Study and careerWorking in wine
How to start a career in wine
The main doors into the wine trade, which qualification fits which job, and the first steps that actually get you hired, from someone who started in a wine shop in Arkansas.
Updated October 2026
Rewritten by Alper Billik, Advanced Sommelier
4 min read
The short answer: get a job near wine first, then study. A wine shop, a restaurant floor or a winery tasting room teaches you more in six months than any book, and it shows you which part of the trade you love. Add a recognised course, taste with other people every week, and the doors start opening.
That is how I started. In 2012 I was working in the largest wine store in Little Rock, Arkansas, and the same year I took my Introductory Sommelier course with the Court of Master Sommeliers at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa. Fine dining and cruise ships came after.
Choose your door
| Path | What you do | A good first job | Study that helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sommelier | Choose, sell and serve wine in restaurants, hotels and ships | Server or commis sommelier in a restaurant with a real wine list | Court of Master Sommeliers (Introductory, then Certified) |
| Retail | Buy wine, advise customers, run tastings | Sales assistant in a good wine shop | WSET Level 2, then Level 3 |
| Import and distribution | Sell wine to shops and restaurants, manage brands | Sales or office role at an importer or distributor | WSET Level 3; CSW in the US |
| Winery and hospitality | Host tastings, run the cellar door, wine clubs and events | Tasting-room staff | WSET Level 2; local region courses |
| Winemaking and vineyards | Grow grapes, make wine | Harvest intern or cellar hand | A viticulture and oenology degree, or the UC Davis online Winemaking Certificate |
| Marketing, writing and education | Tell the story of wine: brands, content, teaching | Marketing role at a winery or wine business | WSET Level 3 or Diploma; Wine Scholar Guild |
- Sommelier
- What you doChoose, sell and serve wine in restaurants, hotels and ships
- A good first jobServer or commis sommelier in a restaurant with a real wine list
- Study that helpsCourt of Master Sommeliers (Introductory, then Certified)
- Retail
- What you doBuy wine, advise customers, run tastings
- A good first jobSales assistant in a good wine shop
- Study that helpsWSET Level 2, then Level 3
- Import and distribution
- What you doSell wine to shops and restaurants, manage brands
- A good first jobSales or office role at an importer or distributor
- Study that helpsWSET Level 3; CSW in the US
- Winery and hospitality
- What you doHost tastings, run the cellar door, wine clubs and events
- A good first jobTasting-room staff
- Study that helpsWSET Level 2; local region courses
- Winemaking and vineyards
- What you doGrow grapes, make wine
- A good first jobHarvest intern or cellar hand
- Study that helpsA viticulture and oenology degree, or the UC Davis online Winemaking Certificate
- Marketing, writing and education
- What you doTell the story of wine: brands, content, teaching
- A good first jobMarketing role at a winery or wine business
- Study that helpsWSET Level 3 or Diploma; Wine Scholar Guild
You don't have to choose forever. Many people move between these: the shop assistant becomes a buyer, the sommelier becomes a brand ambassador, the harvest intern becomes a sales rep.
The qualifications, in plain words
- Court of Master Sommeliers: for people who serve wine. Four levels (Introductory, Certified, Advanced, Master), each with a service test. You can't skip a level.
- WSET: wine knowledge for everyone in the trade, from Level 1 to the Level 4 Diploma. No service exam. The Court itself recommends WSET for people who don't need their service skills examined.
- CSW (Society of Wine Educators): a theory exam, popular in the US with retail and distribution.
- Wine Scholar Guild: deep courses on one country, such as the French Wine Scholar.
- Production courses: university degrees in viticulture and oenology, or online certificates such as UC Davis's Winemaking Certificate Program.
Not sure between the two big ones? Read WSET vs CMS. For the sommelier path, see how to become a certified sommelier.
Five first steps
- 1. Get any job near wine. Shop floor, restaurant, tasting room, harvest. Experience opens more doors than certificates alone.
- 2. Take one recognised course. WSET Level 2 or the CMS Introductory are the usual starting points.
- 3. Taste with other people every week. A tasting group, your shop's staff tastings, trade events. You learn faster when someone challenges your notes.
- 4. Meet the trade. Go to trade tastings, talk to the reps who visit your shop or restaurant, and keep in touch. Most wine jobs are filled through people who already know you.
- 5. Write it down. Keep a short CV of every wine job, course and tasting event. When the chance comes, you are ready.
The skills every wine job needs
- Tasting: a consistent way to taste and describe wine.
- Selling: recommending the right bottle for the person in front of you.
- Clear communication, spoken and written. If English is not your first language, see how to improve your English writing.
- Reliability: wine jobs involve stock, money and guests. People hire someone they can trust.
Where to look for jobs
- Ask directly at the wine shops, restaurants and wineries you admire. Many roles are never advertised.
- Use the general job sites and LinkedIn, searching for “sommelier”, “wine sales” or “tasting room”.
- Look at wine-trade job boards and newsletters in your country, and ask your course provider: schools often hear about openings first.
- Harvest jobs are posted months ahead, so look early in the year in your hemisphere.
Want to know what the job is worth? See how much a sommelier makes and the future of the sommelier. Starting the CMS path? Try my Level 1 practice test.
Questions people ask
Can I work in wine without experience?
Yes. Entry roles in wine shops, restaurants, tasting rooms and harvest crews rarely need experience. They are where most careers start.
Which wine course should I take first?
WSET Level 2 if you want broad wine knowledge for any job; the Court of Master Sommeliers Introductory if you want to work as a sommelier.
Do I need a degree to work in wine?
Not for most sales, service and retail jobs. Winemaking and vineyard management usually ask for a degree or a production certificate.
Is it too late to start a career in wine?
No. Many people come to wine from other jobs. Your previous skills, such as sales, marketing or hospitality, often help.
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