South Florida Food 50: Luis Mejia of La Mar

Luis Mejia, Sommelier at La Mar at the Mandarin Oriental

Why he’s in the Food 50: Luis Mejia doesn’t just sell you wine — he makes you giddy about it. He stole the dining-room show at J&G Grill in the St. Regis Bal Harbour, bouncing on his toes as he compared the mineral-like qualities of a German riesling to the salinity of an oyster, or animatedly describing the terroir of an obscure wine region in Croatia. As of last week, the Colombian-American somm is at La Mar, home to fellow Food 50 honoree chef Diego Oka. Go for dinner, ask Mejia what on his wine list he’s most excited about that night, and enjoy the show.

Where to find him: La Mar at the Mandarin Oriental, 500 Brickell Key Dr., Miami.

Web: mandarinoriental.com/miami

Social: @MO_Miami

This story was originally published February 17, 2015 at 7:32 PM with the headline "South Florida Food 50: Luis Mejia of La Mar."