The Vidal-Duart Wine Studies Program offers a range of events for students and industry professionals to be fully immersed in our rich wine curriculum. Through innovative technology and modern pedagogy, our events transport learners to new destinations and into new experiences through our wine and food laboratories, wine tastings, guest lectures by top-notch industry experts and wine industry certification courses.
This Wine Week event marked the first wine-focused program hosted at MMC — expanding access and exposure of the Vidal-Duart Wine Studies program beyond the hospitality campus and developing the ongoing partnership between the FIU Chaplin School and the Decanterino Family.
Proud partners of the FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University (FIU) - the number one hospitality management program in Florida - the Decanterino Family and FIU are united by a shared commitment to academic excellence, scientific innovation, and the future of hospitality. Rooted in advanced research on oxygen interaction and fluid dynamics, Decanterino’s patented design introduces a new dimension to wine tasting—where precision engineering meets the artistry of service.
First introduced during the 25th Anniversary of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival® and further developed through FIU Hospitality’s Wine Week in Spring 2026, the collaboration has evolved into an ongoing exchange between academic research and real-world hospitality application. Within FIU’s internationally recognized hospitality program, students engage directly with tasting analysis, beverage operations, and elevated service techniques, gaining firsthand insight into how innovation can shape both guest experience and industry standards. This industry partnership provides students with real-world insights and experiential sensory learning to pair with their classroom education. In addition, Decanterino works with the Wine Guild at FIU, a student club dedicated to those passionate and curious about the study of wine and part of the Chaplin School’s Vidal-Duart Wine Studies program.
Defined by refined Italian design and an enduring culture of conviviality, Decanterino reflects a philosophy in which hospitality is measured not only by what is served, but by the moments created around the table. Elegant in form and purposeful in function, it enhances the expression of wine while reawakening the ritual of shared experience—transforming service into an occasion of connection, conversation, and memory.
Together, FIU Hospitality and the Decanterino Family are helping redefine the modern beverage program: demonstrating how thoughtful innovation can elevate wine service, inspire a new generation of hospitality leaders, and reshape the guest experience through a deeper balance of science, design, and human connection.
The Chaplin School’s Inaugural Wine Harvest Week brought the vineyard experience to Miami with a series of exciting events by the Vidal-Duart Wine Studies Program. The week kicked off with a lively grape stomping and wine tasting session on the patio. On Tuesday, guests joined an industry discussion with Wayne Chaplin, CEO of Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, followed by a French Wines Master Class led by BGPL USA. Wednesday featured a vineyard and wine tasting demonstration by the FIU Wine Guild at the Modesto Maidique Campus, culminating in an Alumni Panel on careers in wine and food pairing.
The discussion kicked off in the Chaplin School’s new state-of-the-art wine classroom, where FIU alumnus and Managing Member of 3.0 Capital José Hernandez-Solaun ‘98 led a fireside chat-style interview with Bob Dickinson, Former President & CEO of Carnival Cruise Line. The wide-ranging conversation delved into Bob’s cruise industry knowledge and marketing expertise, his love of wine and food, and his inspirations around the importance of helping others.
As part of our Vidal-Duart Wine Studies Program, we welcomed Moët Hennessy and Veuve Clicquot to a panel discussing future trends in the wine industry curated by our Distinguished Professor of Wine, Geralyn Brostrom, DBA.
Thank you to our moderator:
Adriana Angulo, Moët Hennessy, National Director of Veuve Clicquot
And our panelists:
Cerentha Chow, Moët Hennessy VP of Resort and Leisure
Suzanne Grigas, VP of Trade Development at Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits
Jacqueline Pirolo, Managing Partner, Beverage Director Macchialina