Matt Turner Named Next Wave Sommelier of the Year
The Lei wine director earns top industry honors for his work in New York City.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Wine
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Matt Turner, the wine director at New York City's Lei restaurant, has been named the Next Wave Sommelier of the Year. The recognition highlights his innovative approach to wine service and guest education.
Why it matters
The award recognizes Turner's commitment to building guest trust through an accessible, diverse wine list. His work focuses on encouraging diners to explore less common wine varieties from regions like Greece, China, and Japan.
Lei is a boutique establishment located in New York City that features a total capacity of 28 seats. The restaurant opened in June 2025 and is co-founded by Annie Shi and Patty Lee.
The players
Matt Turner
He is the award-winning wine director at Lei who previously worked at Air's Champagne Parlor and Niche Niche.
Annie Shi
She is one of the co-founders of the New York City restaurant Lei.
Patty Lee
She serves as a co-founder of the wine-focused establishment Lei.
The details
At Lei, Turner oversees a unique service model where all floor staff function as sommeliers to guide the customer experience. He further engages the local community by hosting regular winemaker meet-and-greet events and guest pop-ups.
Timeline
Matt Turner moved to New York City in mid-2020.
The restaurant Lei opened to customers in June 2025.
Matt Turner was named Sommelier of the Year in October 2026.
Culture Shift
This recognition reflects a broader shift toward inclusive, accessible wine culture that rejects stuffy, exclusive tasting environments. By prioritizing guest education, sommeliers are successfully broadening consumer palates beyond traditional Western staples.
Diners in New York City can expect a high level of personalized wine guidance from the staff at Lei. The award may increase demand for the restaurant's guest pop-up events, making early reservations or event tracking advisable for those interested in attending.
The takeaway
The recognition of Turner emphasizes that modern sommeliers are moving away from exclusivity to focus on building long-term trust with guests. Diners should feel empowered to ask questions and try unconventional varieties when visiting restaurants with highly curated lists.
Further reading
Discover more about the evolving local beverage scene in our Wine section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by VinePair.
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When choosing a restaurant, do you prefer trying global wine varieties over traditional selections?
