Become a Sommelier

If you want to become a wine taster (sommelier), I'm pouring this episode just for you! I sits down with wine professional Nathan Bihm to explore what it really takes to become a sommelier now and leading into 2026.

Nathan pulls back the curtain on the daily life of a sommelier, including:

• The behind-the-scenes work most people don’t see
• How to connect with guests and help them choose wine without pressure
• The truth about blind tasting and why humility matters more than wine snobbery
• The realities of working nights, holidays, and tough restaurant shifts
• The step-by-step process for starting your sommelier career (no overthinking required!)

Biggest Takeaway: Becoming a sommelier isn’t about memorizing endless wine facts, it’s about hospitality, consistency, and joining the right community. Nathan shares his best advice for anyone curious about the sommelier path ... I'm not sharing it in the description, you'll have to watch the video for this one!

Whether you’re dreaming of becoming a certified sommelier, interested in blind tasting, or just curious about life in wine hospitality, this episode is full of real-world insights.

Listen now to learn how to become a sommelier in 2026 and discover the biggest takeaways from Nathan’s journey.

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Timestamp:
0:00 - Intro
0:20 - How do you even say sommelier?
1:04 - What does a sommelier, wine professional, actually do?
3:05 - The magic of helping customers find a perfect wine.
7:35 - Other responsibilities of a sommelier
9:48 - How does a person become a sommelier?
21:11 - Magic and Wine
21:43 - Being "The Wine Guy"
23:44 - The biggest barrier to becoming a sommelier
24:42 - Talent has the floor
27:20 - Outro

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Guest Information:

Nathan Bihm

• Receive a free one on one Strengthsfinder session and 10% off of Gallup's Strengthsfinder Assessment

Also Mentioned Directly or Indirectly in This Episode:

• The Incredible Story of Glenda Benevides, Grammy Nominee
• What It's Really Like to Be a Studio Audio Engineer – With Eric Astor
• The Magic of Making a Career as a Magician
• Pediatric Neurologist and ICU Physician

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