JC Restrepo and his wife Joanna came from Colombia with nothing and built one of South Florida's most beloved wine destinations — Happy Wine Calle Ocho in Little Havana. The New York Times named it to their Top 25 Miami Restaurants list in 2024. They did it without marketing budgets or PR campaigns. Just live music every night, graffiti-covered walls, cheap corkage, and a philosophy the Times summed up perfectly: "serious about the wine, but not about how to enjoy it."In this conversation, we talk about what it really takes to build a wine business that feels welcoming, why the biggest threat to wine isn't other alcohol — it's marijuana and health perception — and what gives him hope that the next generation will still embrace wine.

Topics covered:

Building a wine bar without marketing or PR

Why the real competition isn't spirits — it's cannabis and wellness culture

Creating a space where everyone feels welcome

What the wine industry gets wrong about younger drinkers

Advice for anyone opening a wine bar

Wine with Jon is a podcast exploring how we make wine interesting and compelling for the next generation.

New episodes every Tuesday at 5:30 AM.—

Guest: JC Restrepo — Happy Wine Calle Ocho

Location: 5792 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33144

Instagram: @happywinecalleocho

Connect:

Instagram: @winewithjon

Email: jon@winewithjon.com