What does a sommelier do?

If you have concerns that an adept sense of taste is an inborn talent, fear not. It is repeatedly said by sommeliers themselves that anyone can train their palate to a high level. One important trait that potential sommeliers must have, however, is an absolute love of (or perhaps obsession for) wine. It takes a tremendous amount of study and dedication to become a sommelier. Much of this work is self directed, so sommeliers-to-be should be strongly self motivated and willing to put the work in on their own time.

Along with needing to have a love of wine, sommeliers also need to have a love for people and for making them happy (this will come in very handy early on in the career, as tips make up a sizeable portion of a sommelier's pay). Sommeliers also need to master the art of being humble and ingratiating. A sommelier's first and foremost priority is to be of service, and using one's expertise to guide customers in choosing the perfect wine should be an enjoyable experience for both parties. The very best restaurants look to employ people who can anticipate the needs of their guests while also maximizing sales.

One of the major challenges of being a sommelier is how physically demanding the career can be. Similar to other restaurant positions, sommeliers are on their feet for a large portion of their shift. This in combination with receiving and putting away orders, as well as moving and organizing stock regularly, makes for some very tiring days.

There is no one and only way to become a sommelier, therefore it is difficult to put an exact number on how long it will take to become one. Officially, there is no need for any certification, however most people will take it upon themselves to round out their knowledge and expand their palate by taking specific wine programs and classes. Doing this also improves one's chances of finding work and reducing the competition.

Being a sommelier is rarely about how much you know (though knowledge is important) and almost totally about customer service. One needs to actually listen to the guest and get them the wine THEY want, not simply the wine you think is best.

There are a few ways to become a sommelier. No matter which one you decide to do, the best way to start is to get a front-of-house job in a fine dining restaurant. This will give you essential experience seeing how a restaurant works, dealing with customers and most importantly familiarizing yourself with wine. It is entirely possible to work your way up from here, however it takes a tremendous amount of self directed education and work and most people choose to attain some sort of certification. Again, it's not absolutely necessary, but it will fill gaps in your knowledge and most people that want to become sommeliers like to challenge themselves and be the best they can be.

There are two main institutions when it comes to sommelier education: the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS). Here is a handy chart for reference while you read about the differences between them.

The WSET is an academic program that does not touch on the service element of being a sommelier, which as previously discussed, is a crucial part of the career. There are four levels to the WSET courses, and you are able to skip to level two or three if you already have a solid working knowledge of wine.

The CMS courses require a fairly significant preexisting knowledge base before you can take them. The highest level, the CMS 'Master Sommelier', has only been reached by 236 people worldwide, however, you do not need to reach this level to work as a sommelier. Two stages before this is the 'Certified Sommelier' certification, which is highly respected.

For an in depth read on the differences between these two paths, here is a great resource.