I have been very fortunate to be able to stay at Castello Sonnino twice in the last 4 years. I first visited in 2017 during a 3 week GoGlobal Course on Food, Tourism, and Wine in Central Italy, taught by Dr. Donna Senese through the University of British Columbia Okanagan. I was lucky to be able to return later on and spend 4 months working for Castello Sonnino and learn about all aspects of their beautiful winery and the entire winemaking process.

I lived on the Sonnino property, waking up to the stunning Tuscan hills in the small town of Montespertoli. Everyday was a new adventure, as I spent some days out in the vineyards pruning vines, or picking grapes and olives during harvest season. Other days I was able to work alongside the educational team at Sonnino, which introduced an International Education Center in recent years. The Education Center offers a wide range of courses with both in-classroom learning and hands-on experiences out in the field. During my time at Sonnino, I helped assist in a course that brought 18 students from the US to the winery to focus on sustainable agriculture. I had so much fun, learning alongside the students and helping the professors out wherever I could as the students studied in classrooms, took field trips, and had hands on experiences through their internships.