South Florida’s Wine Trade Network
Wine Talks Miami is South Florida’s wine trade network. Its objective is to create a community for South Florida wine professionals to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and meet with others in the trade.
Its core events take place on Monday afternoons, every 6-8 weeks, from September-May. They start with a quick welcome drink, which is followed by a one-hour panel discussion and happy hour.
Discussions are focused on topics that are relevant to those in the wine business. In the past, we’ve explored themes like building a wine list, working a harvest internship, and the world of wine fraud. You are welcome to browse through our archive of past events.
These events are free to attend and take place at different venues in central Miami. Occasionally, we also host related events such as no-corkage dinners.
Who is behind it, and how did it start?
Wine Talks Miami was founded by Sarah Phillips McCartan in August 2023. Sarah is a freelance wine specialist and communications consultant based in Miami, Florida. Originally from the UK, she has been working in the wine trade for over a decade, starting her career at Liv-ex, the global fine wine market, in London. Sarah later went on to work for Areni Global, an international fine wine think tank.
During this time, she worked on events for senior members of the global fine wine trade in regions including Bordeaux, Napa, and Stellenbosch. After seeing the benefits of bringing industry leaders together, she was inspired to create a similar community back in Miami. You can find out more about Sarah and her work on her website, winebysarah.net.
In August 2023, Sarah and some friends had dinner with Beverage Director Amanda Fraga at Michael’s Genuine. After several glasses of Champagne, Sarah shared her idea for Wine Talks with the group. Amanda offered one of her restaurants, Amara, as a host venue, and proposed a date only ten days away. They reasoned that they might be able rope a handful of friends into coming along, and invites were sent out.
Ten days later, sixty members of the Miami wine trade gathered at Amara for WTM’s first event. Today, it continues to run events for wine professionals across the city.
These events wouldn’t happen without the support of our community – from setting up spaces, pitching in to move chairs around, lending equipment, sharing knowledge, spreading the word, and more. Thank you!
Thanks to our host venues!
We are grateful to venues that have hosted us in the past. These are:
If you are interested in hosting a WTM event at your bar or restaurant, please get in touch. Our events take place on Monday afternoons, typically running 4.30-6pm, followed by a happy hour. We do not have a budget for venue hire, but attendees typically stay after the event to purchase wine and food. We need space for 40-60 people.
Some Frequently Asked Questions…
Who can attend Wine Talks Miami?
WTM events are open to anyone – all you need to do is register and show up. However, discussions focus solely on topics that are relevant to the wine business. These are not wine tasting events, so they aren’t likely to be interesting for wine enthusiasts.
If you are looking to transition into wine, or progress in it, you are very welcome to come along. We hope that the knowledge and networking will be valuable to you!
How much does it cost?
Events are free to attend, thanks to the generosity of our host venues. We hope that our attendees will support the venues by purchasing drinks/food after the panels, or by returning to visit them another time!
Occasionally we run chargeable events, such as dinners. Tickets are sold by the venues directly, with all income going directly to the restaurants to cover their own costs. WTM does not profit from these events.
Can I sponsor Wine Talks Miami?
Thank you for your interest, but WTM events are not available for sponsorship. We enjoy the independence, flexibility, and simplicity that this gives us.
If you would like to arrange a separate activation in Florida, please contact Sarah to discuss consultancy services.
How can I find out about events?
Sign up to our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram @winetalksmiami!