Affiliation : VinTabla Restaurant/Dove Mountain Grill/ Small Vineyards Imports/ Certified Wine Educator
Location : Tucson, AZ, USA
Website : www.vintabla.com

 

Laura Williamson began her formidable career in the service industry at the young age of 18. She grew up in a dry county in Arkansas (her parents still reside there!) and only began to discover the virtues of wine once she moved to Paris, France at the age of 19 for her first two years of college. After exploring wine through service positions at David Paul’s in Lahaina, Maui, Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, John’s Restaurant and Flagstaff House in Boulder, Colorado and Sweet Basil and Wildflower in Vail, Colorado, she was convinced that her talents with wine could lead to a more exciting and fulfilling career than her opportunities with her Financial Planning and Economics degree.

She was encouraged to pursue the Master Sommelier accreditation by her mentors Wayne Belding and Sally Mohr of the Boulder Wine Merchant and achieved this coveted distinction of which only 78 Americans (including just 13 women) had attained prior to her success in 2005. She is currently an active member of the Court of Master Sommeliers, the grading body for aspiring candidates. She also holds the prestigious title of Certified Wine Educator and achieved this feat in 2002 when only approximately 100 others had previously.

Following her accreditation, she began consulting for Small Vineyards Imports, the fastest growing Italian Wine importer in the US for 2006 and 2007 and the only Italian importer to focus exclusively on small-production and hand-harvested fruit with minimal environmental impact. She assists in selecting the portfolio and educating nationally the supplier and distributor staffs on the superior virtues of small, earth-friendly wine production.

She is also a co-owner of VinTabla Restaurant and Wine Shop in Tucson, AZ and simultaneously runs the beverage program for VinTabla as well as doubling as a sommelier for her restaurant. Her wine list proudly showcases over 100 wines from around the world by a ‘taste’ and ‘glass’ pour to enhance the synergy of food and wine pairings with acclaimed Chef Bruce Yim’s diverse New American cuisine. She never tires of customizing flights personally for VinTabla diners and enjoys creating this rare opportunity and experience for her coveted guests.

She can also be found at her newly opened sister restaurant, Dove Mountain Grill, located just outside of Tucson in Marana, AZ.

She lectures nationally to businesses, restaurants and private clients about the wine regions of the world, the techniques involved with pairing food and wine and the art and skill surrounding wine collecting. She also speaks annually at national wine conferences and festivals and is a staunch advocate for artisan wine producers. She passionately travels the globe in search of unknown, exotic wines from eclectic indigenous grapes just to share these rarities with others.

In her spare time, practicing Anusara Yoga and leading yoga and wine workshops takes priority in her life along with supporting local children’s charities.