SOMMPROFILE SOMMBLOG

Gulf Bay Hospitality
Naples

• Gulf Bay Hospitality
• La Tratoria, San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Cunard Lines, Head Wine Steward, UK
• Rigoletto, Coral Gables
• Il Tulipano Ristorante, North Miami
• Lucca, Boca Raton
• Boca Raton Resort & Club, Boca Raton
• Marco Beach Ocean Resort, Marco Island
• Corson Anwyl, Wine Brokerage, Miami Beach
• Myriad Restaurant Group, Wine Consultant, NYC

A native of Spain's Basque Country, Charlie Arturaola currently resides in Naples, Florida. Arturaola is the Director of Wine for Gulf Bay Hospitality, responsible for expanding and overseeing all aspects of the wine collections and wine events at the Marco Beach Ocean Resort and The Club & Spa at Fiddler's Creek. Most recently, Arturaola was wine director at the Boca Raton Resort & Club, responsible for wine programs at its five hotels and two country clubs with a total of 19 outlets. Prior to his position in Boca Raton, Arturaola was sommelier at Il Tulipano Ristorante in Miami, where he was responsible for achieving the restaurant's many wine awards. Arturaola began his career as maitre d' for Chandris Fantasy Cruises, before joining the Cunard Cruise Line as head wine steward based in South Hampton, England.

He is a founding Sommelier for the Naples Winter Wine Festival, has been a featured sommelier at prestigious international events, including the James Beard 100th anniversary gala and the Aspen Food & Wine Classic. He also is well-known for his work as sommelier and board member for Toast to Humanity, and as a member of the Society of Wine Education and the Sommelier Association of South Florida. Charlie Arturaola also is known for his expertise in creating memorable wine dinners and events for top producers and has been responsible for achieving numerous awards from Wine Spectator magazine.

His extensive education includes a degree in journalism and broadcasting from the Press Institute in Montevideo, Uruguay, and studies in European history at the University of Navarra in Spain. He focused on his wine and hospitality education with studies at schools in California, France and Florida, including the School of Service and Hospitality at Sterling Winery in Menlo Park, Calif., The Court of Master Sommeliers in Orlando, Fla., and the Allied Domecq School of Hospitality and Wine Service.