The $80+ Billion US Wine Business Is Sustained By These Certified Somm Jobs

While this sommelier job is the most "traditional," those seeking wine careers beyond restaurant borders have more options than ever before. Today, sommeliers lead wine education programs, manage luxury retail, influence consumer preferences through social media, and play a key role in global wine distribution.

According to Grandview Research, the U.S. wine market was valued at $81.33 billion in 2023, and it's projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4% through 2030. As consumer interest in wine expands, so do the career opportunities for sommeliers.

Recognizing this shift, the Institute of Culinary Education, home of the country's premier Intensive Sommelier Training, set out to explore the diverse and evolving sommelier career paths, gathering insights from professionals across various sectors of the wine world.

The Expanding World of Sommeliers

While most sommeliers — approximately 70%, according to Career Explorer — still work in traditional hospitality settings, the role is evolving rapidly. Today's consumers seek more accessible wine knowledge and purchasing options, which creates new opportunities for sommeliers to connect producers and the public.

According to Fortune Business Insights, the global wine industry is projected to go from 2021's $340.12 billion earned to $456.76 billion by 2028, with the growth due to shift consumer behaviors and technological advancements. E-commerce and subscription-based wine services have revolutionized how people discover and buy wine, while social media influencers and digital educators have made wine knowledge more engaging and approachable than ever.

Additionally, rising public interest in sustainability, low-alcohol wines, and emerging wine markets is reshaping industry trends. As consumer preferences continue to evolve, sommeliers are adapting their expertise and career trajectories.

Restaurant and Hospitality Roles

For many sommeliers, the classic wine career path leads to restaurants, hotels, and high-end hospitality settings, where they curate wine lists, pair wines with menus, and elevate the dining experience with carefully selected vintages. However, modern hospitality sommeliers take on far more than just wine service — they are educators, strategists, and leaders within their organizations.

For Marvella Castaneda, formerly the sommelier at the hotel Signia by Hilton Atlanta and now the wine director at the Capital City Club, the role is as much about leadership as it is about selecting wines.

“Working as a sommelier at Hilton is more than just selecting wines — it’s about leadership, team management, and navigating a large-scale hospitality operation,” Castaneda says. “The company invested in my growth, providing leadership training that shaped me into a stronger mentor and supervisor. While I specialize in wine, my role also involves overseeing operations across multiple outlets, balancing management responsibilities with my passion for wine.”

Similarly, Joseph Lopez, the Director of Beverage at Walt Disney World’s Swan & Dolphin Resort, views guest education as an essential part of his job.

“One of my responsibilities is teaching at the Swan & Dolphin Food & Wine Festival. This year, I did a seminar called ‘Salud! A Journey Through Spain,’ where we explored Spanish wines, their history, and pairings,” he says.

Managing 20 restaurants and 10 bars across three hotels, Lopez ensures that each venue’s wine selection aligns with its culinary identity.

“Wine selections at each restaurant are tailored to their menu and concept," Lopez says. "For example, Todd English’s bluezoo focuses more on white wines to complement seafood. At the same time, Shula’s Steakhouse leans heavily on domestic Cabernet Sauvignons and international reds to pair with its steak offerings.”

As hospitality trends evolve, restaurant and resort sommeliers expand their roles beyond service, offering tableside wine education, curating unique tasting experiences, and collaborating with chefs to create dynamic food-and-wine pairings.

For Jhonel Faelnar, beverage director at NA:EUN Hospitality, the challenge lies in shaping wine programs that align with the vision of each restaurant within the group. He has built some of New York City’s most celebrated wine lists, from Attaboy and Atomix to Naru.

“Creating a wine program isn’t just about buying bottles—it’s about balancing budget, space, and concept. At Attaboy, I built on its natural wine roots, while Atomix was a blank slate where I maximized investment from day one,” Faelnar says. “Naro, being larger, needed a broader selection, blending accessibility with high-end offerings. Each restaurant has its own identity, and ultimately, the sommelier on the floor shapes what guests drink.”

Beyond his work in hospitality, Faelnar has taken his passion a step further by launching his own winery.

“I was able to start my winery with a business partner in 2022, and we started Likha Wine Co., which translates to ‘create’ or ‘creation’ in the Filipino language,” says Faelnar.

Based in Santa Barbara, California, Likha Wine Co. represents Faelnar’s deepening connection to winemaking. His first vintage, released in 2022, features a personal touch—one of his charcoal drawings as the label.

Wine Retail Jobs

At Wally’s Wines, a premier fine wine retailer in California and Las Vegas, customers experience a unique blend of fine dining, retail, and gourmet food service. The expansive retail section offers rare wines, glassware, and specialty items, making it a destination for casual enthusiasts and serious collectors.

Robert Vardanian, director of wine purchasing and sales at Wally’s Wines and a graduate of ICC (Now ICE’s Intensive Sommelier Training program), didn’t initially expect to find his perfect career fit there. However, the combination of wine shop, fine dining, and retail resonated with him, offering an opportunity to engage with wine in a multifaceted way.

Working at Wally’s requires balancing two distinct skill sets: the fast-paced service of a restaurant sommelier and the strategic guidance of a wine retailer helping customers build collections or find investment-worthy bottles. Every new hire — whether from a restaurant or retail background — undergoes an extensive training process that includes comparative tastings, palate development, and shadowing different areas of the operation, from the kitchen to the cheese department.

“The training at Wally’s is crucial because you need to be able to navigate both the restaurant and retail worlds,” Vardanian says. “We focus on developing our team’s palate, ensuring they can confidently guide guests, whether they’re looking for the perfect bottle for dinner or building a serious wine collection.”

Beyond boutique wine shops, grocery stores also play a key role in making wine more approachable, introducing customers to new regions, styles, and trends. Chris Hurst, merchandising manager for beer and wine at H-E-B, a leading Texas-based supermarket chain, has crafted a customer-centric wine experience for a decade. He started as a manager and later transitioned into a beverage operations role, where he fosters long-term connections with customers.

“In retail, it’s much more about a longer game and a much longer relationship with a customer,” Hurst says. “It’s more important for me to get them the right wine versus the most expensive or the most profitable wine.”

These relationships extend beyond everyday purchases — Hurst has helped customers curate entire wine cellars and even build investment collections.

As more consumers experiment with wine at home, retailers like H-E-B introduce a diverse range of wines — from Spanish Albariño to lesser-known Italian varietals like Nerello Mascalese — offering selections that restaurants might not typically carry.

“We’ve introduced a lot of customers to wines they might not have tried otherwise,” says Hurst. “Whether it’s an unexpected varietal or a new wine region, supermarkets allow people to explore at their own pace.”

One of the benefits of working in retail is the structured schedule, free from the late nights typical of hospitality jobs.

“One of the things that works great for retail wine selling is the work-life balance,” Hurst says. “You’re not working the crazy late nights until one or two in the morning. Especially if you have a family, it helps you align with their schedules a bit easier.”

Wine Education

Consumer education plays a crucial role in the sommelier profession. Before earning the title, sommeliers must undergo rigorous training and certification. The Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) offers a four-tiered program, culminating in the prestigious Master Sommelier (MS) title. Another widely recognized organization, the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), provides a structured academic approach, with its Level 4 diploma considered a global benchmark in wine education.

Once certified, sommeliers can pursue teaching opportunities at culinary schools, advise private collectors and businesses, and contribute to expanding industry knowledge. As wine culture continues to grow, so does the demand for skilled educators who can demystify wine and make it more accessible to consumers.

Laura DePasquale, Master Sommelier and Senior Vice President of Artisanal Wine at Southern Glazers understands the importance of education in shaping the next generation of wine professionals. Leading the fine wine division, she works closely with wineries, importers, and distributors to bring unique selections to market. However, her impact extends beyond distribution—she has played a key role in expanding sommelier education across the industry.

Recognizing a gap in structured training, DePasquale helped establish a stronger presence for the Court Of Master Sommeliers in New York City, mentoring top restaurant professionals and formalizing regional education through sommelier classes.

“I realized that the Court of Master Sommeliers did not have a presence in New York City that was significant enough for what the wine and restaurant industries demanded,” DePasquale says. “I started mentoring sommeliers in fine dining, which helped build the foundation for formal education in NYC.”

Her efforts extended to the Institute of Culinary Education (formerly the International Culinary Center), where she helped develop sommelier certification program classes to ensure rigorous training by Master Sommeliers.

“We set up the original contracts for the Court of Master Sommeliers program at ICC to ensure proper education and examination,” DePasquale says. “It’s rewarding to see people from that program impacting the industry.”

Social Media

Formal education remains the primary path to becoming a sommelier, but the ways consumers learn about wine are changing. Social media has become one of the most influential ways for enthusiasts to explore wine culture. Recognizing this opportunity, Cornelia “Cokie” Ponikvar turned her passion for wine into a thriving digital platform.

Through her brand, Cokie’s World of Wine, Ponikvar has redefined traditional wine education, making it more engaging and accessible across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Her approach blends technical expertise with an informal, entertaining style, breaking down grape varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Merlot for audiences of all levels.

“I wanted to create a space where people could learn about wine without feeling intimidated,” Ponikvar says. “A lot of traditional wine education can feel overwhelming, and I knew there was a way to make it fun and approachable while still being informative.”

Her engaging content has attracted a broad audience, from casual drinkers to hospitality professionals and aspiring sommeliers. As her following has grown, so has interest from brands looking to collaborate. However, Ponikvar prioritizes authenticity, ensuring that any partnerships align with her educational mission.

Rather than promoting specific wines, she focuses on complementary products — like glassware — that enhance the wine experience without introducing bias.

“Glassware isn’t as intimidating as wine, which is why it’s a natural fit for me,” Ponikvar says. “People often ask what I use, so I partnered with a brand I genuinely like — affordable, great quality, and useful in my videos. I want sponsorships to feel organic, not forced.”

While social media provides an entry point into the world of wine, Ponikvar believes true expertise requires structured education. She is launching an online wine school offering WSET Level 1 and 2 courses to bridge this gap.

“Wine changed my life, and it all started with Level 1,” Ponikvar shares. “That first step led me to the Master of Wine program. I want to create a space where people can begin their journey with a structured, reputable program that opens real career doors.”

Winemaking and Vineyard Roles

The wine industry extends far beyond the dining room, with many professionals choosing to work at the source — within vineyards and wineries. From cultivating grapes in the field to crafting wine in the cellar, these roles require deep technical knowledge, patience, and a profound connection to the land.

Sommeliers who transition into winemaking often begin by studying viticulture, the science and practice of growing grapes. This field encompasses everything from soil health and canopy management to pest control and irrigation. A skilled viticulturist ensures that grapes reach peak ripeness with a balanced composition of sugar, acidity, and tannins — the key elements that define a wine’s character.

Winemakers, conversely, take these carefully grown grapes and transform them into wine through fermentation, blending, aging, and bottling. Acting as artisans and scientists, they oversee crucial decisions such as yeast selection, barrel aging, and overall style development. Meanwhile, vineyard managers focus on the agricultural side, ensuring that workers prune vines correctly, irrigation is optimized, and harvesting occurs at the ideal time.

As the resident sommelier at Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, Jason Ferris plays a key role in shaping the perception of Finger Lakes wines. A champion of New York’s cool-climate viticulture, Ferris highlights how the region has evolved from an underappreciated wine-growing area into one of the most exciting destinations for Riesling, sparkling wines, and vinifera varieties in the U.S.

Ferris’s journey began in the Finger Lakes, where he attended winery tours as a child with his parents. Though too young to taste, he was captivated by the culture of wine. This early exposure sparked his curiosity and led him to study hotel, restaurant, and institutional management at Penn State. He then pursued a career in Michelin-starred restaurants before returning to the Finger Lakes to contribute to its evolving wine scene.

“If you’d asked me at 12 or 30 what my plan was, it was always the same: learn everything I could about food and wine, then come back home and share that knowledge,” says Ferris.

At Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, Ferris now works to uphold a legacy that transformed winemaking in the region.

“Dr. Frank proved European vinifera grapes could thrive here, completely changing the Finger Lakes’ reputation,” Ferris says. “That innovation opened the doors for an entire region to compete on a world-class level.”

Beyond production, Ferris focuses on refining winemaking techniques, curating immersive guest experiences, and mentoring the next generation of industry professionals.

“Success in this business comes from being versatile. You have to create experiences that spark curiosity in newcomers while still engaging those who already know their way around a wine list,” says Ferris. “Every guest is valuable, and each requires a different approach.”

Distribution and Importing

Many sommeliers build their careers in restaurants, while others carve out paths in the intricate world of distribution and importing. Getting wine from vineyard to glass is a logistical puzzle requiring sourcing, compliance, and market positioning expertise.

Ron Edwards, Master Sommelier and Director of Wine Education at Winebow Fine Wine and Spirits, describes distribution as more than just moving bottles from one place to another.

“If you don’t understand logistics, you don’t understand wine,” Edwards says. “Getting wine from the vineyard to the consumer is a complex process, and there’s a massive industry behind the scenes making it happen,” says Edwards. “People often think distribution is just sales, but in reality, you’re solving problems — figuring out how to get the right wines to the right accounts at the right time, all while managing relationships and navigating regulations.”

Distributors act as a bridge between wineries, restaurants, retailers, and consumers. While a keen palate is necessary, so is a deep understanding of market trends, pricing structures, and the ever-changing landscape of global trade agreements.

“One of the most exciting aspects of working in distribution is the ability to shape wine trends,” Edwards says. “We introduce boutique producers to markets they might never have reached on their own, and we help restaurateurs and retailers curate lists that reflect both quality and consumer demand.”

Importers play an equally vital role, carefully curating selections that introduce new wines to audiences. Olivia Moravec, Sales Representative at Skurnik Wines & Spirits, understands the impact of this work.

“My job at Skurnik is not to be a floor sommelier. I like to think of it now as—I am a sommelier for the sommeliers,” says Moravec. “I am an expert in the wines we import and distribute, and my role is to help restaurant buyers and retailers understand these wines to sell them effectively to their guests.”

Moravec’s journey began in restaurants, where she worked at Craigie on Main in Massachusetts and Eleven Madison Park in New York City before transitioning to Skurnik Wines & Spirits. Her experience on the restaurant floor informs her approach to distribution, allowing her to provide valuable guidance to buyers.

“For sommeliers considering a move into distribution, relationships and hands-on experience are key,” Moravec says. “Everything I learned in restaurants helps me now because I can relate to my customers. I can offer them advice based on my experiences—how to price and list wines on a menu. That makes me a better resource for my buyers.”

In an ever-evolving industry, importers and distributors are essential links between producers and consumers. The wines that appear on a restaurant menu or a retail shelf are not randomly selected—they are part of a thoughtfully curated portfolio backed by expertise, passion, and a deep understanding of the market.

Advice for Aspiring Sommeliers

Working as a sommelier requires a balance of technical expertise and interpersonal skills. Sensory evaluation — understanding aroma, taste, and texture — is fundamental to making accurate assessments and recommendations. Whether working on a restaurant floor or connecting boutique wineries with retailers, mastering these skills is essential.

For those just starting, networking is key. Attending tastings, trade shows, and industry events helps build connections and exposes aspiring sommeliers to trends, producers, and key players. Engaging with mentors and seasoned professionals provides valuable insights into career opportunities beyond traditional restaurant roles.

The sommelier profession has undergone a dramatic transformation. No longer confined to fine dining, today’s wine experts thrive in retail, distribution, education, and digital media. Aspiring sommeliers should embrace this evolution, recognizing that success in wine extends far beyond a single career path.

Pursuing certifications, expanding industry connections, and staying open to non-traditional opportunities will position the next generation of sommeliers at the forefront of an ancient yet constantly evolving industry.