Thomas Combescot was named Best Young Sommelier in his hometown of Burgundy before stepping onto the floor of Alain Ducasse at the Essex House. After the restaurant closed in early 2007, Ducasse asked the 29-year-old to cultivate a selection of Northern Hemisphere wines at his new place Adour. We asked Combescot about customer tastes, Adour’s robo-sommeliers, and how he tolerates wine faux pas. Word to the wise: Don't turn pour Coke into one of his $2,000 to $10,000 Domaine de la Romanée-Contis. —Alexandra Vallis