Our mission

Travel well

For more than 20 years, we’ve explored the vineyards, villages, mountains, and hidden corners of Argentina, Chile, Italy, France, Japan, and beyond. Along the way, we’ve built lasting friendships with the families, winemakers, brewers, chefs, artisans, and locals who make these places so extraordinary.

Those relationships have become the foundation of every Pourtal journey.

Rather than simply showing you a destination, we invite you to experience it—from behind-the-scenes winery visits and harvest celebrations to unforgettable meals, local traditions, and moments you simply couldn’t plan on your own.

Travel well by slowing down, going deeper, and discovering the world through the people who know it best.

Drink well

Every bottle tells a story.

The wines and saké we share are crafted by passionate producers whose families have dedicated generations to their craft. We’ve spent decades discovering these hidden gems, tasting alongside the people who make them, and bringing their stories to life.

Whether you’re visiting the vineyards or rice fields where they’re produced or enjoying them back home, each glass becomes a connection to a place, a family, and a memory worth sharing.

MOVE WELL

The best journeys engage more than your curiosity—they awaken your body, too.

Our itineraries are thoughtfully designed to include movement that feels joyful rather than scheduled. Greet the morning with yoga, hike breathtaking landscapes, ride horseback through wine country, or simply wander charming villages and vineyard paths at your own pace.

Move in ways that leave you feeling energized, refreshed, and connected.

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BE WELL

The most memorable travel nourishes every part of who we are.

It lives in shared meals, meaningful conversations, extraordinary wines, breathtaking scenery, and the quiet moments that allow us to reconnect with ourselves and the people around us.

At Pourtal, wellness isn’t a single activity—it’s the feeling that stays with you long after you’ve returned home.

Travel well. Drink well. Move well. Be well.

The team

  • 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)

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