You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor – Aristotle.
And these women exude courage, crusading tirelessly to assert themselves as individuals and experts in their field, something most men have had the luxury of taking for granted. They are the modern age Amelia Earharts, who give us women wings, to soar high with fearlessness and faith.
As Orlando’s dining scene continues to become more dynamic, a few dedicated and highly conversant ladies from the wine industry are silently building a wine scene pushing Orlando towards a world class wine destination.
Meet Central Florida’s inspirational women who continue to shape our little world of wine:
Ms. Melissa McAvoy: The trail blazer, Advanced Sommelier Melissa has single-handedly united the community of Orlando with her love affair of all things wine. She has not only played a pivotal role in my personal success in the wine industry, (spearheaded the first Orlando blind tasting group that focused on blind tasting and service for wine certifications). Her bold dream – Swirley, a neighborhood wine bar has become the stomping ground for industry professionals seeking higher education, be it CMS, WSET, or beer Cicerone.
A Pantomath, Melissa today juggles her time between studies for the coveted Master Sommelier exam (255 MS in the world), managing Swirley with partner Damian, and perfecting her hospitality skills as a Disney cast member for the past 18 years. Swirley on any given evening is buzzing with CFL’s uprising sommeliers, industry professionals, and wine enthusiasts. So if you are looking to hone in your tasting skills or learn through osmosis, check out Blind Tasting Tuesdays, Movie Night w/Wine & Popcorn, or Thursday Somm Sessions.
Swirlery – 1508 East Michigan St. Orlando Fl 32806. Call : 407-270-6300
Jean Reilly – The Mount Everest encompassing all things wine is Master of Wine or Master Sommelier, a distinction earned only by the most tenacious and fearless women and men with an insatiable quest for knowledge. Personally, I consider them the modern age explorers, think perseverance of an Iron Man winner such as Mark Allen and Natascha Badman, combined with stealth of Sun Tzu.
354 MWs across 28 countries in the world, out of which 41 MWs reside in the US, 15 of which are women, and only 1 woman MW in Florida, to be precise Orlando. A wine scholar, MW Jean is on a quest to educate Central Florida on wine as well, with her school Slate Wine Academy. Jean’s wine school exclusively offers WSET certifications (my Alma mater), which is open to both industry professionals and wine aficionados. Looking to host an interactive and delicious corporate event or party, check out Masterful Wine Events. To read more about extraordinaire Jean, click here.
Luisa Mary Quintero Weyer – A former attorney, Luisa Mary is on the arduous mission to convert craft beer hub Sanford into wine drinkers with her newest venture Luisa’s Cellar. Entrepreneur Luisa Mary with her partner in life and crime Sascha, calls it a “Wine Bar with a Beer problem.” A German and a Puerto Rican walk into a Wine Bar… It’s not the setup for a joke, but the start of an intensely multicultural wine & tapas bar. A tribute to Mary’s grandmother. Luisa’s Cellar swaggers a wide variety of flavors perfectly paired with a well-curated beer and wine list, a beer bottle shop, coffee bar and sublime dessert room.
Luisa’s Cellar – 206 Sanford Avenue, Sanford, Florida. 407.915.7309.
Laura Fletcher & Christie McLeod: The best wines are the one we drink with friends. And taking this friendship to an appetizing level are the dynamic duo Laura and Christie – founders of The Inquisitor Wine Company that bring sustainably sourced, wallet-friendly wines from family-run South African vineyards to our backyards. Think luscious Chenin Blanc, aromatic Sauvignon Blanc, sensational sparkling, velvety Merlot, and herbal Cabernet Franc.
Where to Buy: Swirley, Bevfly, Tim’s Wine Market, The Glass Knife, Yellow Dog Eats.
Mary Elizabeth Howe – A rising star and literally a ray of sunshine, Mary Elizabeth, is a true lover of life whose exuberance entices you to become a better person and give your best. I still recall my first encounter with her at Luma on the Park, where her ardent speech on food and wine pairing cajoled me to purchase a case of the varietal in conversation. (And I am one tough cookie).
Mary Elizabeth believes that wine is living, breathing art that evolves constantly. Wine brings us together, connects and evokes both an uniquely individual and shared experience simultaneously.
After spending over 12 years connecting with people through her work at locally-owned restaurants and wine retail in Mississippi and Florida, Mary Elizabeth Howe began her career path in distribution as a Wine Representative for Resort Hotels in Orlando with Breakthru Beverage in 2015. In less than 2 years, this tenacious lady earned the role of North Florida Area Manager for the company’s fine wine division, Augustan Wine Imports. She continues to enlighten both the trade and wine consumers with her charming personality and cerebral knowledge.
Applying yoga and mindfulness, Mary Elizabeth stays in touch with her intuition and true path. Her motto – making wine accessible to all, breaking down the pretentious boundaries that keeps us humble folks from considering wine as GO-TO beverage or too fancy to get involved with.
Lisa Wilk – Renowned as the notable trifecta of cheese, chocolate, and wine, Lisa, a freelance food/wine writer and photographer at Taste Cook Sip, founded Orlando Uncorked, a local non-profit wine education group, to promote the approachability of wine. The popular wine tasting events grew into structured wine classes and food, wine, and travel writing for in-print and online publications.
Taste, Cook and Sip along with Lisa on Twitter and Instagram at @TasteCookSip and @WineChix while she preps for the popular Wine, Cheese, and Chocolate Perfectly Paired Program series this fall at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.
Jennifer Page Killen – Attorney by trade, Jennifer’s passion for wine was ignited while clerking for an Orlando law firm in Orlando via Orlando’s preeminent wine shop – Tim’s Wine Market. Fast forward to 2017, Jennifer become Central Florida chapter president to the charitable organization Women for WineSense, founded in 1990 by fellow lady oenophiles Michaela Rodeno and Julie Johnson in Napa/Sonoma.
Jennifer hosts semi monthly events throughout the greater Orlando area with focus on education, mentoring and networking for like-minded wine enthusiasts and industry professionals. These events help make scholarship funding possible, especially to women interested in furthering their wine education. Additional information can be found at Women for Wine Sense or via email: president_cf@womenforwinesense.org
Natasia Lyn – Wine Director for Italian restaurant Bella Tuscany, Natasia’s immersion into wine commenced at Florida’s leading retail shop ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. Also a certified sommelier, you are most likely to run into her at Central Florida’s hottest Wine Bar George by Master Sommelier Milotes. An active member of Orlando wine scene, Natasia aims to dip her feet in the distribution side of wine while pursuing WSET Level 3 at Slate Wine Academy.
“I am SPECIAL not because I am a woman but because I KNOW my shit” – Lisa Broman with broman Cellars.
Raising our glass to Strong Women! May we KNOW them, may we BE them, may we RAISE them!!
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