Corpus Christi College has hired a cellar worker to manage its fine wines and serve the best vintages to students and staff.

The worker will be employed to manage wine stocks and “assist with wine selections”.

The Corpus connoisseur will be paid a £12,921 salary, on a part-time schedule of 21.5 hours a week.

In an advert from last November, the College said applicants must “possess knowledge and passion for fine wines” and listed their main duties as “ensuring adequate refreshments are selected and available”.

“The successful candidate will have previous relevant experience, possess knowledge and passion for fine wines, be prepared to undertake additional wine training, have great organisational skills and be physically fit as the role requires significant levels of manual handling in and out of cellars,” the advert said.

Corpus' dining experience has not always been so luxurious, as a kitchen crisis in 2021 left students without breakfast and with a reduced number of formals after the resignation of their catering manager. 

Cambridge colleges are renowned for their wine cellars with Trinity College having a collection said to be worth more than £1.6 million, and King’s College boasting a collection of more than 50,000 bottles.

Furthermore, in the three academic years from 2010 until 2013, a total of 30 Cambridge colleges spent £7.9 million on wine, according to a Freedom of Information request.

Colleges’ cellar stocks are used for events put on for external groups, for purchase by past and present members of the college or for use at internal dinners to mark events such as graduation or admission as a fellow. Some of the wine is also sold on.

The role has raised questions around the excessive spending of Oxbridge colleges whilst other universities struggle financially. According to the sector’s regulator, 30 universities reported financial losses in the last academic year, amid fears that this number could triple in the next 12 months.