ABOUT
FLORIDA WINE ACADEMY®
Florida Wine Academy® is the leading provider of wine, sake and spirits education in Florida. We offer WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) courses as an Approved Program Provider. WSET is globally recognized as the international standard in wine and spirit knowledge. We are also provider of Wine Scholar Guild courses.
Additionally, Florida Wine Academy® offers consulting and on-site training services for restaurants, bars, and wine retailers. These trainings include wine list design and staff training on wine pairing, handling, and service. Trainees come away with a deeper understanding of the products they sell, which results in better guest satisfaction and sales growth. We also work with private collectors on cellar management; advice on buying fine and rare wines and when to taste them; auction representation.
Finally, we offer special seminars and Webinars, educational tastings, and corporate events. Original curriculums as Grape to Glass, the Lab Series, Wine vs Sake and a Bordeaux Masterclass are some of the most recent additions to our schedule.
As we continue to expand and grow our curriculum we are excited to announce the annual Miami Champagne Week in October and the VinoSummit Wine Conference. Florida Wine Academy also manages 305wines.com The the inspiration to launch 305 Wines is the opportunity to offer you some of the finest wines in the world at affordable prices.
OUR TEAM
ALESSANDRA ESTEVES, MAES, DipWSET, FWS, SWS, CSW, MW candidate
Alessandra Esteves is the co-founder and Director of Wine Education for the Florida Wine Academy. She is a WSET Certified Educator and holds the WSET Level 4 (Diploma) in Wines & Spirits. She also has the French Wine Scholar, Spanish Wine Scholar and a Champagne Master Level by the Wine Scholar Guild, the Master of Rioja DOCa certification, Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) and the WSET Level 1 in Sake. She is currently a Stage 2 candidate for the Masters of Wine certification. Mrs. Esteves is also the co-founder of Miami Champagne Week, 305Wines, and VinoSummit, the first conference dedicated to wine professionals in Florida. Mrs. Esteves’ articles on wine and related subjects have been published in books and magazines in different countries. Mrs. Esteves has also served as an Associate Judge at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London. More recently, Ms. Esteves participated as a Competition Judge at the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America Convention & Exposition and as a Wine Judge for the American Fine Wine Competition. Previously, Ms. Esteves practiced as a corporate lawyer in Brazil and Germany, having joined the Brazilian Bar Association in 2000. She is fluent in Portuguese, German, English, Italian, and Spanish; and has acquired a primary proficiency in French.
GUILHERME “WILLIAM” DE MACEDO, MSS, WSET Certified Sake Educator, Kikisake-Shi
Guilherme “William” de Macedo is the Co-founder and Managing Partner for the Florida Wine Academy. Mr. Macedo has a BA and MBA in Business Administration and has worked in the Chemical industry for more than 16 years. His professional career led him to work in Germany, Switzerland, Brazil and Central America and he is fluent in 4 languages. At the Florida Wine Academy, he is responsible for the Sake Education Program. He is also responsible developing new partnerships with corporations, associations, and chambers of commerce, oversee all back office activities and ensure quality control at all levels. Mr. Macedo is a Master Sake Sommelier (MSS) by the Sake Sommelier Association (SSA). He is also a WSET Certified Sake Educator (levels 1 and 3). He is an International Kikisake-Shi, Japanese Sake Adviser by the SSI (Sake Service Institute) and WSET Level 3 Sake Certified. Mr. Macedo is also a Certified Sake Professional by the Sake Education Council. Additionally, Mr. Macedo has the WSET Level 1 in Spirits, Court of Master Sommelier Level 1 and passed the WSET Level 2 Award in Wines and Spirits with distinction.
REBECCA HODGES, WSET Level 3 Certified in Wines
Rebecca Hodges is the Student Services Coordinator and a WSET Wine Educator for the Florida Wine Academy. Rebecca developed a passion for education while living in Singapore and teaching English to Japanese businesspeople and their families. With a desire to understand more about how people learn and retain knowledge, she undertook a master’s in psychology at University College London (UCL). After graduating, she worked as a researcher for a psychology lab that aims to promote the wellbeing of university students and staff. Over the last few years Rebecca has been lucky enough to explore the vineyards on the doorstep of her family home in Sussex, England. Time spent talking to winemakers and local retailers, as well as helping with harvests whenever possible, ignited her fascination with wine. She decided to pursue this interest and completed the WSET Level 3 Award in Wine with Florida Wine Academy. Eager to expand her knowledge when it comes to sparkling wine in particular, Rebecca is currently working towards the Champagne Master Level by the Wine Scholar Guild.
JAYLYNNE GARCIA, WSET Level 2 Certified in Wines
Jaylynne ‘Jay’ Garcia is the Marketing and Events Coordinator at the Florida Wine Academy. With over eight years of experience in the hospitality industry, her passion for wine and education was ignited while working at a Miami wine bar and Dim Sum restaurant, where she was mentored by knowledgeable sommeliers. She furthered her wine education by pursuing WSET courses, holding certifications in Wines (Level 1 & 2) and Sake (Level 1). In addition to her wine expertise, Jaylynne earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Florida International University and a master’s degree from University College London. Notably, she played a pivotal role in creating the Black History Month program for WSET in both the UK and the U.S., reflecting her commitment to promoting diversity and inclusivity in the wine and spirits industry through the power of education.
SARAH McCARTAN, DipWSET, MW candidate
Sarah is a WSET Wine Educator levels 1-3 for the the Florida Wine Academy. Sarah’s interest in wine was sparked during her time at Edinburgh University in Scotland, when she worked in restaurants alongside her studies. Visits from wine suppliers left her curious to learn more, so when she took a year to study abroad in New Zealand, she took a wine course and visited a number of producers in Marlborough. After graduating, Sarah went on to work for Liv-ex, the global marketplace for wine merchants, in London. While in London, she studied WSET courses and passed the WSET Diploma in 2017. She also took the opportunity to visit several European wine regions including Bordeaux, Tuscany, Rioja, Alsace, Etna, the Douro – and, of course, wineries in England. Sarah moved to Miami in January 2019 (and, wasting no time, was on a flight to Napa just two weeks later.) She continues to work remotely for Liv-ex, and also delivers WSET classes at the Florida Wine Academy. Sarah is a Stage 1 Master of Wine candidate.
HENRY BRIMO, DipWSET, MW candidate
Henry is a WSET Wine Educator levels 1-3 for the the Florida Wine Academy. Henry Brimo is a Jacksonville-based wine professional, with a wide-reaching background that covers many facets of the wine industry. Henry currently serves as a Category Manager focusing on Wine for Southeastern Grocers. He previously was the lead Sommelier & Wine Buyer for Abaco Wines & Wine Bar, a luxury wine shop located in the Miami Design District. Through this role Henry served as a wine judge for Forks & Corks, attended Vinexpo Bordeaux 2019 as a hosted buyer and NY Wine & Grapes Foundation Harvest House 2018 as an invited guest. Abaco was recognized as the best wine bar in Miami for 2018 by the Miami New Times. He currently holds the Master Level Bourgogne certification from the Wine Scholar Guild, a B.S in Hospitality Management from the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University as well as an MBA with a concentration in Business Intelligence and Data Analytics from the Huizenga College of Business & Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University.
KRISTINA SAZAMA, DipWSET, MW candidate
Kristina is a WSET Wine Educator levels 1-3 for the the Florida Wine Academy. Kristina first discovered her passion for wine while entertaining clients during a decade on Wall Street. Since leaving the world of finance behind, Kristina has pursued her interest in wine while working at Momofuku Ssäm Bar in New York City, Michael Skurnik Wines and a few champagne houses. She is currently the Wine Educator for Santa Margherita USA. Kristina holds the WSET Diploma of Wine & Spirits from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust and is a Certified Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers. When not indulging her passions for eating and drinking, Kristina can be found in vineyards all over the world preparing for the Master of Wine examinations.
LYN FARMER, DipWSET
Lyn Farmer is a WSET Certified Wine Educator levels 1-3 for the the Florida Wine Academy. He is a James Beard Award-winning wine and food writer, broadcaster and arts educator. He is the author of the Engaging the Senses blog on this site, as well as director of VeritageMiami, one of Florida’s most successful charity wine events benefitting United Way of Miami-Dade. Additionally, Lyn leads seminars for many Italian, French and Portuguese trade groups and he has been a judge at international wine competitions.