How Anyone Can Pivot to a Wine Career

I regularly encounter people who half-seriously say they want to chuck it all and work in wine like I do. Well color me your little enabler — you can. Yes, a career change is not without pitfalls and risks, but there are so many ways to work in the world of wine, and whatever your resume or LinkedIn status, you’re not too far away from joining it.

Now, I have a 30-plus year career in this industry, and I am very highly experienced and credentialed. You don’t have to have a single certification, though, to start. However, some of you with more insider aspirations and a decent base level of wine knowledge may want to take some introductory courses, just to put your understanding in context and see where you may have gaps. This will also provide a nice little bump on building your wine resume! (Reach out if you want some recommendations of appropriate courses or certifications.)

Whatever you’re doing now, your current skill sets can help set you up for a transition.

Let’s take a close job first – culinary. Are you a chef, a server, a host/hostess? You’re dancing around wine every day already. Take advantage of your proximity to your somms and buyers and ask questions. Why do they pair wine X with dish Y? When is the next staff training? (And if they don’t do in-house staff trainings, tell them to give me a call, I have courses precisely for restaurants without dedicated wine program which help servers feel more comfortable, communicate better with guests—and sell more wine!) You can learn on the job, about producers and styles, and may meet people already working in wine who can help guide you to what’s next.

What about a farther away job? Say, finance. Well, my friend, everyone needs their books done and budgets made! Vineyard managers, wineries, tasting rooms, PR firms, retailers, importers… bringing your money skills to the table will get your foot in the door and expose you to opportunities to taste and learn about wine. I teach for a well-respected retailer in NYC and our accountant often works classes and events. He gets to learn AND earn!

Are you an artist? You could design wine labels and consult with a winery brand’s aesthetics and image online.

Love to travel? Welcome to oenotourism, planning wine tours and visits, or working with a regional trade body to attract visitors.

Do you work with animals? Many sustainable vineyards use sheep, chickens, or goats to naturally trim grass and fertilize. You could create a company that handles them and rents them out.

Public relations or social media specialist? Wine needs that too – from the high-volume global brands, to the exclusive small-production estates.

Sales? Wine is absolutely a competitive commodity, with limited amounts of shelf space that are fought for in markets around the globe. Especially in the U.S., where we have a three-tier distribution system, you can work for a winery, importer, distributor, or merchant. (Here, you’ll likely need to cut your teeth in a more junior role as you develop relationships with partners, but the world of wine has fewer gatekeepers than you may think.)

The list goes on and on. Do you have serious thoughts about exploring the possibility of a wine career? I am happy to help. Drop a comment or shoot me a message (there’s a box on the bottom of my Classes and Events page.) It’s definitely a fun industry to be a part of, and I love to help mentor people who want to explore it.

Cheers.