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Wine merchant
Vintner, wine trader
Wine merchants find new wines and buy and market them.
Average salary (a year)
£16000
Starter
£35000
Experienced
Typical hours (a week)
39.0 to 41.0 hours
a week
Work Hours
evenings / weekends / bank holidays
How to become
Explore the different ways to get into this role
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
Work
You could start in the wine trade as a sales assistant for an off-licence chain, a wine wholesalers or a supermarket.
Experience and qualifications gained through the hospitality sector may be useful in this role.
Business, sales and marketing experience may also be useful.
Direct Application
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.
More 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.
What it takes
Find out what skills you’ll use in this role
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
Digital Skills Level
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
Other Requirements
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.
Related Restrictions
What you will do
Discover the day-to-day tasks you’ll do in this role
Day to day tasks
In your day-to-day duties you could
look for potential new customers, cold call businesses like hotels and restaurants to create sales leads, order and display stock, organise promotions, including wine tastings, visit clients to offer advice on wines, in retail or wholesale venues, serve customers and take payment for goods, manage sales targets, write order quotes and keep accounts and records, try new wines and select new products to sell, follow and enforce the legal requirements for the sale of alcohol, recruit, train and organise staff
Working environment
You could work at a store or at a client's business.
Career Path & Progression
Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities
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.
Job profile data provided by The National Careers Service.
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