What's the Word

So what or who exactly is a sommelier? Beyond being a super-informed wine steward, you apparently have to be a pack animal driver. Or maybe be THE pack animal itself? Well not really. Just kidding.

Etymology of the word from Merriam-Webster:

Pronunciation: \ˌsə-məl-ˈyā\

Function:

noun

Inflected Form(s):

plural sommeliers \-ˈyā(z)\

Etymology:

French, from Middle French soumelier official charged with transportation of supplies, from Old French, pack animal driver, probably alteration of *sommerier, from somier pack animal, from Medieval Latin saugmarius, from Late Latin sagma packsaddle — more at sumpter

Date: 1829

So if that didn't help explain what a sommelier is or does, then here's this great paragraph that I filched from Wiki:

A sommelier (pronounced /sɔməˈlje/ or suh-mal-'yAy), or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, commonly working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service. The role is more specialized and informed than that of a wine waiter.

Their principal work is in the area of wine procurement, storage, and wine cellar rotation. They are also responsible for the development of wine lists and are responsible overall for the delivery of wine service and training for the other restaurant staff. Working along with the culinary team, they pair and suggest wines that will best complement each particular food menu item. This entails the necessity for a deep knowledge of how food and wine, beer, spirits and other beverages work in harmony. It could be argued that the role of a sommelier in fine dining today is strategically on par with that of the executive chef or chef de cuisine. A professional sommelier also works on the floor of the restaurant and is in direct contact with restaurant patrons. The sommelier has a responsibility to work within the taste preference and budget parameters of the patron.

In modern times, a sommelier's role is considered much broader than working only with wines, and must encompass all aspects of the restaurant's service, with an enhanced focus on wines, beers, spirits, soft-drinks, cocktails, mineral waters, and tobaccos. Some restaurants will employ a sommelier for water, one for whiskies, one for cigars, and so on.

To bad that simply being knowledgeable about wines and stuff doesn't make you a sommelier, because Jenny and I have been doing mad research and we surely have accumulated enough data to fill at least one page of a book, and if that doesn't make us sommeliers, well, I don't know what will.

What I know now is that a sommelier basically has to know everything there is to know about wines and wine service.

That sounds easy. Sure.