Best of Boston

2015 Best Sommelier

Colleen Hein, Eastern Standard

A wine list heavy on bubbles, burgundy, and cru Beaujolais could be a bit overwhelming for the casual tippler. But Eastern Standard virtuoso Colleen Hein has a hands-on approach to demystifying wine, and a crack team of servers she educates through blind tastings and regular premeal briefings. Hein also hosts some of the wine world’s biggest luminaries (such as last fall’s tasting with Champagne’s Vincent Laval), lively public classes, and, of course, ES’s Monday Night Cellar Selections program, which offers a rotating roster of quality aged bottles at little to no markup.

528 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, 617-532-9100, easternstandardboston.com