Life is short, and the list of things to do long. But Magandeep Singh is happy that he has been able to do what he’d fancied all along. “It was my dream to be able to speak fluent French. My passion for the culture also led me to the world of wines,” he says. And even after 10 years of going around the globe helping hotels and restaurants with their wine lists and teaching enthusiasts about the nuances of wines, the madness continues. “Why not? You are among the blessed few to have a hobby for a job,” beams the Delhi-based sommelier — a wine expert who works at fine dining restaurants.

W. Shalini, a management trainee at Park Hotel in the capital city, has a different reason for contemplating a career as a sommelier. “It’s an up-and-coming field with great potential. I have done a foundation course, and hope to do a diploma and become a wine consultant,” says the hotel management graduate.

For most Indians, alcohol still means hard drinks such as whisky, rum and vodka. Not surprisingly, it is a somewhat taboo subject. But with a burgeoning middle class and rising disposable incomes, things seem to be changing. Wine as a beverage is making its making its presence felt at the table.

“Slowly but surely, whisky is giving way to wine, and many people are now experimenting with the latter as a beverage that can be consumed along with food. That’s a major shift. In my opinion, there will be many more converts in the coming years,” says Jayant Singh, business head of Vincrest India, New Delhi, an institute that offers courses in the subject. “Wine has a much lower alcohol content. It is also considered classy. No wonder a large section of the urban population fancies it,” says Avijit Barman, CEO of www.thewineclub.in, a Calcutta-based website launched recently.

And if you thought the job of a sommelier or wine steward was all about sniffing, swirling and tasting the drink, think again. “World famous sommeliers prepare wine lists at five-star hotels. These hotels also hire in-house experts who advise diners on which wine to choose. Currently, most of these professionals come from abroad. But in a few years, we will see more and more Indians on the job,” says Vikram Achanta of Tulleeho Wine Academy (TWA), New Delhi.

“Every hotel can find use for such an expert. Others can find work in wineries and airlines,” says Magandeep Singh. “The foundation course I did from the TWA is a great addition to my resume. The certificates and badges come from the London-based Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET). Respect comes easily with this badge,” says Shalini.

India has very few sommeliers, most of whom have trained abroad. But seeing the growing interest here, a few institutes have started offering courses in wine appreciation. There is no minimum qualification for these, and most of them are open for wine enthusiasts and hotel management students.

Some of the courses offered in India are certified by the WSET. “The WSET organises wine education courses around the world and a person certified by the institute is recognised globally,” says Chinmaya Raja of the Wine Academy of India, Chennai. The Wine Club too will start courses soon.

Typically, students are taught sensorial analysis, tasting exercises with several types of wine, blind tasting, knowledge of wine pairing and even marketing skills. The foundation and intermediate courses taught in India may cost anywhere between Rs 2,000 and Rs 30,000. A foundation course lasts a day or two while an intermediate course takes several sessions spanning a week or fortnight. A diploma course, on the other hand, takes two years to complete.

Although the WSET offers courses till level-5 leading to a diploma, most of the institutes in India offer level-1 and level-2 courses because of a paucity of instructors. “The scene, however, is improving with more and more people enrolling in wine academies,” says Jayant Singh.

So what qualification does one need to find work as a sommelier? A level-2 certificate would easily get you a job, say experts. And a fresher with such a qualification can earn anywhere between Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000 a month. But with a few years’ experience, he or she can expect to earn in “in the millions”, says Magandeep Singh.

Singh’s deep interest in the subject also led him to launch his own wine training institute. It’s called the Institute of Wine and Beverage Studies (IWBS) and is located in Delhi. According to him, the IWBS has plans to “formalise wine education” in the country. As for the eligibility criteria, he says, “We don’t want people who know wine; we want those who want to know about wine and are passionate about it. Knowledge of English would definitely help.”

What you earn

• Starting salary: Rs 2-2.5 lakh per annum
• Middle level: Rs 3-5 lakh per annum
• Senior level: Rs 6 lakh and above

WhERE you lEarn

• Wine Academy of India (www.wineacademyofindia.com), Chennai
• Institute of Wine and Beverage Studies (www.iwbs.in), New Delhi
• Tulleeho Wine Academy (www.tulleeho.com/wineacademy), New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai
• Vincrest India (www.vincrest.com)
• Wine Club India (www.thewineclub.in)