Laura Tamayo

Through a military upbringing, Laura embraced international flavors and grew that interest into a passion. She shaped that passion into a career which includes creating her own tasting & pairing-focused wine bar, manager positions in high-end restaurant and retail settings, and learning the wholesale levels of the business. All while honing her “interpreter skills” that turn guests’ ideas into the perfect wine or cocktail for any occasion and inspiring her students’ to follow their passions, or just to have fun.

She builds her beverage savvy through continued education, completing her Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Diploma in Wine in 2023, her WSET Level 2 in both Beer and Spirits in 2024, with completion of Level 3 in Spirits set for 2025. Other related professional certifications include VinItaly International Academy Italian Wine Ambassador, Certified Specialist of Wine, Certified Sherry Wine Specialist, and Court of Master Sommelier Certified Sommelier.

Located in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, Laura has been an instructor with Napa Valley Wine Academy since 2021. Her goal is to encourage, excite and guide students by sharing a lifetime of knowledge, believing in curiosity, and bringing her sense of humor to a formal field of studies.