Sommelier: A Fresh Pathway in Tourism and Hospitality

There is no argument against the fact that wine is a beverage which is considered of high class. Various high society meetings and communities raise toasts while consuming wine, thus it is generally accepted that wine is an indicator of high standards.

Nevertheless seldom do people have the right knowledge about wine. It is a beverage that is generally made from grapes by using fermentation, without the addition of any sugar. There are wines that are made from other products like rice, cherry, and other fruits.

Even though wine has been consumed and celebrated for more than a millennium now, we tend to not recognize the beauty of it. For this very job, we have a community of wine lovers who can make their passion for the beverage into their career. This area of expertise is called sommelier.

Who is a Sommelier?

Sommelier is a person who is a trained wine professional, who specializes in wine service and the pairing of certain wine with certain food. These experts are more than just wine waiters and they have a proficient level of knowledge about the different varieties of wine and how one should consume them.

They require an extremely high level of social skills as they would be in dialogue with the guests and customers, which makes them an important aspect of the hospitality team.

The job of a sommelier has grown to be more important in the past few years with the focus on customer satisfaction increasing in the tourism and hospitality sector.

People generally want to know what they are going to consume, especially when it comes to wine. A sommelier informs, as well as charms these guests with their wisdom and wit.

How to become a Sommelier?

A person who has the love and passion for wine and other beverages can take up this career. What must accompany the passion are social skills and a lot of patience because being a sommelier requires one to mingle with the guest and answer their questions.

If your desire to become a wine steward is firing up, then you must learn to be extremely polite and nice while you speak with the guests.

There isn't required bachelor's degree that one has to take to become a sommelier but here has to be a certain level of experience and preparation that is required. There are a few certificates and diploma courses offered by certain institutions, with emphasis on:

• Viticulture, which involves how grapes are grown and wine is made
• Deductive wine tasting
• Food and Wine pairing
• History of wine in various cultures

Wine fact!
Contemporary historians are debating on whether to open 1,650-year-old wine bottle, which is sealed with wax and contains white liquid. The Speyer wine bottle has been installed in the Pflaz Historical Museum and is believed to be the world's oldest bottle of wine.

• It is said that wine tastes best as it ages. The same is the case with a Sommelier as experience is a huge aspect of this job.
• One may even take up multiple certificate courses, but what they actually gain is the experience from working at various organizations and socializing with people.
• they need to develop their vocabulary and social skills to blend easily with people
• Understanding the taste of the consumer becomes a necessary part of this job and thus, a wine steward must always be updated about all forms and kinds of beverages.

Also Read: What is Hospitality management? Its scope and career opportunities

How much will you be earning?

At the initial level, sommeliers are often paid about $15 an hour but also get server wages and tips, for an overall annual salary of about $30,000 to $40,000. A Head Sommelier working with a smaller organization often makes around $40,000 to $50,000. As stated in a research by Guild of Sommeliers Salary Survey of 2014, the mean salary for a Master Sommelier is $150,000 compared to the $78,000 for an Advanced Sommelier.

Institutes that offer courses to become a Sommelier are:

• Christ University, Bangalore
• Institute of Wine and Beverage Studies, Delhi
• Culinary Institute of America, USA
• The Court of Master Sommelier, USA

Misconceptions about Sommelier
Being a Sommelier can attract a lot of misconceptions. One such is that they drink a lot of wine while on duty. One must understand the difference between consuming wine for leisure and tasting wine. The job requires one to taste a lot of wine, thus they have very little to taste and mostly after tasting they spit.
One is expected to understand the seriousness of their job and dedicate themselves to it. All jobs must be respected. People should realise that the art of understanding something that requires a vast amount of knowledge and craft is not an easy task.

Still think you can take up this exquisite career option? Well, then you must!
Focus on that simple interest of yours for wine and transform it into your livelihood.

Top 5 Career Opportunities in Travelling