It’s Women’s History Month and, let’s be real, women make the world go ’round! Despite what the current American political climate wants you to think, women matter and should be celebrated every day. Every year, I focus on badass women in the wine industry and this year, I’m focusing on four Miami women in wine who make the scene thrive.

Allegra Angelo | Vinya Wine + Table

Allegra Angelo, an acclaimed sommelier and wine expert, has led Vinya Hospitality’s beverage programs since its launch in 2019. With over 20 years of experience in luxury hospitality, she oversees Vinya Table in Coral Gables, Vinya Wine & Market Key Biscayne, Vinyawine.com, and Casa Mariano in Doral. Previously, Angelo served as wine director for James Beard Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein and beverage director for 50 Eggs Hospitality Group. A graduate of Emory University and the Culinary Institute of America, she earned her Advanced Sommelier Certificate in 2012 and won the 2016 America’s Top|Somm Competition. At Vinya, she continues to write, teach, and inspire the South Florida community through events, tastings, and unique wine experiences.

What inspired you to get into the wine industry?
I’m not totally sure. There wasn’t a standout romantic moment. When I was 19, I thought I wanted to be a chef, so I went to culinary school after college. Wine class popped up in my second year, and I was intrigued by its vastness. It was a detour that I followed when I simultaneously realized that I hated cooking as a profession (I like it as a hobby). For now, I’m still on this detour, and I’m enjoying it.

What’s your current go-to wine and why?
Anything that’s white and a mineral bomb. Typically, I reach for a Chablis, but then, I also love bold whites with texture like Viognier, Pecorino, or barrel-aged Pinot Blanc. I’m a total sucker for red wine, but it tends to make my eyes puffy the next day. Rioja Alavesa is the most exciting wine place to me this season (I wish I could taste it all!)

What’s a memorable moment that shaped your career?
When my father passed away almost five years ago, I realized how quickly life moves and how forgettable the ordinary is. It’s a feeling that sticks with me, bothers me, and haunts me. I want to be anything but “the ordinary” in my work. It’s kind of depressing but powerfully motivating.   

If you could share a bottle of wine with any woman in history, who would it be and what would you pour?
Wow, great question! It would be so cool to share a bottle with my mom when she was 30, before she had kids and five years after she married my father. So, go back in time to 1976 and share a bottle with my 30-year-old mom, yeah, that would be awesome.

Alessandra Esteves | Florida Wine Academy and 305 Wines

Alessandra Esteves is the co-founder and Director of Wine Education at the Florida Wine Academy and co-founder of Miami Champagne Week, 305Wines, and VinoSummit. A Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Certified Educator with a WSET Level 4 Diploma, she also holds multiple wine certifications, including French and Spanish Wine Scholar and Champagne Master Level. Esteves is a Stage 2 candidate for the Masters of Wine certification and has judged prestigious competitions like the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London. Formerly a corporate lawyer in Brazil and Germany, she is fluent in five languages.

What inspired you to get into the wine industry?
I had a previous career as an attorney. After living in Europe and traveling to multiple wine regions, I fell in love with wine and began studying about it. I sat my WSET Level 1, loved it, and never stopped. Now, I teach about wine.

What’s your current go-to wine and why?
I don’t have a favorite. Wines are like puppies—we love them all! I enjoy Pinot Noir, Champagne, Italian wines, Bordeaux, and complex Spanish and American wines, but I also appreciate high-acid wines from Santorini, Etna, and Chablis.

What’s a memorable moment that shaped your career?
Passing my WSET Diploma Level 4 in 2016 was a major milestone. In 2023, I passed the Stage 2 Theory exam of the Master of Wine, which was another memorable moment.

If you could share a bottle of wine with any woman in history, who would it be and what would you pour?
Two women—Jane Anson with a glass of Bordeaux and Jancis Robinson with a glass of English sparkling wine. Both have made a deep impact on wine education and writing, and inspired me.

Amanda Fraga | The Genuine Hospitality Group

Amanda Fraga is a seasoned wine professional with a passion for hospitality and education. She began her journey at Florida International University, earning a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management with a minor in beverage management. Now serving as the beverage director for The Genuine Hospitality Group, Fraga curates dynamic wine programs and fosters a culture of continuous learning. Her expertise and enthusiasm make her a driving force in Miami’s wine scene, inspiring both industry professionals and wine lovers alike.

What inspired you to get into the wine industry?
It was weird—I was kind of just drawn to it. I was 19 and saw that there was a wine club in college and immediately wanted to join. It was something that my family never really consumed (they were more into spirits). 

What’s your current go-to wine and why?
Uff that’s hard. I suppose that the most stocked wine in my fridge right now is a Lange Nebbiolo from Angelo Negro. You can find it at Michael’s Genuine and I’ve also seen it at Magie’s. It’s an approachable Nebbiolo (round with less tannin than others) that I find can be opened in a lot of different settings. I’d also like to add that lately I’ve had a go-to region, which is Austria. There is such great value there, particularly for Grüner Veltliner. I love that you can find some Grüners in liter sized bottles (instead of 750ml) so you get a bit more every time you open a bottle.

What’s a memorable moment that shaped your career?
The beginning of my wine career was shaped by those around me, and around me was a heavy influence of women. Quite a few of the top wine buyers in Miami were women and because of it, the culture for me entering the industry and growing in it was very welcoming. Seeing them perform and excel shaped my goals and empowered me to push and do more. 

If you could share a bottle of wine with any woman in history, who would it be and what would you pour?
This won’t surprise Alexa lol… but it would be Marjory Stoneman Douglas. I’d imagine it would be in an oak-filled backyard with light bites in the spring, and I’d probably pour wine from one of my favorite Chablis producers, Louis Michel.

Alexandra McDonnell | Vinoteca

Alexandra McDonnell is the owner of Vinoteca, a Miami-based wine bar and retail shop inspired by traditional Italian “enoteca” establishments. She graduated from the University of Miami with a major in international studies and a minor in modern languages, specializing in French and Italian. Her passion for wine blossomed during a semester abroad in Rome, where she immersed herself in Italian culture and developed an appreciation for the stories behind each bottle. After completing her MBA during the COVID-19 pandemic, McDonnell pursued a master’s in viticulture and enology in Piacenza, Italy, further deepening her wine expertise. Upon returning to Miami, she collaborated with her mother, Sandra, to establish Vinoteca in August 2024, focusing on small, family-run wineries and unique varietals. Their mission is to create a welcoming space where the community can explore and enjoy wines without intimidation, fostering connections and sharing the rich narratives of winemakers.

What inspired you to get into the wine industry?
I was inspired to get into the wine industry through traveling and living abroad. Growing up, my parents believed it was important to expose my brothers and me to different cultures and lifestyles. In college, I spent a semester studying in Rome, really diving into the Italian culture. These experiences really allowed me to see the differences of how wine is viewed and consumed outside of the US. I saw how wine was such an important part of the culture and how it played such an important part of everyday life, history, and the economy.

After visiting several wineries, I had the dream of learning how to make wine and possibly one day owning land with a small vineyard. After studying business and gaining some work experience (and after the COVID-19 pandemic), I enrolled in a masters program in viticulture & enology in Emilia Romagna, Italy—which marks the start of my career in the wine industry. More specifically, I was inspired by the various enoteche I’d frequent while living in Italy. These small intimate wine bars and shops told the stories behind the bottles—the stories of culture, tradition, and family. I learned the importance of those stories and wanted to create a place here in Miami where I could help be the storyteller.

What’s your current go-to wine and why?
Although I have plenty of options, I find myself always reaching for the same wines—mostly red. I usually go for something light, like Valpolicella Classico Superiore or Italian Pinot Nero from Oltrepò Pavese. I fell in love with Verona and the Valpolicella wines during my time in Northern Italy. I think a Valpolicella Classico is a great easy drinking wine, especially here in Miami where it’s usually too hot to drink a fuller-bodied red. I was living very close to Oltrepò Pavese, a small region south of Milan In Lombardy, which is known for producing traditional method sparkling wine. I find the Pinot Noir from this region to be amazing quality and value. It’s an area that is not so well known outside of Italy, but is producing really outstanding wines.

What’s a memorable moment that shaped your career?
Definitely opening Vinoteca. When I was finishing my studies in Italy, I told my mom my “crazy idea” of opening an Italian style “enoteca” here in Miami. Together, we worked to create the space and open the business. There have been a lot of challenges and obstacles along the way, which have taught me a lot about business, wine, and myself. Seeing the community’s response to Vinoteca has been so incredible. We are so happy to have been able to create a place that people can come learn about wine, relax, and make memories—and most importantly, feel at home.

If you could share a bottle of wine with any woman in history, who would it be and what would you pour?
This is tough question. There are so many women that have played such a significant role in history and inspire me. Since we are talking about wine, I’d say Madame Clicquot. It’s so inspiring seeing a woman, not only run a winery during a time that women had no role in business, but also revolutionize the industry. Obviously we’d be drinking champagne!