Alto Adige Wines US Ambassadors

We are pleased to share that our three US-based sommelier trade ambassadors for 2023 have been selected:

Omar Lima (Los Angeles, CA): Omar is a Sommelier at SPAGO Wolfgang Puck Beverly Hills where he oversees a Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning wine list. Born and raised in LA, Omar began his journey in the beverage industry 10 years ago in retail as a wine, beer, sake and spirits buyer for Whole Foods Market and Bristol Farms. Omar then joined Augustine Wine Bar as a wine steward and later became the GM/Wine Director. He then became a sommelier at the prestigious Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills before moving to his current position. He is a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers a Certified Sake Advisor.
Instagram: @olatin_somm

Tiffany Tobey (Dallas, TX): Tiffany is the Wine Director at Tower Club, an urban country club in Dallas. She is a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers. Tiffany holds degrees in Restaurant - Hotel Management and English. A semester studying wine tourism in Italy launched her love of wine. Previously, she worked as the wine director at SER Steak + Spirits and opened the Michelin-star restaurant concept, Carbone in Dallas. Tiffany has judged the Sommeliers Choice Awards, the Somm Journal Wine Competition, and others, and has consulted for Forbes, VinePair, and Wine Enthusiast. She is currently pursuing a Graduate Degree in Viticulture through Texas Tech University. She is also the Texas representative for the upcoming series “SommTV - The History of Wine” and a mentor at Batonnage, an organization fostering the success of women in wine.
Instagram: @tiffanytobey

Chris Struck (New York, NY): Chris is the Beverage Director at ilili Restaurant (pronounced “ill-lilly”). He also teaches beverage and marketing classes in Hospitality Management at CUNY CityTech (since 2018) and serves as a Program Director of the Sommelier Society of America. He holds certifications from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, Society of Wine Educators, Court of Master Sommeliers, and Deutsche Wein und Sommelierschule. He began cooking professionally in his home state of Florida at the age of 14. He later earned degrees in Culinary Arts & Food Service Management and an Executive MBA in Food Marketing, combined with self-study trips to Europe working in kitchens and vineyards. NYC restaurant experience has included sommelier positions at Racines and Union Square Cafe.
Instagram: @chris_struck

Thank you to everyone who applied for this position. Please stay in touch and stay tuned for upcoming Alto Adige programming in the US!