A founding member of the Houston Sommelier Association and partner in the hugely popular Camerata at Paulie's wine bar, David Keck goes above and beyond his day-to-day responsibilities of running a bar. He has been instrumental in putting the Houston wine scene on the map, working with small producers and boutique distributors to bring hard-to-find wines to town. He is a mentor and a leader, inspiring a younger generation of wine and beverage professionals to better themselves through study and advanced certification. Then, right on the heels of being named one of Food and Wine magazine's Sommeliers of the Year, he achieved the highest level of certification possible in his field, passing the Court of Master Sommeliers exams to become the second master sommelier in Houston and one of only 230 master sommeliers in the world. There's no doubt about it: David Keck is one of the best sommeliers Houston has ever seen, and 2016 is his year.
READERS' CHOICE: Adele Corrigan of 13 Celsius