Re-locating to Paso or Sonoma

Hey everybody! I’ve decided to try and relocate near either the Sonoma Valley or Paso Robles with the goal of learning about, gaining experience, and hopefully make a living in the wine industry. The plan is to move to one of these regions and spend a couple of years learning on the go with whatever work I can find in wineries/tasting rooms (I don’t have experience in the industry other than working at Trader Joe’s for years where we sell a lot of wine). Basically I just have a passion for wine, have always dreamed about working in the industry, and want to give it a shot.

I’m just wondering if anyone whose come up through the wine industry without much experience or a wine related degree (I have no desire to go back to school) can offer some advice. Or if anyone has lived or worked in either of these regions and has opinions on which would have more opportunities that would be helpful as well.

Thanks!!!

hey Wiil -

i took a similar path to enter the wine industry - no degree in oenology/viticulture and no prior experience outside of customer service - so here are a few suggestions:

  • if possible, get on as a Harvest Intern. it will be invaluable insofar as how much you will learn on the production side of the equation, and is one of the best ways to get “experience” in the industry. in addition to that, you’ll meet a lot of people in the process which may/can/will open doors down the road as your career progresses.

  • try to figure out in advance where you’d like to end up, i.e. do you want to work in production, tasting room, hospitality, out in the vineyard, distributor/broker, somm, etc.? your path will likely to be long and winding with many opportunities, and by starting with a focus on a particular part of the industry it may be easier to find a position.

  • aside from being a harvest intern, one of the other most common entry positions is to work in a tasting room. to this end: be ready to work weekends, holidays, and special events; be ready to take part-time (or multiple part-time) positions to start…it’s likely what will be available; try not to limit yourself to working in one specific region (e.g. if you live in Sonoma, and find a job in Healdsburg - appox 1 hr away - be prepared to commute); “bigger” wineries will probably have more TR positions compared to “smaller” outfits.

  • taste, taste, taste, and learn. with no previous experience in the industry, having a solid, basic understanding of wines and the regions of origin goes a long way. i’ve had numerous candidates come in for interviews and listen to them explain how “passionate” they are about wine, yet have trouble naming three red Rhone grapes. having a basic understanding will show that you are serious about what you are doing.

  • winejobs.com is your friend.

if you have specific questions, i’m happy to answer here or you can PM.

good luck!

Thanks Paul. Those are really good points

Get this: Amazon.com

Wish I had the guts to do this. Cheers to you.