The short answer
- A WSET or CSW credential helps you compete for jobs as a wine educator, buyer or sommelier, importer, sales rep or brand manager.
- Wine educators in winery visitor centers stand out by explaining their wines with intelligence and passion.
- Buyers and sommeliers choose wines that fit their store’s or restaurant’s budget, customers and cuisine.
- Importers need to know the regulations of the regions they work with, and most expect you to speak the language.
- Sales reps and brand managers bring sales or marketing skills; wine training adds fluency in how wines are grown and made.
5 Wine Careers to Consider - with a WSET or CSW certification
A Napa Valley Wine Academy Education, whether you are pursuing a CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine) or WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) credential, will help you compete for jobs in the following five areas.*
Wine Educator
Napa and Sonoma Counties alone are home to approximately 800 wineries. Many of these wineries have visitor centers, where guests can tour, taste and purchase.
Wine educators who can convey the merits of the wines they represent with both intelligence and passion will have an edge in a highly competitive marketplace.
Wine Buyer/Sommerlier
Wine buyers work at retail stores and restaurants. Many double as sommeliers. These individuals are responsible for purchasing wines that align with both the budgets of their respective stores and the desires of the customers who frequent them.
Buyers must have the sensory acumen to discern which wines best fit their respective portfolios. Restaurant wine buyers will also need to understand and articulate how a particular wine aligns with the cuisine of the establishment.
Importer
Importers work to establish foreign wine brands in domestic wine markets. A CSW or WSET credential will help you understand the regulations governing the wine regions with which you would like to work.
Most importers also require that you speak the language of the wine regions in which they specialize. A solid background in sales and marketing will also help you tremendously.
Famous importers include Terry Theise (Germany and Austria), Pasternak (global) and Wilson Daniels (global).
Sales Representative
Sales representatives sell wine to restaurants and retail locations. Most reps work for wineries, brokers or distributors.
The best sales reps know how to listen to their customers, assess their needs, and briefly but knowledgably explain how a particular wine is a good fit for the customer.
Sales expertise is beyond the purview of the Napa Valley Wine Academy, but if you already excel in sales and have a passion for wine, your WSET or CSW training will serve you well as a rep.
Start your job search by checking the websites of distributors such as Southern Wine and Spirits and major wine companies such as Constellation Brands.
Brand Manager
An extremely important position, wineries need individuals who develop strategies that advance sales in both the digital and virtual realms.
Brand managers often travel widely representing the wines in their care. Their expertise may be in marketing, but a Napa Valley Wine Academy education adds fluency in the viticultural and winemaking practices that make a wine unique.
Check the websites of the major wine companies – Constellation Brands, Diageo and Treasury – for any brand manager openings.
Wine careers
Ready to look at real openings? Our wine careers page has hundreds of live listings from wineries, importers and distributors, plus an honest map of which WSET level gets you into which interview.
*The Napa Valley Wine Academy does not guarantee employment in any field upon the completion of its programs of study.
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Frequently asked questions
What jobs can you get with a WSET or CSW certification?
A WSET or CSW credential helps you compete in five areas: wine educator, wine buyer or sommelier, importer, sales representative and brand manager. Napa Valley Wine Academy does not guarantee employment on completing its programs.
What does a wine buyer do?
Wine buyers work at retail stores and restaurants, and many double as sommeliers. They purchase wines that fit both the store’s budget and what its customers want; restaurant buyers also need to explain how a wine fits the cuisine.
What does a wine importer do?
Importers establish foreign wine brands in domestic markets. A CSW or WSET credential helps you understand the regulations of the regions you want to work with. Most importers also expect you to speak those regions’ languages, and a sales and marketing background helps tremendously.
Do you need sales experience to be a wine sales representative?
Sales skills matter most: the best reps listen to their customers, assess their needs and explain briefly why a wine fits. If you already excel in sales and love wine, WSET or CSW training will serve you well as a rep, whether you work for a winery, broker or distributor.
