WOMEN OF WINE
Sandhill Sovereign Opal BC VQA $18.99 23841
Cono Sur Bicicleta Pinot Noir Rosé Chile $14.99 33293 1 L
Sydney Valentino WINEMAKER, SANDHILL WINES
Carol Koch WINEMAKER, CONO SUR VINEYARDS & WINERY
“It has an elegant rosewood colouring and intense nose expressing fresh fruit, reminiscent of cherry, strawberry and raspberry. The palate is clean and juicy, with good balance.” An affection for nature led Santiago-born Carol Koch to study agronomy—but after working her first grape harvest, she decided to switch to winemaking. As a woman in her field, she feels it’s important to be excited about her fascinating yet demanding career. She explains, “It requires a lot of dedication; however, the rewards are greater than the sacrifices.” Koch recommends the Cono Sur Bicicleta Pinot Noir Rosé for spring. “It’s a Pinot Noir from Biobío, an extreme and cool climate vine-growing region in southern Chile.” It pairs well with salmon carpaccio or pastas in white sauce.
“This light-bodied white has the perfect balance of natural sweetness and acidity and pairs wonderfully with spicy dishes.” A part-time winery job changed the course of Sydney Valentino’s life. “I landed here by accident. I was working in the tasting room at Calona Vineyards as a means of paying for my university tuition to become a high school math and science teacher. On my introductory tour of the winery, I was taken through their laboratory. The more I learned how much of a science winemaking was, the more I became passionate about it.” In 2023, Valentino became Sandhill’s winemaker after 10 years of working with several other brands under the Andrew Peller Ltd. family of wineries, which includes both Calona Vineyards and Sandhill. Sandhill’s Sovereign Opal is Valentino’s pick for spring. “It’s bright, with a fresh aroma of peach, pink grapefruit, gooseberry and fresh-cut flowers.”
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