Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wine Sales Representative

🎯 Role Definition

As a Wine Sales Representative you will be the primary commercial ambassador for our wine portfolio within an assigned territory. You will build and nurture relationships with distributors, on-premise (restaurants, hotels, bars) and off-premise (retail, specialty stores) accounts, execute trade and consumer-facing activations, and deliver consistent year-over-year revenue growth. This role combines consultative selling, trade marketing, event execution, and compliance with local alcohol regulations to expand distribution, increase velocity, and protect margin.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Brand Ambassador / Wine Educator
Retail Sales Associate (liquor store, wine shop)
Sommelier, Bartender or Hospitality Supervisor

Advancement To:

Territory Manager / Senior Sales Representative
Regional Sales Manager / Area Sales Manager
National Account Manager or Director of Sales

Lateral Moves:

Distributor Sales Manager
Trade Marketing Manager
Events & Experiential Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop and execute a territory sales plan that prioritizes new account acquisition, distribution growth, and targeted velocity gains across on-premise and off-premise channels to meet and exceed monthly, quarterly, and annual sales targets.
Build and maintain strong, consultative relationships with key decision-makers at restaurants, hotels, bars, retailers, and distributor partners to secure listings, promotional placements, and favorable shelf or wine list positioning.
Manage day-to-day distributor relationships: coordinate with distributor sales teams, track PO fulfillment, escalate out-of-stock issues, and collaborate to implement joint business plans that expand reach and improve product turn.
Plan and lead in-store and on-premise tastings, staff trainings, winemaker dinners, and consumer-facing events to drive trial, educate trade staff, and convert trial into repeat sales and long-term accounts.
Execute trade marketing programs and point-of-sale (POS) initiatives including shelf talkers, signage, special displays, and promotional pricing, ensuring accurate deployment and measuring lift and ROI.
Conduct regular account calls with a disciplined route schedule, maintaining CRM records for call notes, order history, activity plans, and follow-ups to maintain pipeline visibility and forecast accuracy.
Negotiate pricing, promotions, listing terms, and contract details with both retailers and distributors while protecting margin and adhering to brand strategy and trade budgets.
Analyze sales performance and market trends using sales reports, POS data, and distributor feedback to identify growth opportunities, underperforming SKUs, and competitive threats; propose corrective action plans.
Manage sample inventory and logistics: coordinate shipping, tasting samples, and compliance paperwork for on-premise and retail activations while tracking sample ROI.
Implement and maintain compliance with all federal, state, and local alcohol laws and regulations (age verification, licensing) and company policies; educate accounts on legal responsibilities where needed.
Prepare and present compelling sales presentations, pipeline updates, and business reviews to internal stakeholders including sales leadership, marketing, and finance.
Forecast demand, communicate inventory needs to distributors, and participate in replenishment planning to minimize stockouts and optimize shelf availability during promotional windows.
Lead collaborative promotional planning with brand marketing to align product launches, seasonal campaigns, and digital promotions with field activity to maximize reach and conversion.
Drive cross-functional initiatives with logistics, customer service, and finance to resolve billing discrepancies, delivery issues, and special order requests to preserve relationships and expedite resolution.
Coach and train retail staff, bartenders, and distributor representatives on product attributes, tasting notes, food pairings, and upsell techniques to increase attach rates and average transaction values.
Capture and report competitive intelligence—pricing, promotions, new SKUs, and merchandising tactics—providing actionable recommendations to protect or expand market share.
Secure and expand placement in national and regional account chains through coordinated outreach, promotional calendars, and demonstration of incremental revenue potential.
Execute promotional calendars and manage trade spend within allocated budgets while tracking lift, redemption rates, and ROI for all in-field activations.
Maintain professional representation of the brand at trade shows, industry tastings, wine competitions, and local association events to strengthen network and visibility.
Build and maintain a healthy sales pipeline by prospecting new accounts via cold calling, email outreach, networking, and referrals; convert prospects into long-term accounts with documented growth plans.
Manage route optimization and time management to maximize face-to-face selling time while ensuring timely administrative updates and expense reporting.
Lead special projects as assigned, including new SKU launches, seasonal program rollouts, and targeted distribution initiatives that align with strategic brand goals.
Provide exceptional post-sale service to key accounts, including handling complaints, coordinating promotions, and ensuring consistent product quality and presentation.

Secondary Functions

Support marketing teams with field feedback to refine creative assets, POS design, and promotional messaging for better in-market performance.
Assist in building digital and social activations by providing local content, customer testimonials, and event coverage to amplify brand reach.
Participate in weekly sales meetings and quarterly planning sessions to align territory tactics with national objectives and promotional calendars.
Help prepare merchandising plans and store visit checklists that optimize facings, shelf layout, and in-venue visibility for premium SKUs.
Facilitate ad-hoc consumer insights collection through feedback at tastings and events to inform product development and pricing decisions.
Maintain accurate expense reports, sample documentation, and compliance records to support audits and distributor reconciliation.
Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives by documenting best practices for tastings, account onboarding, and distributor coordination.
Provide mentorship to junior sales colleagues or brand ambassadors during large events and multi-market promotions.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Territory and route management with proven ability to plan and execute daily, weekly, and monthly call cycles.
Distributor relations and field-level distributor coordination (ability to build joint business plans and resolve fulfillment issues).
Proficiency with CRM systems (Salesforce preferred) for pipeline management, call logging, forecasting, and reporting.
Sales forecasting, POS data analysis, and basic sales analytics (Excel proficiency: pivot tables, v-lookups, charting).
Trade marketing execution: POS deployment, promotional calendar management, and measurement of trade spend ROI.
Account negotiation skills including contract terms, pricing strategies, and promotional structuring.
Event planning and execution for tastings, staff trainings, and winemaker dinners—logistics, sampling, and guest management.
Knowledge of wine regions, varietals, winemaking techniques, tasting notes, and food pairings; sommelier certification is a plus.
Understanding of beverage alcohol compliance, licensing, age verification, and local/state regulations.
Digital and social promotion coordination including local listings, event pages, and basic content contribution for brand channels.
Inventory management fundamentals: forecasting, stock rotation, and distributor replenishment planning.

Soft Skills

Outstanding interpersonal and relationship-building skills; comfortable engaging sommeliers, beverage directors, buyers, and distributor sales teams.
Persuasive presentation and public-speaking skills for tastings, staff trainings, and client meetings.
Self-motivated, resilient, and goal-oriented with a strong hunter mentality for new account acquisition.
Excellent organizational and time-management abilities to balance field calls, events, and administrative tasks.
Strong problem-solving mindset with the ability to de-escalate issues and negotiate mutually beneficial outcomes.
Adaptability and flexibility to work evenings or weekends for events and to cover territory needs.
Collaborative team player capable of aligning with marketing, logistics, and finance to achieve results.
Attention to detail in merchandising, order follow-up, and compliance documentation.
Professional demeanor and presentation; ability to represent premium brands with authenticity and knowledge.
Customer-service focus with a commitment to post-sale satisfaction and relationship longevity.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent; valid driver's license and reliable transportation.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's degree in Business, Hospitality, Marketing, Viticulture, or related field; certifications such as WSET (Level 2 or above) or sommelier credentials strongly preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Business Administration
Hospitality Management
Viticulture & Enology
Marketing / Communications
Food & Beverage Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–5 years in B2B sales or field sales within wine, spirits, beverage alcohol, or hospitality channels.

Preferred: 3–7 years of progressive experience specifically selling wine or beverages in on-premise and off-premise channels, with demonstrated success managing distributor relationships, executing tastings and trade programs, and consistently achieving sales targets.