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Mark Sayre / Sommelier

TRIO wine director Mark Sayre had not yet reached his 30th birthday when the Texas Sommelier Association and Food and Wine Foundation of Texas named him the "Best Sommelier in Texas" in 2007. Not surprising for the now 30-something Sayre, who is currently poised to become one of the youngest members of the international Court of Master Sommeliers, an elite group of wine professionals with a mere 170 members worldwide.

"The key to great wine is balance," says Sayre with an ageless wisdom matched only by his passion for the fruit of the vine. "The same is true for a great wine program." Whether it's an icon of Burgundy, a benchmark of Barolo, or a California cult Cabernet Sauvignon, balance is the hallmark of Sayre's hand-picked list, which consists of 260 wines, with a remarkable 34 selections offered by the glass.

It all began with a taste of regal Gattinara in the Italian restaurant where Sayre landed his first job in the restaurant world in his native Houston. "I liked it so much," explains Sayre, "that I felt compelled to share the experience with my customers."

Today, Mark shares his knowledge through his stewardship of what is widely regarded as one of the top wine programs in the southwestern U.S. 
Whether it's Champagne ("the perfect food-friendly beverage," he says), grand cru Burgundy ("a crystalline windowpane that allows terroir to shine through"), or single-vineyard Barolo ("a category that has seen a quality renaissance"), Mark selects wines that will transport guests to the places where those wines are made. His goal is to provide "a voyage in a glass," poured nightly along the banks of Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas.

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