The same ease you reach in dealing with sommeliers in restaurants should be reached when dealing with The Wine Merchant. Some stores sell stationery.
Wine stores sell wine, and of course their owners and employees know a lot about the merchandise.
Even a wine expert would be foolish not to listen carefully to what wine merchants have to say about the wine they stock. You must first ascertain that the wine merchant has something to say to you personally. Many merchants run fine, well-stocked stores but may, unfortunately, have entirely different taste in wine than you. If you don't know your palate yet, size up a shop by taking the merchant's advice several times as a test. If the merchant's selections fit your taste and your pocketbook, you've got a shop.