Other
Heidi Mäkinen
Master of Wine
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
Coming Up
Restaurant floor work in Finland and the UK gave Heidi Mäkinen an early education in service timing, guest management, and the pace of the dining room. That kind of front-of-house training is practical by design: it teaches how small decisions affect the table, how the room sets the tempo of a meal, and how wine has to fit the flow of service as well as the menu. The Master of Wine title in 2019 marked the point where that floor-level experience met formal wine expertise. For Heidi Mäkinen, the credential sits alongside the discipline built in service: study, judgment, and the ability to apply technical knowledge in conditions that do not wait for ideal circumstances. It is a qualification that carries weight because it demands both precision and consistency. Portfolio Manager and partner of Viinitie Oy, and Finland Ambassador of Star Wine List, Heidi Mäkinen now works across selection and representation. Those roles place her between business, curation, and public-facing wine work, with the practical grounding of restaurant service still visible in the way the career is built. The combination reflects a professional path shaped by the room, the list, and the standards required to make both work.
Where They Are Now
Based in Finland, Heidi Mäkinen has built a career that remains anchored in her home market while staying connected to the wider wine trade. That local base matters: it gives continuity to work that depends on deep familiarity with service culture, customer expectations, and the realities of the Finnish wine scene. Her position there links early restaurant experience with the authority that came with the Master of Wine title in 2019.
Honors
Heidi Mäkinen's honors include The Future 50, Master of Wine (2019), 8th Best Sommelier of the World, Best Sommelier of Finland, and Second place, Chaîne des Rôtisseur’s Jeunes Sommeliers of the World. The awards map a career that has been recognized in both competition and professional practice. They point to sustained work at a high level: the kind of recognition that comes from technical command, repeated performance, and the ability to hold standards across different settings. Taken together, they place Heidi Mäkinen within the specialist ranks of wine professionals whose reputation is earned through evidence, not decoration.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Heidi
What is Heidi Mäkinen's current role?
As of 2026, Heidi Mäkinen is Portfolio Manager and partner of Viinitie Oy.
Where did Heidi Mäkinen work before?
Heidi Mäkinen's earlier career included Restaurants in Finland and the UK.
