FLORIDA WINE ACADEMY®

Florida Wine Academy® is a leading provider of wine, sake, and spirits education in Florida. We offer WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) courses as an Approved Programme Provider. WSET qualifications are globally recognized in wine, sake, and spirits education. We are also a provider of Wine Scholar Guild programs.

Florida Wine Academy® also offers consulting and on-site training services for restaurants, bars, and wine retailers. These services include wine list development and staff training in wine pairing, handling, service, and beverage knowledge. We also work with private collectors on cellar management, fine and rare wine purchasing, drinking windows, and auction representation.

We offer seminars, webinars, educational tastings, private and corporate events, and original educational programs. Grape to Glass, the Lab Series, Wine vs. Sake, and our Bordeaux Masterclass are among the programs developed by Florida Wine Academy.

Florida Wine Academy® is also the organizer of the annual Miami Champagne Week and VinoSummit Wine Conference. Florida Wine Academy manages 305 Wines, our specialty wine and Japanese sake shop created to offer carefully selected wines and sake while extending our educational philosophy into retail.

OUR TEAM

ALESSANDRA ESTEVES

MAES, DipWSET, FWS, SWS, CSW, MW Candidate

Alessandra Esteves is the co-founder and Director of Wine Education at Florida Wine Academy. She is a WSET Certified Educator and holds the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines & Spirits. She also holds the French Wine Scholar, Spanish Wine Scholar, and Champagne Master-Level certifications from the Wine Scholar Guild, the Master of Rioja DOCa certification, Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW), and WSET Level 1 Award in Sake.

Alessandra is currently a Stage 2 candidate in the Master of Wine program. She is also the co-founder of Miami Champagne Week, 305 Wines, and VinoSummit, a conference dedicated to wine professionals in Florida.

Her articles on wine and related subjects have been published in books and magazines in several countries. She has served as an Associate Judge at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in London, a Competition Judge at the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America Convention & Exposition, and a Wine Judge for the American Fine Wine Competition.

Before entering the wine industry, Alessandra practiced corporate law in Brazil and Germany and joined the Brazilian Bar Association in 2000. She is fluent in Portuguese, German, English, Italian, and Spanish, with working proficiency in French.

GUILHERME “WILLIAM” MACEDO

MSS, WSET Certified Sake Educator, International Kikisake-shi (SSI), Champagne Expert

Guilherme “ William” Macedo is the co-founder and Senior Managing Partner of Florida Wine Academy and is responsible for its Sake Education Program.

Guilherme is a Master Sake Sommelier (MSS) through the Sake Sommelier Association (SSA) and a WSET Certified Sake Educator for Levels 1, 2, and 3. He is also an International Kikisake-shi, Japanese Sake Adviser through the Sake Service Institute (SSI), holds the WSET Level 3 Award in Sake, and is a Certified Sake Professional through the Sake Education Council.

His additional qualifications include WSET Level 1 in Spirits, Court of Master Sommeliers Level 1, and WSET Level 2 Award in Wines & Spirits with Distinction.

Guilherme holds a bachelor's degree and an MBA in Business Administration. Before dedicating himself to wine and sake education, he spent nearly 20 years in the chemical industry, working across Europe, Latin America, and Central America. He speaks four languages.

CAROLINA GONZALEZ

WSET Level 3 Award in Wines, SWS, DOP Jumilla Educator

Carolina Gonzalez is the Academic Programs Coordinator at Florida Wine Academy, where she oversees academic operations and serves as a wine educator for industry professionals and enthusiasts.

She holds the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines, is a Spanish Wine Scholar (SWS), a certified DOP Jumilla Educator, and holds the WSET Level 1 Award in Sake. Specializing in Spanish wines, Carolina is passionate about making wine education engaging, accessible, and academically rigorous.

She is also the founder of The Epic Experience, a boutique wine consultancy specializing in curated tastings and immersive educational experiences. Fluent in English and Spanish, Carolina brings an international perspective to every class, tasting, and event she leads.

ELAINE MENA

WSET Level 1 Award in Wines

Elaine Mena is the Events and Client Experience Coordinator at Florida Wine Academy. She graduated from Florida International University's Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, with a concentration in Beverage Management.

Elaine is the recipient of both the Bacardi Scholarship Endowment and the Penfolds Evermore Wine Studies Scholarship. She also completed a hospitality internship with Penfolds at Treasury Wine Estates in Napa Valley, where she supported direct-to-collector sales, luxury events, and special projects for collectors.

She participated in the 2025 and 2026 South Beach Wine & Food Festival with Southern Glazer's as a Satellite Event Production Assistant, supporting festival logistics, supplier activations, and the tracking of more than 20,000 wine and spirits products. Elaine holds the WSET Level 1 Award in Wines and continues to develop her career in wine and hospitality.

LYN FARMER

DipWSET, CWS, CSP

Lyn Farmer is a WSET Certified Wine Educator for Levels 1–3 at Florida Wine Academy. He is a James Beard Award-winning wine and food writer, broadcaster, and arts educator.

In addition to his WSET credentials, Lyn is certified by the Society of Wine Educators, the Sake Education Council in Tokyo, the Comité Champagne, and the IVDP in Porto. He has been elected an Officer of l'Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne and a Cavaliere of the Confraria do Vinho do Porto.

Lyn leads seminars for Italian, French, and Portuguese wine trade organizations and has served as a judge at international wine competitions. His professional background also includes work with major cruise lines, management of a classical music and jazz radio station, and service with the U.S. Information Agency.

HENRY BRIMO

DipWSET, MW Candidate

Henry Brimo is a Florida-based wine professional with experience across multiple sectors of the wine industry. He currently serves as Wine Category Manager for Southeastern Grocers and as a WSET Wine Educator at Florida Wine Academy.

Previously, Henry was Lead Sommelier and Wine Buyer at Abaco Wines & Wine Bar in Miami's Design District. He is a Stage 2 candidate in the Master of Wine program, holds the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines, and has completed the Master-Level Bourgogne certification through the Wine Scholar Guild.

Henry earned a 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.

RAMON “RAY” GARCIA

DipWSET, CSW, CSS, Italian Wine Scholar, French Wine Scholar, Spanish Wine Scholar, Sake Sommelier, Master of Rioja, Champagne Specialist

Ramon “Ray” Garcia is a Miami-based wine educator, trade consultant, and WSET Level 4 Diploma holder (DipWSET) with a strong commitment to structured, professional wine education.

After beginning his hospitality career as a restaurateur, Ray transitioned into wine education and consulting, recognizing the need for advanced beverage training and accessible wine-program development within the trade.

He is the founder of Wine Director Direct, a consulting platform providing restaurants, private collectors, and beverage-focused businesses with wine program design, staff education, and strategic guidance.

DAISY PENZO

WSET Level 3 Award in Wines, Italian Wine Scholar

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 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 Award in Wines, French Wine Scholar, Spanish Wine Scholar

Patra Liu joined 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 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.

Patra holds the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines and the French Wine Scholar and Spanish Wine Scholar certifications from the Wine Scholar Guild.