Elizabeth "Lizzy" Sidles

South American Travel Extraordinaire

With a deep love for South American wine and culture, Elizabeth’s enthusiasm is contagious. A foodie, fluent in Spanish, a trail runner, and a connector of worlds, she has built heartfelt relationships with winemakers and local artisans alike. Originally hailing from Boston, she now calls Sausalito, California, home.

Elizabeth’s journey with wine spans both sides of the Andes, where she began her adventure with the iconic Catena Zapata winery in Mendoza and later at Viña Mayu in Chile. For over six years, she has crafted unforgettable trips to South America with Vine Connections, a premier importer of fine South American wines. Her Argentina and Chile adventures have become legendary.

Follow her on Instagram (@withtwoforks) to see her epic travels!

Monica Samuels

Sake Samurai (Literally, it’s a thing.)

Monica Samuels is the President of Sake & Spirits for Vine Connections, an importer of Japanese sake. Monica has worked in the sake business for over 15 years, at the restaurant, distributor, and importer level.

Monica grew up bilingual and bi-cultural, spending every summer in Tokyo with her grandparents. With a grandfather who was a sake brewer Monica has been around sake from a young age, but the turning point was working for the Japanese-Peruvian-Brazilian inspired SushiSamba, her first job after moving to NYC.

Monica’s insane love for eating, drinking, and meeting new people match perfectly with the demands of her travel schedule. When at home in NYC she loves cooking, yoga, and making people laugh.

Follow her sake adventures on Instagram (@msamuels1212)

KELLEY ROCHNA

Our Fearless Strategist.

Kelley is the VP of People & Marketing at Vine Connections. Originally from Texas, she is a graduate of TCU, and spent the first half of her career working for award-winning advertising agencies that brought great creative to life before moving to California.

She worked for Vine Connections for several years before leaving to work at Instagram, where she led the global business marketing brand strategy. Her heart couldn’t stay away from the wine and sake world, and she rejoined Vine Connections in 2017. She marries her knowledge of alcohol and technology together by overseeing the company’s national marketing efforts across digital, insights, PR, partnerships, and events; as well as leading new business strategies and activation of major sales initiatives.

In her spare time she can be found planning her next trip abroad and enjoying the California lifestyle – hiking, camping, enjoying good wine and sake, and Instagramming, of course! Follow her (@krochna)

Valeria Guarnieri

Our Girl on the Ground, and favorite Argentine.

Valeria’s work with Pourtal combines her vast experience as a designer and artist, an undeniable understanding of her home country of Argentina, and originality in planning and coordinating groups of people. Day-to-day, Valeria works as a designer, primarily designing wine labels.

Valeria’s passion for the wine industry, as well as her passion for life, make her the ideal tour guide for our Pourtal trips! Some of our trip attendees' highlights were V's painting class among the vines.

See her beautiful art and passion for life on her Instagram (@valeriaguarnieriart)