Sommelier in Denver, Colorado at Noble Steakhouse LLC

WHY NOBLE

Noble is a modern Colorado steakhouse that reimagines classic fine dining through luxury hospitality, exceptional ingredients, and a vibrant, celebratory atmosphere. Our team creates polished, memorable experiences that feel personal rather than scripted. We value craftsmanship, genuine connection, professionalism, accountability, and the confidence to anticipate what a guest needs before they ask.

JOB OVERVIEW

The Sommelier is a guest-facing wine professional and a steward of Noble’s beverage culture. Under the direction of restaurant leadership, the Sommelier elevates the dining experience through thoughtful recommendations, precise wine service, confident product knowledge, and genuine hospitality. This role supports wine sales, team education, cellar organization, inventory accuracy, and responsible alcohol service while protecting the guest’s preferences, budget, and trust.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Engage guests with warmth, discretion, and confidence to understand preferences, occasion, budget, and dining selections before recommending wines.
• Present the wine list in an approachable manner and translate complex regions, grapes, vintages, producers, and styles into clear language tailored to each guest’s level of interest.
• Make thoughtful wine recommendations and pairings that enhance the cuisine, support the guest’s stated preferences, and build value without pressure or unnecessary upselling.
• Execute all wine-service procedures with precision, including presenting bottles, confirming producer and vintage, opening still and sparkling wine, assessing condition, offering tastes, decanting when appropriate, selecting proper glassware, and maintaining correct service temperatures.
• Recognize potential wine faults or bottle-condition concerns, communicate professionally with the guest, and involve management promptly when replacement, adjustment, or service recovery is appropriate.
• Support servers and bartenders during service by responding promptly to wine questions, assisting with selections, opening and decanting bottles, and helping coordinate beverage timing.
• Maintain active awareness of the dining room, identify opportunities for wine engagement, and prioritize requests based on guest needs, service timing, and operational urgency.
• Demonstrate comprehensive and continuously developing knowledge of Noble’s wine list, including appellations, vintages, producers, farming and winemaking practices, varietal character, and stylistic differences.
• Maintain working knowledge of the full beverage and culinary programs so recommendations account for cocktails, spirits, beer, zero-proof offerings, steaks, sauces, seafood, appetizers, sides, and desserts.
• Participate in pre-shift meetings, tastings, staff education, and menu rollouts; communicate concise, practical selling points and service notes that the team can confidently use with guests.
• Assist leadership with ongoing wine education, including service drills, producer and regional training, tasting calibration, pairing discussions, and coaching on responsible, accurate recommendations.
• Protect the accuracy of all wine transactions by verifying bottle selections, vintages, prices, table and seat positions, discounts, transfers, voids, comps, and point-of-sale entries.
• Assist with receiving, inspecting, organizing, stocking, rotating, and storing wine according to Company standards, including proper temperature, security, bin location, and handling.
• Help maintain accurate wine lists, cellar maps, bin locations, vintage changes, out-of-stock notes, and point-of-sale information; promptly report discrepancies to leadership.
• Participate in periodic inventory counts, variance research, breakage documentation, transfers, and other controls designed to protect beverage cost and Company assets.
• Maintain wine-service equipment, glassware, decanters, carts, storage areas, and workstations in a clean, polished, organized, and service-ready condition.
• Follow all responsible alcohol-service requirements and Company policies; recognize signs of intoxication, avoid overservice, and immediately involve management when service should be delayed or discontinued.
• Accurately report and participate in the location’s lawful tip-pooling and tip-claiming procedures as communicated by the Company.
• Protect guest privacy and Company confidential information, including guest preferences, reservation details, purchasing information, pricing, inventory data, vendor terms, and operating procedures.
• Present a polished appearance in the complete approved uniform and demonstrate respectful, composed, and courteous conduct with guests, coworkers, vendors, distributors, and leadership.
• Perform other duties and support other service positions as assigned based on business volume and operational needs.

NOBLE SOMMELIER STANDARDS

STANDARD EXPECTED BEHAVIOR

Approachability Make wine engaging and understandable; adapt the depth and vocabulary of the conversation to the guest.

Precision Protect producer, cuvée, vintage, price, temperature, glassware, opening, decanting, and pouring standards.

Curiosity Continue tasting, studying, and asking questions; never allow credentials to replace active learning.

Commercial Judgment Balance hospitality and salesmanship while respecting the guest’s budget and protecting beverage cost.

Ownership Remain accountable for the recommendation, bottle condition, service sequence, and resolution of concerns.

Teamwork Build server confidence, communicate without ego, and treat every table as a shared responsibility.

Stewardship Care for the cellar, inventory, equipment, and guest information as valuable Company assets.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education / Certifications

• High school diploma or equivalent preferred.
• Formal wine education or certification through an established organization such as the Court of Master Sommeliers, Wine & Spirit Education Trust, Society of Wine Educators, or equivalent program strongly preferred.
• Must meet all legal age requirements for serving alcoholic beverages and maintain any food-handler, responsible alcohol-service, or other certifications required by law or Company policy.

Experience

• Previous sommelier, wine-steward, captain, or wine-focused serving experience in an upscale, fine-dining, steakhouse, or high-volume restaurant strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with tableside wine sales and service, including sparkling wine, mature bottles, decanting, food pairing, and guest recovery.
• Experience with wine inventory, cellar organization, receiving, point-of-sale systems, and beverage-cost controls preferred.

Knowledge / Skills

• Advanced working knowledge of major wine regions, grape varieties, appellations, producers, vintages, wine styles, service temperatures, glassware, storage, and food-and-wine pairing.
• Ability to blind taste and assess wine condition at a level appropriate to the role, including recognizing common faults and communicating concerns professionally.
• Excellent verbal communication, listening, sales, organization, judgment, and attention to detail.
• Ability to teach technical information clearly, coach peers respectfully, and support a team with varied levels of wine knowledge.
• Ability to prioritize multiple guest and operational demands, remain calm under pressure, and use tact in sensitive or high-value service situations.
• Working knowledge of restaurant financial controls, inventory practices, responsible alcohol service, sanitation, and luxury-service standards.
• Ability to read and understand wine labels, vintage charts, invoices, inventory sheets, menus, guest checks, POS screens, written instructions, allergy notes, and training materials in the language(s) required to perform the role safely and effectively.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

• The requirements below are representative of those necessary to perform the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made for qualified individuals with disabilities.
• Stand and walk for prolonged periods throughout preparation, service, inventory, and closing duties, frequently traveling throughout the dining room, bar, kitchen, cellar, and storage areas.
• Frequently bend, reach, balance, stoop, crouch, climb short step stools, grasp, and use repetitive hand and wrist motions to handle bottles, operate POS equipment, and perform cellar and service duties.
• Lift, push, pull, and carry up to 50 pounds, including wine cases, racks, service carts, glassware, beverage containers, and small equipment, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Safely carry, present, open, decant, and pour wine in crowded and dimly lit dining-room conditions.
• Hear and communicate effectively in a busy environment with music, kitchen noise, and multiple simultaneous conversations.
• Work indoors in a fast-paced restaurant and storage environment with exposure to varying temperatures, wet floors, broken glass, cleaning chemicals, sharp tools, and heavy or high-value inventory.
• Work a flexible schedule that may include evenings, weekends, holidays, extended shifts, inventory periods, special events, and periods of high business volume.

EMPLOYMENT EXPECTATIONS

• Maintain regular and punctual attendance and follow established call-off and scheduling procedures.
• Accurately record all time worked. Working off the clock is prohibited, and overtime requires advance authorization while remaining payable when worked.
• Comply with the Noble Employee Handbook, all training materials, Company directives, safety rules, dress and appearance standards, anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, confidentiality obligations, and all applicable laws.
• Immediately report workplace injuries, unsafe conditions, suspected harassment or discrimination, wage concerns, inventory irregularities, alcohol-service concerns, or other policy violations through the appropriate reporting channels.
• Remain free from impairment while working, on Company premises, or representing the Company.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Hourly Wage: USD $16.27 per hour

Classification: Non-Exempt; Tipped Position

Noble may apply the tip credit permitted by applicable law. The employee’s hourly wage plus tips must equal at least the applicable minimum wage. If earnings fall below that amount, Noble Steakhouse will pay the difference.

Team benefits include:

• Structured training programs and pathways for professional growth.
• A 25% dining discount at participating concepts within the Lotus portfolio.
• Accrual of paid sick leave as mandated by Colorado state statutes.
• Access to Colorado FAMLI and federal FMLA leave programs for eligible employees.
• Comprehensive health, dental, vision, life, and accident coverage upon meeting eligibility requirements.
• Optional Total Advantage Package, providing telehealth, healthcare advocacy, and financial wellness support.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed and is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Duties may change based on business needs. Employment with the Company is at will unless otherwise stated in a written agreement signed by authorized Company leadership. Nothing in this job description creates a contract of employment or alters the at-will relationship.

Noble Steakhouse / Lotus Concepts is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified applicants and employees in accordance with applicable law.