The hostess did not recognize him and said there were no tables available, but he could eat at the bar. He declined and left the restaurant. Reservations are recommended even if you're Bill Gates. The short answer is you have to drink a lot of wine and remember what you drink. Sommelier means wine steward or simply wine guy.
Lists can be very intimidating even for the most experienced diner.
I help eliminate the fear factor by being on available during service to explain the different wines, what they taste like and offer suggestions on wines that you may want to try. As you look at a list that can be any where from just a few wine to over 2500 wines there are probably a good number of wines you have never heard of, but I can assist you in determining what you are looking for and what will fit your budget. Wine does not have to be expensive to be a great bottle of wine. Most people don't know that its one of the best red Zinfandels on the market today. When you are looking for a wine to enjoy with your meal you do not have to try 300 different wines.