Sommelier (Wine Jobs: Wine Retail & Sommelier)

Chef Christopher Kostow of The Restaurant at Meadowood has created The Charter Oak as a gathering place for members of our community.

Sommeliers at The Charter Oak will be responsible for serving guests and orchestrating the flow of dining room service. Successful members of the wine team will be polished, poised, comfortable having wine conversations of varying depths, all while balancing their floor and non-floor responsibilities. This position reports to the Head Sommerlier and the General Manager. Sommeliers at the Charter Oak must be capable of assisting Captains in curating each guest experience and managing a station of tables on the dining room floor. If the Head Sommelier is not working, the Sommeliers must be manage the day to day needs of the wine program (POS management, stocking, replenishing, updating staff, etc). Sommeliers are expected to assist with inventory at the close of each financial period as well as other upkeep and administrative tasks throughout the month. Our sommeliers are expected to be constantly growing, learning, and expanding their knowledge base. Finally, it is crucial that this position act as an ambassador to the Napa Valley community by building relationships with vendors, winemakers, industry professionals, and locals.

Sommelier Responsibilities: 90% Service / 10% Administrative

General Qualifications:

• Minimum of 3 years experience in Front of House, full-service dining room operations
• Previous experience working as a floor sommelier, or retail wine sales, are encouraged but not required assuming you can provide adequate working knowledge of our wine list and basic food and wine pairing
• Court of Master Sommeliers, WSET, or similar certification programs are encouraged, but not required
• Must be able to demonstrate an extensive depth of knowledge on wine, specifically Napa, California, Burgundy, and other “classic” regions
• Must be comfortable with basic financial calculations and controls including pricing wines correctly, conducting inventory, etc
• Comfort and confidence speaking directly with individuals and leading group discussions
• Approach service with an eye to detail and an always be improving mentality

Financials:

• Have a sound understanding of how we price wines and how to effectively manage cost in a high volume restaurant
• Assist in holding our team accountable for their average check and item sales goals
• Assist in controlling inventory through pour size and responsible service guidelines

Administrative:

• Assist with implementing wine training for new and existing staff members
• Provide constructive input on the pairings, BTG, and bottle programs to best match menu offerings and price points
• Ensure the POS (TOAST) is up to date and accurate for staff