In the restaurant we ordered hors d'oeuvres and beer. The sommelier brought the beer, tall, beaded on the outside of the steins, and cold. There were a dozen different dishes of hors d'oeuvres.
-- Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises
If the wine list is not online, drop by the restaurant in advance, look over the list and talk with the sommelier. It's a small investment in time that will pay big dividends.
-- Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher, "Ordering for a Business Meal", Wall Street Journal, October 17, 2009
Origin:
Sommelier derives from French, from Old French, "officer in charge of provisions, pack-animal driver," alteration of sommerier, from sommier," beast of burden," from Vulgar Latin saumārius.
\suhm-uhl-YEY; Fr. saw-muh-LYEY\ , noun;