What does a fine wine specialist do?

2 Wine pairing

A fine wine specialist also advises clients on how to match wines with food, mood, and atmosphere. They understand how different flavors, textures, and aromas interact and enhance each other, and how to create harmonious or contrasting combinations. They can suggest wines that suit different cuisines, dishes, courses, and occasions, and explain the reasoning behind their choices. They can also recommend wines that pair well with other beverages, such as cheese, chocolate, or coffee.

3 Wine storage

A fine wine specialist also helps clients store their wines properly, to preserve their quality and value. They know how to design, organize, and maintain a wine cellar, or recommend alternative solutions for wine storage. They can advise on the optimal temperature, humidity, light, and ventilation conditions for different wines, and how to avoid or deal with common problems such as cork taint, oxidation, or spoilage. They can also help clients inventory, label, and track their wine collections.

4 Wine investment

A fine wine specialist also assists clients who want to invest in wine as an asset class. They can provide guidance on how to build a diversified and profitable portfolio of fine wines, based on factors such as demand, supply, rarity, reputation, and performance. They can also help clients source, buy, sell, and trade wines in the global market, and navigate the legal, tax, and regulatory aspects of wine investment. They can also appraise and value wines for insurance or auction purposes.

5 Skills and qualifications

To become a fine wine specialist, you need to have a passion for wine and a keen sense of taste and smell. You also need to have extensive knowledge of wine history, culture, production, and consumption, and be able to communicate it effectively to different audiences. You need to have strong analytical, research, and problem-solving skills, as well as good business acumen and customer service skills. You also need to have relevant education and certification in wine studies, such as a sommelier diploma, a WSET qualification, or a Master of Wine degree.