Wine Merchant

Typical Salary

£16,000 To £35,000

Typical Hours

39 to 41 a week

evenings / weekends / bank holidays

How To Become a Wine Merchant

You can get into this job through:

working towards this role
applying directly
a graduate training scheme
a professional course from a private training provider

College / University

Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship are not listed for this job.

Routes into this Career

You could start in the wine trade as a sales assistant for an off-licence chain, a wine wholesalers or a supermarket.

You can apply directly to get into this job. You'll usually need retail experience and extensive product knowledge to be an independent wine merchant.

Other Routes

You could start work with a large wine retailer as a graduate management trainee, if you have a degree. Employers will accept most subjects.

You could also take training through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust to build up your knowledge of the industry.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

the ability to work well with others
to be flexible and open to change
maths knowledge
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
customer service skills
the ability to sell products and services
the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
the ability to use your initiative
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Day To Day Tasks

Your day-to-day duties could include:

ordering and displaying stock
organising promotions, including wine tastings
offering advice on wines and serving customers
taking payment for goods
managing sales targets
keeping accounts and records
following and enforcing the legal requirements for the sale of alcohol
recruiting, training and organising staff

Working Environment

You could work at a store or at a client's business.

Career Path & Progression

With experience you could become an independent wine merchant. You’ll need funds and a well-researched business plan.

You could also progress to become a Master of Wine (MW). This is the British wine trader’s highest qualification.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Career tips

The ability to speak French, Spanish, Portuguese, German or Italian might be useful for working with overseas wine exporters.

Further information

You'll find more advice about working in wine retail through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.

Restrictions & Requirements

You'll need to:

get a licence to sell alcohol

To work as a manager, buyer or importer, you’ll usually need a UK driving licence.

For retail sales you must be at least 18 years old.