I work as a sommelier and have a supermarket tip to share, along with the real reason why you are asked to taste the wine. As a sommelier at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Edinburgh, I can tell you that the salary for wine professionals can range from £30,000 to £50,000, with higher amounts in London. There is a prevalent issue in the industry with substance abuse, but I have been sober for over six years now. I can still build wine lists without drinking the wines myself. Tasting and spitting out the wine has actually sharpened my palate. One underrated wine region/country that I highly recommend is Georgia. The wines there are unique and offer a glimpse into ancient times. When it comes to pairing wine with food, my tip is to look for wines from the same region as the dish. And remember, the more you’re willing to spend on a bottle of wine, the better value you usually get. Restaurants have mark-ups on wines, but they also have additional costs like storage, service, and ambiance that supermarkets don’t have. Lastly, when navigating a wine list, engage with the staff for guidance, have a budget in mind, and don’t be afraid to try something new. And when dealing with difficult customers, I always try to be kind and understanding. Cork taint is a common fault to look for in wine, which can be identified by a damp, wet, cardboard aroma. Trust your instincts when deciding if a wine is good to drink. Supermarket tip from a sommelier: Why you’re asked to taste wine

If you’ve ever spent your morning commute daydreaming about starting afresh with your career, this feature is for you. Each Monday, we speak to someone from a different profession to discover what it’s really like. This week we chat Jo Radford, the sommelier at Michelin-starred restaurant Timberyard in Edinburgh.

Salary will vary… Depending on the level of the wine professional, maybe somewhere around £30,000-£50,000. I know that in London this can easily rise up to £66,000 before share of tronc [tips and service charge] and bonuses, etc.

There is definitely an issue in the industry that lots of people face with substance abuse or looking to drink to numb pain… and avoid dealing with other parts of life. That was the case for me at least. I’ve been working in wine for 15 years now but I’ve been sober for over six years. I talk very liberally about it with people who have asked. It’s important to break the stigma around alcohol in the drinks business.

Follow the latest consumer news here

Hospitality is finally catching up with other industries in terms of work-life balance… Previously, people working in restaurants and bars were working more hours, longer days and more days of the week. In the last five years there has been a shift back to work-life balance. The vast majority of sommeliers are wine professionals in the 40-45 hour bracket, which is fairly standard.

I now work as a sober sommelier… and am still able to build out wine lists without drinking the wines themselves. There are other sober sommeliers in this country and around the world, but not many people know about them, and there is still a misconception that you can’t do this job unless you drink. Lots of people are also struggling with alcohol abuse and don’t feel like they’re in a position to talk about it, so hopefully sharing my story can help change that. So now, I taste and spit, and I’m fairly certain my palate has never been sharper.

Feeling the way the slopes align… when the sun comes up in the morning, or seeing first-hand the influence of the mountains on the vines – that all deepens your understanding of a region and the wine it produces. You can’t get a proper gauge on these things until you’ve visited the vineyard or the cellar, or listened to the winemaker tell the story of the vineyard and talk about their craft.

A wine region/country that is underrated and not spoken about enough is… probably Georgia. I was very fortunate to travel there last May, and it was a big eye-opener of a trip, not just because of the wine culture there but because it was the birthplace of wine, with records dating back thousands and thousands of years. The wines there are so unique and offer a snapshot into times past. It was a war-torn country right on the cross-section of Europe, so you have influences from the war, the spice routes, etc.

One tip for pairing wine with food is… look at what’s near and dear from a wine perspective. By this, I mean marry the food with wines from that region. By and large, wherever the dish originated from, or the ingredients are predominantly from, is a good place to start in terms of looking for a wine to pair.

By and large, the more you’re willing to spend, the better value the bottle you usually get… Margins are tapered, so those near the very south of the list (more commonly recognised) have the biggest markup. It all depends on the volume of the bottles being ordered – whether affordable or crowd pleasing – these wines have higher margins. The ones with lower margins tend to be slow movers on wine lists. There’s an economy that comes into play and so there’s more opportunity for getting better value the more money you spend.

There are mark-ups on wines in restaurants… but it’s all the other overheads you need to take into consideration that a supermarket doesn’t have to take care of. The purchasing of the wine is the same, but on top of that, restaurants have to factor in storage, sorting the wines, printing wine lists, holding back bottles to age, the cost of service, cleaning of glasses, etc. Then you’ve got to consider how the wines are presented, the rent of the space, heating, lighting and the curation of an atmosphere. In the last few years, restaurateurs have responded to customers with breakdowns of costs, so you can actually see what they’re making in terms of profit (which often is very little).

Three tips for navigating the wine list…

1) Engage with the staff and ask for guidance;

2) Have a rough indication of budget in mind;

3) Don’t be scared of the unknown – this allows you to find more interesting options that are potentially better value too.

With tricky customers, I… kill them with kindness. But also try to meet them on their level. Certain people have certain likes and dislikes; it’s important to understand what these are and find something that fits.

The most classic fault to look for when identifying an off wine is… cork taint, and it’s usually fairly obvious from a damp, wet, cardboard aroma. I always trust my first instinct; it’s the easiest way to tell if a wine is good to drink. If something doesn’t feel right from the start, it’s likely not. When tasting wine, it’s to check for faults, not personal preference. Some restaurants may be hesitant about guests returning wine they simply don’t like, but returned bottles can still be utilized for wine pairings or staff training. The biggest mistake when trying wine is overthinking it – if you enjoy it, it’s the right wine for you. Simple hand pumps and cork stoppers can help keep opened bottles fresh. The behind-the-scenes work in managing a wine program involves various organizational tasks. In supermarkets, look for value wines without specific appellations. The never-ending pursuit of wine knowledge can be intimidating but enjoyable. The salary for wine professionals varies, with some professionals earning up to £66,000 in London. Substance abuse is a prevalent issue in the industry, and it’s important to break the stigma around alcohol. The work-life balance in the hospitality industry has improved in recent years. Being a sober sommelier is possible, and can even enhance your palate. Visiting vineyards and wineries deepens your understanding of wine regions. Georgia is an underrated wine region with a rich history dating back thousands of years. Located at the cross-section of Europe, this country has been ravaged by war, leading to a blend of influences from various sources such as the spice routes. If you’ve ever spent your morning commute daydreaming about starting afresh with your career, this feature is for you. Each Monday, we speak to someone from a different profession to discover what it’s really like. This week we chat Jo Radford, the sommelier at Michelin-starred restaurant Timberyard in Edinburgh.

Salary will vary…

Depending on the level of the wine professional, maybe somewhere around £30,000-£50,000. I know that in London this can easily rise up to £66,000 before share of tronc [tips and service charge] and bonuses, etc.

There is definitely an issue in the industry that lots of people face with substance abuse or looking to drink to numb pain…

and avoid dealing with other parts of life. That was the case for me at least. I’ve been working in wine for 15 years now but I’ve been sober for over six years. I talk very liberally about it with people who have asked. It’s important to break the stigma around alcohol in the drinks business.

Hospitality is finally catching up with other industries in terms of work-life balance…

Previously, people working in restaurants and bars were working more hours, longer days and more days of the week. In the last five years there has been a shift back to work-life balance. The vast majority of sommeliers are wine professionals in the 40-45 hour bracket, which is fairly standard.

I now work as a sober sommelier…

and am still able to build out wine lists without drinking the wines themselves. There are other sober sommeliers in this country and around the world, but not many people know about them, and there is still a misconception that you can’t do this job unless you drink. Lots of people are also struggling with alcohol abuse and don’t feel like they’re in a position to talk about it, so hopefully sharing my story can help change that. So now, I taste and spit, and I’m fairly certain my palate has never been sharper.

Feeling the way the slopes align…

when the sun comes up in the morning, or seeing first-hand the influence of the mountains on the vines – that all deepens your understanding of a region and the wine it produces. You can’t get a proper gauge on these things until you’ve visited the vineyard or the cellar, or listened to the winemaker tell the story of the vineyard and talk about their craft.

A wine region/country that is underrated and not spoken about enough is…

probably Georgia. I was very fortunate to travel there last May, and it was a big eye-opener of a trip, not just because of the wine culture there but because it was the birthplace of wine, with records dating back thousands and thousands of years. The wines there are so unique and offer a snapshot into times past. It was a war-torn country right on the cross-section of Europe, so you have influences from the war, the spice routes, etc.

One tip for pairing wine with food is…

look at what’s near and dear from a wine perspective. By this, I mean marry the food with wines from that region. By and large, wherever the dish originated from, or the ingredients are predominantly from, is a good place to start in terms of looking for a wine to pair.

By and large, the more you’re willing to spend, the better value the bottle you usually get…

Margins are tapered, so those near the very south of the list (more commonly recognised) have the biggest markup. It all depends on the volume of the bottles being ordered – whether affordable or crowd pleasing – these wines have higher margins. The ones with lower margins tend to be slow movers on wine lists. There’s an economy that comes into play and so there’s more opportunity for getting better value the more money you spend.

There are mark-ups on wines in restaurants…

but it’s all the other overheads you need to take into consideration that a supermarket doesn’t have to take care of. The purchasing of the wine is the same, but on top of that, restaurants have to factor in storage, sorting the wines, printing wine lists, holding back bottles to age, the cost of service, cleaning of glasses, etc. Then you’ve got to consider how the wines are presented, the rent of the space, heating, lighting and the curation of an atmosphere. In the last few years, restaurateurs have responded to customers with breakdowns of costs, so you can actually see what they’re making in terms of profit (which often is very little).

Three tips for navigating the wine list…

1) Engage with the staff and ask for guidance;
2) Have a rough indication of budget in mind;
3) Don’t be scared of the unknown – this allows you to find more interesting options that are potentially better value too.

With tricky customers, I… kill them with kindness. But also try to meet them on their level. Understanding individual preferences is key; find what fits best for each person.

Identifying cork taint as the most common fault in wine is crucial. Trust your instincts – if it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.

Tasting wine is about identifying faults, not personal preference. Returning a bottle isn’t a waste; it can be used for pairings or training.

Don’t overthink when trying wine; if you like it, it’s the right choice. Enjoy it your way, even if it breaks traditional rules.

Invest in simple hand pumps or cork stoppers to keep opened bottles fresh. It’s a small cost for preserving the wine’s freshness.

Behind the scenes, there’s a lot of organization involved in managing a wine list. The glamorous service is just one part of the job.

Look for value wines like Vin de France or Vino Bianco/Rosso in supermarkets. These may not have a prestigious label, but they can offer great quality for the price.

The never-ending pursuit of wine knowledge can be intimidating, but it’s also exciting. The industry is always evolving, making it a fun journey to explore.

SOURCE