Certified Sommelier Expertise for Wine Enthusiasts
Ambiance Vins is dedicated to enriching knowledge and appreciation of fine wines and spirits. We strive to empower individuals and organizations with expert guidance, fostering a passion for connoisseurship and a deeper connection to the world of vineyards and distilleries.
Discover the Art of Wine with Certified Sommelier Igal Amsallem
Meet the experts behind Ambiance Vins, dedicated to enriching your wine and spirits journey.
Igal Amsallem
Certified Sommelier
With extensive certification and passion, he guides clients through wine appreciation and collection.
ACT 1: MONTREAL
Created and launched late 2004 in Montreal, Ambiance Vins is a wine and spirits consulting company owned and managed by Certified Sommelier Igal Amsallem.
Born in Versailles, France, next to the vineyard of Queen Marie-Antoinette, Igal has been exploring the wine world since…the age of 4! Growing up in a multilingual family oriented toward wine and gastronomy, Igal knows all the wine regions in France and more than 70 other wine regions in the world through more than 20 wine-producing countries.
With a professional background as a music copyright Lawyer, Igal moves from France to Canada in 2001 and decides to change his passion for wine into a profession. In 2005, Igal graduates in Wine and Spirits in Quebec and develops Ambiance Vins, offering wine consulting services for wine agencies, writing wine articles for Vins & Vignobles magazine and offering many other services to private and corporate consumers.
ACT 2: VANCOUVER
In summer 2006, Igal moves to the west coast in Vancouver and he relocates Ambiance Vins. Hired by Liberty Wine Merchants, the largest private retailer in British Columbia, Igal works as Sales Consultant to finish Manager at the store in Point Grey. With Ambiance Vins, Igal develops new educational wine programs with Educacentre College and Alliance Française in Vancouver and offers various corporate services to banks and investment corporations.
With his Quebecer catering partner, François Hamelin (LaSocca Catering Company), Igal manages most of the wine and food events contracts in the greater Vancouver area and promotes Wine and Gastronomy in French. Igal regularly hosts a wine chronicle on CBC-Radio-Canada Vancouver and writes wine articles for L’Express du Pacifique newspaper, focusing on promoting the BC wine industry.
Igal consults in wine importing for the French Trade Commission in Vancouver, being the rare francophone sommelier-intermediate to advise and guide French wine producers in marketing their products in British Columbia and Alberta.
ACT 3: TORONTO
In fall 2012, after six years of successful business and career on the west coast, Igal moves to Toronto where he works for Lifford Wine & Spirits as a company Sommelier-Educator. With his expertise in the western Canadian market, Igal develops a sales strategy for the region and supports the different sales teams in wine and spirits education.
Ambiance Vins is relocated to Toronto and now offers new wine and spirits services and activities.
From Expert Cellaring to Global Vineyard Journeys
Discover how Ambiance Vins elevates your wine experience with personalized guidance and unmatched expertise.
Personalized Cellaring Advice
We offer expert recommendations to help you build and maintain a distinguished wine collection.
Educational Tastings & Workshops
Engage in immersive sessions designed to deepen your appreciation and knowledge of fine wines.
Exclusive Vineyard & Distillery Excursions
Explore renowned terroirs worldwide with curated trips tailored for connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike.