Head Sommeliers 2020
in charge of sourcing the dream team composed of nearly 60 sommeliers coming from the top restaurants across the country
Charles Puglia
Charles Puglia fell into the restaurant business in his twenties and hasn’t looked back. He made his way to New York, starting at the Mandarin Oriental and then moving across Columbus Circle to Jean-Georges. After four years heading up the wine program for chef Dan Barber’s Blue Hill at Stone Barns, he joined Paris-based chef Daniel Rose at his first US outpost in New York, Le Coucou (One Michelin Star Restaurant), a collaboration with Steven Starr. Charles does all the wine buying at the restaurant, where he holds to a focus on French wines, while building the presence of US wines as well.
Tali Dalbaha
Tali Dalbaha’s career in the hospitality industry began at a young age in Tel Aviv, Israel, where she gained decades of experience working for internationally renowned clubs, restaurants and hotels rising to management in nearly every professional setting she encountered. In 2011 Tali moved to New York City and became an Advanced Sommelier through CMS (Court of Master Sommeliers) and today studying for the Master of Wine Program.
In 2019, Tali partner with the CIVB as their Marketing Advisor for North America and Canada. Previously she worked as the Wine Director at City Winery, a fully functioning winery paired with fine dining that operates both as a concert venue and events space, she then move to the retail side of the business as the Corporate Wine Director for Buy Rite Wine & Liquor Group in NJ, overseeing 55 beverage retail stores.