A Day in the Life of a Wine Expert

The role of Wine Expert at Humble Grape is no mean feat. The sought after job sees our wine professionals taking on the tough task of tasting new wines, compiling our extensive wine lists, running wine tastings and very soon educating new wine connoisseurs through our Wine School. It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it.

Introducing one of our wine experts

One of our lucky experts in wines is Carlos Santos, Operations Manager at Humble Grape. Carlos worked in the hospitality sector for years and had always been a wine lover at heart before he joined us in 2017 as the General Manager of HG Battersea. Ever since, he’s been on an exciting wine journey with other wine lovers and wine specialists at Humble Grape.

Carlos Santos, Operations Manager

What does a regular day for a Humble Grape wine expert involve?

Well, firstly, it starts with a good cup of coffee (everyone needs an energy booster in the morning!).

Our daily routines are busy and full of activities, from writing wine lists for the venues, to tasting samples from new producers, to training and running wine tastings for all levels. We cover every bit of wine knowledge from beginner through to the newest trends, and serious conversations about climate change, sustainability and how it impacts the wine world.

Where did your love of wine and wine tasting begin?

I’ve always been exposed to wine, because of my family background. My passion for wine was really rekindled at work; at that time, I was working as a waiter at a fine dining restaurant in Westminster when the sommelier let me try a sample of a Gevrey Chambertin 1999 (one of the great vintages of the 90’s). That Pinot Noir was so fantastic that I decided to learn more about wine and become an expert in wine.

How did you get a job in the wine industry?

My first job in wine was with Humble Grape. I had worked as a General Manager of restaurants and cocktail bars for many years, being exposed to great wines and working with skilled wine tasters and passionate wine connoisseurs. One day, I saw Humble Grape was looking for a General Manager and took it as a great way to expand my wine knowledge.

What wine qualifications or certifications do you need to be a wine expert?

Before any qualifications or certifications, the first step to becoming a wine expert is a passion for wine and a thirst for learning. The second step for any wine lover in their quest to learn about wine is to enrol into a wine education program - the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) offer a comprehensive portfolio of courses and certifications that will give any wine connoisseur a very solid wine knowledge.

What is your favourite part about working at Humble Grape?

There are two aspects of being a wine professional at Humble Grape that excite me every day: discovering new and exciting small producers who work sustainably and produce some truly fantastic wines. I also have the pleasure to work with a wonderful bunch of wine lovers and very skilled wine tasters.

Want to become a wine expert at Humble Grape?

Being a wine expert at Humble Grape is fun, rewarding and exciting. We get to talk directly to the people who work the vineyards and make the wines and listen to their stories and their passion for what they do; some of our producers are part of a long line of winemakers, some of them dating back to the 1700’s!

The first step in becoming a wine expert at Humble Grape is looking at the career opportunities we have available at the moment (just click on the link below!). We offer plenty of training, tastings and - very soon - our Wine School will reopen, offering WSET qualifications (watch this space). Check out our current career opportunities.

Just looking to learn about wine as a hobby?

However, if you love wine and want to an expert in wine or if you just want to learn more about wine for fun, Humble Grape has a series of fun, entertaining and educating wine tasting events, hosted by our wine specialists - just click on the link below to start your journey into wine with us!

Have a question about getting a job in wine?

If you are interested in working for Humble Grape and would like to know more information about any of our open roles, then please visit our careers page.

Or, if you have any general enquiries then check out our FAQ page.