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(Wine Waiter, Wine Manager, Restaurant Sommelier, Head Sommelier)
Hospitality & Tourism
Salary
€28,000 - €60,000/yr
Level
Professional
Outlook
Stable
Sector
Hospitality & Tourism
As a sommelier you are responsible for the selection, storage, and service of wine and other alcoholic beverages in a restaurant, hotel, or hospitality venue. You advise guests on wine pairings to complement their meals, drawing on detailed knowledge of grape varieties, regions, vintages, and flavour profiles. Your daily work involves maintaining and organising the wine cellar, managing stock levels, ordering from suppliers, and training other front-of-house staff on beverage service. You work closely with chefs, restaurant managers, and guests to create a memorable dining experience, and in senior roles you may be responsible for compiling and pricing the wine list.
Listen: a day as a Sommelier
You arrive at the restaurant at half ten in the morning, well before the lunch service begins. Your first task is checking the cellar temperature and humidity levels on the monitoring unit — red wines need to sit at around 14–16°C, and any drift overnight has to be corrected before service. You note three cases of Bordeaux that arrived yesterday from your Dublin-based supplier and log them into the stock management system, checking the delivery docket against the original purchase order and marking off any discrepancies. By half eleven you are on the restaurant floor running a fifteen-minute training session with two junior floor staff. You taste through a dry Riesling and a buttery Chardonnay, asking them to describe what they notice on the nose and palate. It sounds straightforward, but keeping newer staff engaged with wine knowledge on top of their other duties takes patience and repetition.
There is no single mandatory qualification to become a sommelier in Ireland, but a strong foundation in hospitality is valuable; Leaving Certificate subjects such as Home Economics, Business, and a modern language are helpful. Many sommeliers begin their careers through PLC courses in hospitality or food and beverage service at Level 5 or 6 on the NFQ, available through Colleges of Further Education and ETBs across the country. A Level 7 or Level 8 degree in Hospitality Management from institutions such as TU Dublin, ATU, or SETU can also provide an excellent route into the profession. The most recognised specialist pathway is through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), whose awards at Levels 2, 3, and 4 are widely respected in Irish hospitality and can be studied alongside full-time work. The Court of Master Sommeliers is another internationally recognised body, with the Certified Sommelier and Advanced Sommelier examinations highly regarded at the top of the profession. Professional registration is not legally required, but holding WSET Level 3 or above is increasingly expected by fine-dining employers.
Most sommeliers begin their careers in general waiting or bar roles in hotels or restaurants, gradually developing wine knowledge through on-the-job experience and WSET study. Progression typically moves from wine waiter to head sommelier, with opportunities to take on full responsibility for the wine programme in a fine-dining establishment. Experienced sommeliers in Ireland may advance into beverage management, food and beverage director roles, or move into wine retail, importation, or brand ambassador positions with wine distributors. A small number pursue the prestigious Master Sommelier diploma, opening doors to consultancy, writing, and international opportunities.
AI-powered wine recommendation tools and digital wine list platforms are beginning to appear in some Irish restaurants, potentially reducing the need for basic pairing advice from floor staff. However, the sensory expertise, guest rapport, and nuanced judgement that a skilled sommelier brings cannot be replicated by automated systems, particularly in fine-dining environments where personalised service is a key selling point. Sommeliers who embrace technology — using stock management software, digital cellar tools, and data-driven purchasing — will find that AI enhances rather than replaces their role. The human element of storytelling and creating a memorable experience around wine remains central to the profession.
→ Sommelier (Current role)
Organisations in Ireland that employ people in this occupation.
Dublin City Centre
Curate and serve extensive wine lists in fine dining settings.
Cong, Co. Mayo
Manage award-winning cellars and advise guests on premium wines.
Dublin City Centre
Pair wines with Michelin-starred tasting menus for discerning guests.
Dublin City Centre
Oversee one of Ireland's largest private wine collections and service.
Adare, Co. Limerick
Deliver expert wine service across multiple luxury dining outlets.
Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
Manage beverage programmes and wine pairings in five-star venues.
Nationwide
Support hospitality training and beverage service standards nationally.
Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co. Clare
Curate cellar stock and guide guests through fine wine selections.
Dublin and Cork
Deliver structured wine programmes across upscale hotel restaurants.
Dublin City Centre
Manage a world-class cellar and pair wines with two Michelin-star cuisine.
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