Entry Level Wine Jobs in Arizona (NOW HIRING)

Sales Representative — Phoenix Metro
Quail Distributing | Full-Time
Who We Are
Quail Distributing is a fine wine and craft beer wholesaler representing some of the most thoughtful international and domestic producers pouring in Arizona today. We partner with the best independent restaurants, hotels, bars, and bottle shops across the state — and our brand promise is simple: we are your partner for success.
We're not the biggest wholesaler in Arizona, and we don't want to be. As our industry leans harder into automation and transactional selling, we're leaning the other way — into hospitality, service, and genuine relationships. That's our edge, and it always will be.
The Territory
This is a Phoenix Metro territory covering Phoenix proper and the West Valley, and it's built for a rep who genuinely enjoys variety.
One hour you're walking into a neighborhood bottle shop where the owner wants to hear the story behind a small producer. The next, you're stopping at a family-run convenience store to check in on the beer cooler. And the hour after that, you're sitting down with a chef at a higher-profile restaurant talking about pairing wines for their next menu.
If that mix sounds like fun rather than whiplash, this territory is for you. It rewards reps who can adapt without losing themselves — the same warmth, the same follow-through, the same care, just tuned to who's in front of you.
Who We're Looking For
This role sits in the middle of our team — not entry-level, not senior. We're looking for someone with a real foundation to build on. That could look like a few different things:ALL A rep with a couple of years of wine or beer sales experience who's ready to own a bigger book
A sommelier, wine director, or beverage manager who's been running programs and is ready to move to the distribution side
A restaurant or retail manager with strong wine or beer knowledge and the people skills to prove it
What matters more than the exact title on your resume is what you've actually done. Have you built real relationships with buyers or guests? Do you know how to read a room? Can you talk about wine or beer in a way that makes someone excited about what they're drinking? Can you handle a hard “no” and come back next week ready to earn a “yes”? If yes, we should talk.
How Growth Works Here
Every rep at Quail is measured on a simple metric twice a year: sales-to-salary at 7%. As you grow your book, your base salary can get recalibrated to match, and we will always pay-out any surplus on that metric twice annually. Every rep on the team sits on the same track.
Your starting salary is a starting point, not a ceiling. The runway ahead is defined by the work you put in and the relationships you build across a genuinely diverse book.
We're a small company, so we're not opening management roles anytime soon. Growth here is monetary and measured in the reputation you build in the Arizona wine and beer community. For the right person, that's exactly the appeal.
The Day-to-Day
A typical week looks like:
Time in your vehicle covering Phoenix and the West Valley
Face-to-face time with a wide mix of buyers — owners, managers, sommeliers, and beverage directors alike
Tastings with winemakers and brewers when they're in market — and occasionally trips to visit them where they make the wine or beer
Weekend and evening tasting events (the fun kind, mostly)
Sales meetings with a team that genuinely roots for each other
We're also piloting AI tools to take admin work off your plate. The goal isn't to replace what you do — it's the opposite. We want you spending more time in front of accounts and less time in spreadsheets. While bigger competitors are using technology to reduce the human side of this business, we're using it to protect ours.
You won't make supplier decisions, but if you've got a point of view on a gap in the portfolio, we want to hear it. Our best ideas come from the field.
What We Live By
Four behaviors guide everything we do:
Caring — we're invested in our customers' success, not just the sale
Curiosity — we ask great questions and seek to truly understand
Persistence — we follow through, follow up, and don't give up
Authenticity — we're real, honest, and human in every interaction
If those resonate, you'll fit right in.
Compensation & Benefits
We believe in being upfront about money, because guessing games waste everyone's time.
Base salary: $65,000–$75,000, depending on experience
Salary reviews: Measured twice yearly on a 7% sales-to-salary metric — grow your book, grow your compensation
Surplus Bonuses: Twice-yearly bonus opportunities for overproducing on your goals
Profit sharing: 25% of company profit goes back into a profit-sharing pool. Employees become eligible at the 2-year mark.
Vehicle allowance: $6,000/year
Phone allowance: ~$50/month
Expense account: Scaled to your production
Health insurance: Quail covers ~85% of employee premium. Dependent coverage available at employee cost.
401(k): Available (no company match)
PTO: Two weeks at year 1, three weeks at year 5. Plus Arizona-compliant sick leave that pays out if unused.
Qualifications
Genuine passion for wine and craft beer, and solid working knowledge of both
A background in wine or beer sales, sommelier work, wine program management, or hospitality/retail leadership — something that shows you've built real customer relationships
Comfort moving between different kinds of accounts — mom-and-pop bottle shops one hour, higher-profile restaurants the next
Existing relationships in the Phoenix or West Valley markets are a strong plus
Currently residing in the Phoenix metro area
Self-motivated, organized, and reliable — you can run your own territory like it's your own business
Comfortable with basic technology (we'll set you up with the rest)
How to Apply
Send a resume and a short note about yourself to partnerforsuccess@quailaz.com
Job category: Sales and Marketing