and service, avoiding smoking before tastings or shifts is critical.

Compensation varies widely by role and sector.

• Restaurant sommeliers typically earn $40,000–$70,000, sometimes with bonuses or commissions.
• Senior trade roles—education, consulting, importing, corporate beverage management—often pay significantly more.
• Advanced professionals outside restaurants frequently earn six-figure incomes.

Few sommeliers become wealthy through restaurant service alone. The highest earnings are generally found outside daily floor work.

Sommeliers work throughout the wine trade, including:

• Restaurants
• Wineries
• Importers and distributors
• Retail and e-commerce
• Education and certification
• Media and journalism

Many wine-adjacent roles either require or strongly favor formal wine education credentials.

In restaurants:

• Wine list development
• Inventory management
• Staff training
• Guest service

Outside restaurants, duties center on evaluation, education, buying, sales, or communication. The unifying element is professional wine judgment applied in a commercial or educational context.

At the top end of the profession, yes.

While entry-level roles are modestly paid, experienced sommeliers who move into senior trade positions often earn very strong incomes. The profession rewards specialization, credibility, and sustained expertise more than titles alone.

For the right person, yes.

The profession has changed. Restaurant paths are narrower, but opportunities across education, trade, production, and media have expanded. Success now depends less on a single credential and more on adaptability, skill, and judgment.

Those seeking prestige without sustained effort are likely to be disappointed. Those committed to learning, tasting, and evolving can still build rewarding careers.

The Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas has faced significant controversy in recent years, including allegations involving racism, sexual misconduct, and governance failures. Readers considering any certification pathway are encouraged to review multiple sources and understand the institutional context before enrolling.

Wine education today offers more options than ever. Informed choice matters.