Press, Benu, Outside Lands Somms Named Food & Wine's Best

Yoon Ha serving up wine. [Photo: Eric Wolfinger]

Food & Wine announced their 2013 Sommeliers of the Year today, and four folks with local ties made the list: Yoon Ha of Benu, the duo of Kelli White & Scott Brenner of Press, and Outside Lands wine organizer Peter Eastlake (who also did the same job for Brooklyn's Great Googamooga festival). They join other leading lights of the wine world like New York's Joe Campanali (L'Artusi) and Houston's Justin Vann (Oxheart).

Each was cited for a particular area of expertise: Ha was commended for his willingness to pair beer and other non-standard tipples with chef Corey Lee's tasting menu; White and Brenner earned praise for their collection of rare, older Napa wines dating back to the '60s; and Eastlake got the nod for encouraging young people to drink vino and creating all-star winery lineups to match the music lineups at the festivals he curates.

· Sommeliers of the Year: 2013 [Food & Wine]
· Food & Wine Announces Its 2013 Sommeliers of the Year [~ EN ~]