Acknowledgements

Thank you to my publisher, Nancy Schumacher, for your faith in my winemaker, and for your inspirational motivation.

I am eternally grateful to my editor, Mel Jacob, whose tireless, meticulous work and uplifting comments took the manuscript to a higher level.

My sincere thanks to Francisco Baettig, award winning winemaker from Viña Errazuriz in Chile, and his wife Laetitia Delbrel, who introduced me to the art of winemaking and inspired the setting for the novel. Francisco and his team’s KAI Carmenere 2006 was voted best wine at the International Berlin Tasting held in New York in 2010, and he was awarded the prestigious Winemaker of the Year in Chile award in 2012. He continues to entice our senses with his excellent blends of Chilean superstar wines.

I raise my glass from this book to my best friend, Tania Smith, who brought a new level of fantasy to my story by inspiring me with her exceptional sense of taste and smell, which she applies daily in her flavor creations.

I would not have been able to grasp the intricate process and practical complications of wine creation and tasting without the input of Pilar Browne, whose patient guidance kept me on the right track. Pilar was a winemaker at Viña Casa Rivas and Viña Casas del Bosque in Chile before she moved to fruit production in the agricultural sector.

A grateful thank you to Maryna Cilliers who proposed the name Zenobia for the heroine in the naming competition, and to all the readers who participated in her creation by voting for the name. With your input, she was not only baptized, but also adopted a character of strength and humor deserving of her warrior queen name.

Barbara Meerveld contributed to the naming competition by suggesting Zenobia’s surname with British flair. Thank you for completing the Rambling picture, Barbara.

Thanks to the artistic brilliance and keen eye of Kyle Hepp, world-renowned photographer, the essence of the story was captured on the cover. Thank you for an unforgettable cover shoot, Kyle.

A warm thank you to cover model Rodrigo Farah, by whose hands models and actors raise from ordinarily pretty to exceptional glamor. Your inner beauty is the pinnacle of your career.

I would like to especially acknowledge the management of Viña Cousino Macul in Santiago, Chile, for hosting the book cover photo shoot in their lusciously beautiful, antique cellar and vineyard.

Thank you to Becca Barnes for a cover design that seduces all senses.

A special embrace and my appreciation go to the Santiago Writers Group, whose loving critique, insight and professional support help me grow, every day, from word to word. You kept me going when I needed to.

My Santiago book club played an invaluable role in proofreading the final manuscript. A special thank you goes to Aileen Sabanal, Laura Emery and Claire Moss for their hawk eyes.

Thank you to my neighbors, Rosa and Guido Girardi Brière, who rescued me and saved me from taking a handcuffed ride downtown when the police confiscated my innocently bought stolen car! You have been my adopted family in Chile ever since. My heartfelt thanks for the scenes that you have inspired.

And always thank you to my husband, Alban Morin, who stood patiently by my side, unfalteringly tasted wine with me, traveled to vineyards and beyond, and sent me off in a glider to soar over the Andes as inspiration for the metaphorical hawk flight, in which Zenna receives visionary training. Without your support, this story would not have been born.

Thank you to all the readers, my family and friends, who invest time in taking a journey with me through the pages of this book.