Hello! I'm Tony Ambrosini, and I love adult beverages. I had no idea how much the subject would consume me, both academically and professionally. Initially starting out as grabbing random bottles off of the liquor store shelves, wine and spirits eventually became a career that I have a great time doing for myself and others.
I started taking WSET® (Wine & Spirits Education Trust) certification classes in 2009 through the International Wine Center in New York. I thought maybe I should get to know more about wines and spirits of the world, especially if I was going to leave the tech industry to turn this hobby into a legitimate living. Fast forward through all the hours spent studying and by 2013 I went to London (where the WSET is headquartered) to accept a Diploma in Wine & Spirits and receive a work-study scholarship with Republic National Distributing Company in Atlanta.
Currently, I spend most of my professional time promoting classes and events, as well as leading spirits classes and Saturday wine tastings at the Divine Wine Emporium in Niantic, CT. One of the major things I learned during my retail experience here (as well as my time at school and with Passion Vines in Egg Harbor Twp., NJ), is that if you really want to explore wine and spirits and help yourself discover what you really like to drink, the best thing you can do is taste these things side-by-side as much as you can.
So that's what led me to create Flight School. The blog will show you how you can approach what you see on the shelves of your favorite wine shop or liquor store. There has been many a time in my early days of drinking that I waltzed over to a section of the store, only to be completely overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choices. We will focus on a themed flight of wines that will get you familiar with the many styles of wines and spirits that are available to you.
Ultimately, the goal is help you confidently answer the question, "Am I going to like that?" Flight School is where we work together to make it happen.