Ballpark Estimate: $5,000 to $20,000
Does the thought of learning all you can about fine wines and tasting all of the different varieties sound like your ideal job? If so, then you may want to consider turning your passion into a career by becoming a sommelier. This enjoyable position, which consists of managing the wine in a restaurant, can be a rewarding and enjoyable responsibility, but it also comes with some challenges, too.
There is a lot of training and skill involved in understanding all of the complexities of different types of wines and knowing how to pair them with the right food choices. And while in the past many sommeliers were self-taught, today the nature of the business is such that in addition to learning on the job, reading books on the history of wine and attending numerous tastings, many professionals are also seeking more formal education to round out their expertise. In fact, the most sought-after credential available in this field is to become a Master Sommelier (indicated as an MS after a sommelier’s name). But keep in mind that this is not an easy task. In fact, only three percent of all people who go through the actually pass the required test to earn this desirable status.
An Evolving Field
Just a decade ago, a sommelier was typically an older man in formal dress who recommended wines and served them to patrons at upscale restaurants, but today the field has broadened out to include younger people of both sexes who work at an eclectic mix of eating establishments. As the business grows to include more applicants, the requirements are also becoming more stringent. Part of the reason for the change, in addition to the increasing competitiveness, is the fact that wine has become more of a mainstream part of modern culture and as a result, the position has taken on a new importance. In addition to suggesting what wine selection would pair best with food, modern sommeliers also develop wine lists for their restaurants, stock them, track inventory and add new vintages on a regular basis. In addition, they often provide restaurant staff with some basic wine education.
A typical day in the life of a sommelier consists of working long hours, often including nights, weekends and holidays. In addition, if you decide to pursue this career, either by training yourself or earning a certificate in the field, you must expect to devote a significant amount of time outside of the restaurant to reading, keeping up on the latest wine selections and honing your management, hospitality and organizational skills in order to be a success.
Characteristics You Will Need
While many things about wine can be learned through a variety of course, books and tastings, there are also some innate characteristics that the best sommeliers in the field seem to share. First, you have to be hungry to learn everything you can about wines and to understand this will be an ongoing mission. You also have to have a good sense of smell and palate. In addition, you must be able to analyze the taste of wines and being able to store the impression so you can compare wines from different regions and vintages. Finally, you have to love people and serving them and truly want to make a name for yourself in this area.
Of course you can also forego the master status entirely, too. There are a number of other educational avenues and credentialing wine education programs that sommeliers can pursue more easily. the Culinary Institute of America, with campuses in New York and California, is a highly-regarded training school in this country. Other options include the International Sommelier Guild in Coral Springs, Florida and the American Sommelier Association, which has a home base in New York City. You can also take correspondence classes through the London-based Wine & Spirit Education Trust. In addition to these groups, you can also learn about the art of wine through numerous cooking schools and college programs located throughout the U.S.
What It Costs
The path to be a certified sommelier can be a long and also expensive one. The cost and timeframe varies a great deal depending on what level you desire to achieve, from seeking some informal education to pursuing a top certification level. Nonetheless, in any scenario, you can expect to devote many years to the process.
If you are seeking Master Sommelier status, you need to be of legal drinking age and have a minimum of three years of hospitality experience just to begin climbing up the steep ladder. You can expect it to cost about $2,500 to complete all of the Court of Master Sommelier levels. Also understand that you have to be invited to take the final test for the master’s diploma, and even then it takes most people several tries (at an additional $800 each time) before they pass, if they ever even do. Keep in mind that these costs also don’t include your expenses to study and to try a variety of different wines, which can be extremely expensive, as well as whatever it costs travel to where the exams are being held. So you can double the estimate of what the actual courses cost and realize you may have to spend even more on top of that, too.
What It Costs
The path to be a certified sommelier can be a long and also expensive one. The cost and timeframe varies a great deal depending on what level you desire to achieve, from seeking some informal education to pursuing a top certification level. Nonetheless, in any scenario, you can expect to devote many years to the process.
If you are seeking Master Sommelier status, you need to be of legal drinking age and have a minimum of three years of hospitality experience just to begin climbing up the steep ladder. You can expect it to cost about $2,500 to complete all of the Court of Master Sommelier levels. Also understand that you have to be invited to take the final test for the master’s diploma, and even then it takes most people several tries (at an additional $800 each time) before they pass, if they ever even do. Keep in mind that these costs also don’t include your expenses to study and to try a variety of different wines, which can be extremely expensive, as well as whatever it costs travel to where the exams are being held. So you can double the estimate of what the actual courses cost and realize you may have to spend even more on top of that, too.
Even without pursuing a Master status, the costs of general education can really add up. Experts estimate that you can learn the fundamentals and complete a diploma course at a respectable school for about $5,000, including purchasing the wine you will need to taste. Assume it will take a minimum of a year to get such a basic education, but most sommeliers continue to take classes and learn on an ongoing basis.
Also realize that on the high end of the cost spectrum, one professional sommelier estimates that he spent approximately $20,000 for one year of classes to immerse himself in all of the intricacies of the field.
So the bottom line is that you can expect to spend between $5,000 to $20,000 to become a sommelier.
Worth the Investment
The good news is that the time and money you invest in this endeavor can be well worth it. The International Sommelier Guild estimates that sommeliers in the United States make between $60,000 and $150,000, which isn’t a bad living for the privilege of doing something you love on a daily basis.