Sommelier: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What sommelier is

A sommelier recommends wines for meals and events, curates selections, advises on pairings and may lead a tasting or serve at an event. Hosts hire one for dinners, weddings, corporate events and private parties where the wine list needs expert choices and a clear plan.

Signs you need it

  • You are hosting a dinner or event and want a wine list that suits the menu
  • You need help choosing wines for a wedding or corporate event within a budget
  • You want a pairing that matches each course of a meal
  • You want a tasting led by someone who can explain the wines to your guests
  • You want wine served at the event by someone who knows what they are pouring

What the pro does

  • Talks with you about the menu, the guest tastes, the budget and the occasion
  • Recommends wines by style, region and the amount the client wants to spend, for each course or toast
  • Confirms the quantities for the guest count and the wine you choose
  • Arranges the wine delivery and the glassware needed for the service
  • Leads a tasting or serves the wine at the event, if included
  • Collects any remaining glassware and handles unopened bottles as the contract says

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Number of guests and the number of wines needed
  • Wine style and the regions or producers you choose
  • Whether the sommelier serves the wine or only selects it
  • Tasting, pairing dinner or lecture format
  • Glassware, decanters and service equipment
  • Travel distance and the length of service

What a written quote should spell out

  • Each wine selected, with the bottle count and the glass count
  • Whether wine is supplied by the sommelier, the host or the venue
  • Service hours and whether the sommelier pours at the event
  • Glassware and decanters included or rented
  • Corkage, handling and cancellation terms

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Will you serve the wine, or only recommend it?
  • How do you choose wines for guests who do not drink alcohol?
  • Who buys the wine, and who holds the license for serving it at this event?
  • How many bottles do you suggest for my guest count and the menu?
  • Do you handle the glassware, and who returns unopened bottles?
  • Can I taste the wines you recommend before the event?

Red flags

  • Recommends a large quantity of wine without asking the guest count
  • Cannot say who holds the license for serving wine at the event
  • Will not show a sample wine list or explain the choices
  • Pushes the most expensive wines without asking your budget
  • Asks for the full payment before the wine list is agreed

What you can do yourself

A host can choose a few well reviewed wines with the help of a shop staff member, matching the color and body to the menu. Hire a sommelier for a multi wine dinner, a tasting, a wedding list, or an event where someone must serve, explain and manage the wine on the day.

Licenses and permits

No license is usually required to advise on or select wine. Serving or pouring alcohol commonly needs a license or permit, so confirm who holds that license and whether the venue or the host must provide it. Check the local rules before the event. If food is served as well, food businesses commonly need a health permit or a food handler card from the local office that oversees food safety.

Sommelier questions

Do I need a license to hire a sommelier?

Advising on wine does not usually need one. Pouring or serving alcohol commonly needs a license or permit, so check the rules where the event takes place and confirm who holds it.

How many bottles should I buy?

Ask the sommelier for its guide based on your guest count, the number of courses and how many guests will drink wine.

Can the sommelier help with non alcoholic drinks?

Many sommeliers can also recommend non alcoholic wines and pairings. Ask for those options when you describe your guests.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

Edit history

How it works

  1. 1. Describe the job

    Pick the service, add your ZIP and a sentence about what is going on.

  2. 2. Pick the pros you want

    See screened pros who serve your ZIP and choose who you want to hear from.

  3. 3. They reach out

    They contact you the way you chose: phone, email or in-app messages.

More food and drink guides

Find a pro near you

Find a pro

About this guide

Request sommelier