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 inspiration to launch 305 Wines is the opportunity to offer you some of the finest wines in the world and Japanese Sake.

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, International Kikisake-Shi

Guilherme “William” de Macedo is the Co-founder and Managing Partner for the Florida Wine Academy. Guilherme has a BA and MBA in Business Administration and has worked in the Chemical industry for almost 20 years. His professional career led him to work in Europe, Latina America and Central America and he is fluent in 4 languages. At the Florida Wine Academy, he is responsible for the Sake Education Program. Guilherme is a Master Sake Sommelier (MSS) by the Sake Sommelier Association (SSA). He is also a WSET Certified Sake Educator (levels 1, 2 and 3). He is an International Kikisake-Shi, Japanese Sake Adviser by the SSI (Sake Service Institute) and WSET Level 3 Sake Certified. He is also a Certified Sake Professional by the Sake Education Council. Additionally, he 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.

CAROLINA GONZALEZ, WSET Level 3 Certified in Wines

Carolina Gonzalez is the Marketing and Events Coordinator for the Florida Wine Academy. She is a certified WSET Level 3 in Wines with distinction, and a WSET Level 1 in Sake. Carolina is also a Spanish Wine Scholar with the Wine Scholar Guild. She graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in English Literature and Art History. From there she went on to become an Art Consultant, working for many years in the Contemporary Art world. Carolina’s love of wine and interest in its history sparked her journey to become an accredited Wine Scholar with the Florida Wine Academy. After years as a student she established The Epic Experience, a boutique wine consultancy service that provides curated tastings and experiences. Carolina believes that wine should be a unique journey of discovery and exploration to wine lovers of all levels and backgrounds. Born in Caracas, Venezuela and raised in The Bahamas, Carolina is fluent in both Spanish and English

REBECCA HODGES, DipWSET

Rebecca Hodges is an Independent Wine Education Consultant 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 and the WSET Diploma in 2025. Rebecca also has the Champagne Master Level by the Wine Scholar Guild.

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.

HENRY BRIMO, DipWSET, MW candidate

Henry Brimo is a wine professional based in Florida, with extensive experience across multiple facets of the wine industry. He currently serves as the Wine Category Manager for Southeastern Grocers. Additionally, Henry is a WSET Wine Educator at the Florida Wine Academy. Previously, Henry held the role of Lead Sommelier and Wine Buyer at Abaco Wines & Wine Bar, a luxury wine shop in the Miami Design District. Henry is a stage 2 candidate for the Master of Wine (MW) qualification, he holds the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines and the Master-Level Bourgogne certification from the Wine Scholar Guild. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management and an MBA with a concentration in Business Intelligence and Data Analytics from Nova Southeastern University’s Huizenga College of Business & Entrepreneurship.

DAISY PENZO, WSET Level 3 Certified in Wines, Italian Wine Scholar WSG

Daisy Penzo is a wine professional and educator with a focus on Italian wine and hospitality. She holds the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines (with Distinction) and has completed the Italian Wine Scholar program through the Wine Scholar Guild. She is also an Italian Wine Ambassador certified by the Vinitaly International Academy and an Italian Wine Specialist with the North American Sommelier Association. As an educator at Florida Wine Academy, Daisy brings real-world industry experience into the classroom and is passionate about making wine education engaging, approachable, and rooted in cultural context.

PATRA LIU, WSET Level 3 Certified in Wines, French and Spanish Wine Scholar WSG

Patra Liu joins the teaching team at Florida Wine Academy in 2026 following a 30-year legal career in anti-fraud enforcement and inspector general oversight. Her lifelong appreciation for wine led her to pursue formal wine education while building an extensive personal cellar with a particular focus on the wines of Burgundy. In recent years, she has spent harvest seasons in the Côte d'Or gaining hands-on experience in vineyard and basic winemaking practices. She previously served as Director of Wine Education for the Salú Wine Community, helping host and present educational wine dinners featuring curated food and wine pairings. She holds the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines and the French Wine Scholar and Spanish Wine Scholar certifications from the Wine Scholar Guild.

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