An entry · Work · Life
Sommelier
The person who tastes the whole cellar so your table does not have to guess.
From curious to committed
Your first steps.
A first visit can be enough. It can also be the beginning.
Meet the craft
Sit with a sommelier and taste a flight the way they explain it.
Explore experiences →Give it another afternoon
Notice what you want to come back to. Ask the teacher what regular practice would look like, and what support you would need.
Keep a note for next time →See the working day
The tasting-and-theory exams that ladder up to master level.
Explore ways into the work →These are starting points. A workshop is not a professional qualification. Entry requirements and recognised training depend on the work and the country.
Before you walk in
A few things worth asking the host before you book.
- Is this session suitable for someone who has never tried it?
- What should I bring, wear or prepare?
- What is included, and are there any extra costs?
- Can you accommodate my access needs?
- What could I try next if I enjoy it?
Teach this craft? Share what beginners ask you →
Showing Kyoto, and 7 elsewhere are hidden
Show every city →Work it
Do the work.
Jobs, apprenticeships, and training that put a person in the room.
Ways in
- Certification
Sommelier certification
The tasting-and-theory exams that ladder up to master level.
- Entry job
Work the floor
Restaurants train their own; the cellar is learned in service.
- Route in
Wine trade and buying
Distribution and retail roles that deepen the palate.
Ways in, gathered by hand.
Add yours to the atlasLive it
Live the hour.
Experiences, classes, and places where the presence is the whole point.
Ways in
- Gathering
A guided tasting
Sit with a sommelier and taste a flight the way they explain it.
- Visit
Order by the room, not the price
Tell the somm what you like and hand them the list.
Ways in, gathered by hand.
Add yours to the atlasWhy the human is the point
A wine list is a wall of names most of us cannot read. The sommelier reads it for you: what you are eating, what you can spend, what will make the table lean in. It is memory and palate and a little theatre, the bottle presented, the taste offered, the room made a bit more of an occasion. An app can rank by rating. It cannot watch your face at the first sip and pour the second one better, because it read you right.
Kept nearby
