Shari Gherman

Shari Gherman has been involved in the wine business for over 25 years.  Her experiences in virtually every part of marketing, distribution, supply and advertising have combined to form a unique background and the basis for The Gold Medal Wine Tour and The American Fine Wine Competition. 

Four years ago Gherman co-founded the American Fine Wine Competition.  This is the only competition in the country that limits its entries to “premium level” American produced wines.  The media and winery buzz over this competition has garnered press from around the nation and interest from notables such as Robert Parker Jr. 

The AFWC and its associated marketing arm, The Gold Medal Wine Tour, are based on Gherman’s passion for wine.  The GMWT markets the Gold and Double Gold medal winners from the competition in exclusive dinner venues while benefiting local charities.  Gherman has melded her love for wine with her drive to give back to the community.  In the last three years, Gherman has raised over $350,000 for local charities through the marketing of these great wines and the associated charity dinners.

Earlier in her career, Gherman worked in the publishing industry, and with wineries, suppliers, and distributors.  This experience helped her learn both the technical and logistic arm of the wine business.  Working with wineries and suppliers developing marketing plans, reviewing budgets and market penetration goals exposed the “business” side of the industry.  Working with the distributors rounded that education with knowledge of distribution and related concerns.  It also gave her a firsthand look at commercial customers, how they think and more importantly why they purchase certain brands over others.

Gherman has sat on wine judging panels, participated in hundreds of formal and informal industry tastings.  She is a certified Sommelier and has traveled extensively throughout the USA to search out new wineries and products.  She has also toured the wine regions of Italy, France and South Africa.  Her palate “is one of the best I’ve ever seen” according to Fred Tasker, the wine writer for the Miami Herald.

However, what really makes Gherman different is her combination of advertising and promotional expertise that complements her wine knowledge.  Gherman worked 15 years in advertising.  Starting as a sales representative and moving up to the Advertising Director, her knowledge in that arena has been a great asset.  Gherman was the brain child and developer of the wine section for the iconic Ocean Drive magazine.  This section continues today more than 10 years after Shari’s departure.

Passion, expertise and drive separate Shari from the pack.  Her skill set of wine and marketing knowledge have been the basis for her outstanding successes.  It is this combination that will continue to help Gherman, and those associated with her, to move forward into the ever changing wine industry.

A Miami native, Shari resides with her husband Joel and their pets, Brunello, Max and Chase, in Boca Raton.

Henry Barrow

Miami native Henry Barrow began his career as a jazz trumpet player. He then went to work as a weekend television news anchor at Channel 10, before joining WIOD radio in 1964 as the morning news anchor and sportscaster. When the Dolphins came to Miami in 1964, Henry was the first broadcaster selected for the Dolphins Radio Network. He remained in that position for the next 20 years, broadcasting all of their Super Bowls, including the perfect season, and the longest game in pro football history.

He retired from radio in 1999 to go into the wine business at Gardner’s Markets in South Florida, a chain of gourmet markets with complete wine shops. He left that position in July of 2006 to help set up Cefalo’s Wine Cellar in the Grove and serve as its wine director. After two years at Cefalo’s, he retired from retail to begin his own business as a Wine Educator. Henry is also a pioneer podcaster and has hosted a radio feature called “Talking About Wine”, which began in 1970 as “Wine at Nine”. That wine feature lasted until his retirement from broadcasting. Henry also spent several years on the tasting panel of The Wine News magazine and wrote features on food and wine for the magazine. He has also been a contributor to South Florida Gourmet when it was a monthly tabloid. He has also served as a judge at wine tasting events.

Henry was one of the first to tout the beauty of Oregon pinot noir and has visited many of the great wineries in that state. He has also toured many of the great wine producing areas of the world, the latest being Chile. One of his favorite pastimes is serving as the Master of Ceremonies for the Greater Miami Symphonic Band.

Henry’s interest in wine was sparked when he met most of the legendary California winemakers in the late 60’s while in Northern California to broadcast a Dolphins-Raiders game in Oakland.

Henry is a member of Iron Arrow, the highest honorary at the University of Miami, his alma mater. He and his wife Sandy reside in South Miami.

Lyn Farmer, Wine and Spirits Ambassador at Silversea, is a widely published writer on wine and food and is Senior Editor of The Wine News magazine. His articles have been honored with the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Writing on Wine and Spirits, the most prestigious award in the North American wine and food industries. Lyn is also the host and producer of a video series on wine featured onboard cruise lines and about to be launched at a major international hotel group. Lyn’s guiding premise is that “behind every bottle of good wine, there is a great story, and in every great story there is an interesting person – the story of a wine is a story of people.” Lyn’s extensive writings are as much about people as about the wines they make.