As consumers rethink their relationship with alcohol and increasingly prioritize experiences over consumption, the beverage industry is being reshaped in real time. Recent forecasts from industry leaders echo this shift—according to a 2025 Forbes outlook, beverage CEOs expect drinkers to gravitate toward authenticity, functional wellness, and experience-driven engagement rather than volume.
This evolution sets the stage for companies like Pourtal, a women-founded wine and sake collective that blends expert curation with immersive travel rooted in meaning and community. Through an online retail shop, curated tastings and beverage-focused journeys, they’re creating a new model of engagement where wine and wellness meet.
Co-founded and led by Elizabeth Sidles, Valeria Guarnieri, Kelley Rochna and Monica Samuels, Pourtal draws from over two decades of collective experience across Argentina, Chile, Italy, France, California and Japan. They complement their online store with immersive travel to Argentina’s celebrated vineyards.
Today’s travelers seek meaningful experiences
Now that experiential travel continues its steady rise, these guided trips are perfect for those seeking to give unique, high-end gifts that carry special meaning. Their newest offering is a Women’s Retreat, a weeklong journey that blends movement, mindfulness and wine exploration. The 2026 retreats are now available for booking; there are two women-only retreats (one in April and one in October), and one retreat open to everyone, also in April. The company hopes to add trips to Chile in the near future.
For Sidles, the concept developed naturally after years of guiding trade trips through South America. The response revealed something unexpected.
“Our industry partners came for the wine, but they left saying the trip changed their life,” she explains. “They slowed down. They connected with their bodies, with one another and with the land. That’s when I realized wine can be a profound portal to wellness.”
The retreat reframes wine as a cultural anchor rather than a commodity. Guests explore vineyards on horseback, cook alongside generational winemaking families and share slow dinners under open skies. The itinerary includes a visit to the acclaimed GLot vineyard in Gualtallary, home of Luca wines by Laura Catena, a producer Pourtal proudly features in their online shop. Guests also enjoy a tour, tasting and traditional asado lunch at La Bodeguita, featuring both Luca and La Posta wines, followed by an opportunity to paint al fresco among the vines.
This refreshing approach resonates strongly with wellness-minded consumers who enjoy wine but want experiences that support moderation, meaning and balance.
Connecting wine drinkers and producers
Pourtal’s philosophy extends to the bottles they champion. The collective focuses on small, family-run estates and many female winemakers, a segment that remains underrepresented in the global wine landscape. Guarnieri, a native and resident of Mendoza, guides Pourtal’s trips and leads the vineyard painting sessions.
“We choose to highlight small to medium producers, especially run by women,” Guarnieri says. “Their wines carry history, culture and a true sense of place. Sharing their work broadens the narrative of who gets represented in wine. We have a passion for South American wines, and it’s particularly special to visit wineries that we carry on our retail site during our trips.”
This commitment aligns with shifting consumer preferences. Today’s drinkers increasingly seek authenticity, transparency and craftsmanship over mass production. Luca wines exemplify this ethos. Each bottle tells the story of high-altitude Mendoza terroir and the vision of one of Argentina’s most respected winemaking families.
“At Pourtal, we blend wellness and wine in a way that deepens connection—to yourself, to others, and to the moment,” says Rochna, VP of People & Marketing at Vine Connections. “That mindset shapes everything we do, curating journeys, partnerships, and tasting experiences with intention, community, and immersive storytelling.”
Pouring sake into wine drinking culture
Pourtal’s global perspective also includes a growing focus on sake. Samuels, who has spent her career elevating the category, is committed to demystifying this ancient beverage for Western audiences.
“We have the largest representation of female-owned sake brands in the US,” she explains. “We remove the intimidation from drinking sake and empower people to view sake as something that can be enjoyed daily. Instead of waiting for a special occasion to experience sake at a Japanese restaurant, Pourtal inspires people to drink sake at home, out of a wine glass, with everything from a cheese plate to Mexican takeout.”
The Pourtal sake shop highlights approachable yet distinguished labels like Tozai and Bushido, offering entry points for those curious about sake’s diversity, from delicate, floral profiles to bold, umami-rich expressions.
As a new generation of consumers continues to influence global drinking culture, the industry is shifting toward intention, transparency and connection. Pourtal offers a compelling example of what that future can look like, where the focus becomes less about consumption and more about culture, presence and community.
Through their retreats, tastings and global journeys, these four women aren’t only changing how we sip. They’re reshaping why we sip.