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Thread: Wine related jobs? (Sommelier)

  1. #1
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    Aug 2011
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    Default Wine related jobs? (Sommelier)

    I am 29 years old and from the end of January I will go to New Zealand (Auckland) to attend a 12 weeks full-time sommelier course (recognized by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority) while on a working holiday.
    I already have a good wine knowledge, but no experience in the hospitality sector (I am working as a software programmer in Japan, but my degree is on Japanese Language... yeah I like to vary lol).

    In the end I would like to try to reside in New Zealand working as a sommelier (or anyway having a wine related job).

    I don't mind getting "dirty", I don't mind low salary (at least at the beginning), I am determined, but my age and lack of experience worry me a bit.
    Even if I successfully complete the course I am afraid I won't find a job to remain in NZ.

    So how is the wine and hospitality sector faring in New Zealand? Do you think that there are still chances? Any advice is welcome!

  2. #2
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    Feb 2008
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    Hello and welcome.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
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    Auckland, NZ
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    Quote Originally Posted by Welleran View Post
    I am 29 years old and from the end of January I will go to New Zealand (Auckland) to attend a 12 weeks full-time sommelier course (recognized by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority) while on a working holiday.
    I already have a good wine knowledge, but no experience in the hospitality sector (I am working as a software programmer in Japan, but my degree is on Japanese Language... yeah I like to vary lol).

    In the end I would like to try to reside in New Zealand working as a sommelier (or anyway having a wine related job).

    I don't mind getting "dirty", I don't mind low salary (at least at the beginning), I am determined, but my age and lack of experience worry me a bit.
    Even if I successfully complete the course I am afraid I won't find a job to remain in NZ.

    So how is the wine and hospitality sector faring in New Zealand? Do you think that there are still chances? Any advice is welcome!
    I've just started working in the wine trade with a cutting edge retailer/wholesaler, and it's already clear to see that wrt wine the NZ consumer is light years behind the UK (where I have arrived from) in terms of breadth of knowledge and for want of a better word, sophistication. Of course, none of this is their fault - like any wine producing country it is obvious that the indigenous wines will be most popular, but the consumers just haven't had the exposure to other wines from around the world to create a tasting context, so the market is saturated with samey Sauvignons and Pinot Gris...the good news is that it has made for a challenging and exciting wine environment - it almost feels like the old Oddbins days of the early 90s in London when all of these weird and wonderful wines from exotic places like Australia, Chile and (yes) New Zealand were appearing. There's an exciting "underground" sort of feel, as if there is a groundswell of people trying to push wine appreciation in to more exciting times. However, the pay (as you say) is pretty poor, but you have a chance to be a big fish in a fairly small pond! PM me if you need any help or pointers in the right direction!

  4. #4
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    Aug 2011
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    Thank you for your reply Carnegie and thank you JandM for your welcome (sorry I didn't introduce myself in the Introduction section, I'll open a topic soon).

    Carnegie: what you tell me is really exciting, it seems to me an environment with plenty of space to grow, a kind of still not fully explored frontier. Money is my relative concern, although my first goal is making a decent life, not becoming rich. I'll PM you.

  5. #5
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    You need to make five posts on any threads before your PM facility kicks in.

  6. #6
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    I'm not in this business. However a sommelier course in Auckland seems a bit strange, doesn't it? Why not here in Central Otago - or in Marlborough or Hawkes Bay?!

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by ralf-nz View Post
    I'm not in this business. However a sommelier course in Auckland seems a bit strange, doesn't it? Why not here in Central Otago - or in Marlborough or Hawkes Bay?!
    I get your point, why not having a course in the middle of a New Zealand wine region?
    I don't know, maybe for the Auckland wine bar and restaurant scene. Besides, the school has other courses in addition to this one.

    Quote Originally Posted by JandM View Post
    You need to make five posts on any threads before your PM facility kicks in.
    Ok, thanks for the information.
    Last edited by Welleran; 15th November 2011 at 09:49 PM.

  8. #8
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    Sep 2008
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    Poole, UK to Chch, NZ
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    Regards wines, can someone PLEASE educate this country about good rose? I'm hanging out for something pink and dry, not pink and ridiculously SWEET! I miss a good bbq with some rose..

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