On the ride back, everyone
says the same thing: book her again.

Vivian made our tenth anniversary unforgettable. She picked three wineries we would have never found — the second one had a private cave tasting that my husband is still talking about. She knew the winemaker by name. The whole day felt like a day with a friend who happens to know everyone.

Three generations, very different wine knowledge, and Vivian read the room perfectly. Our 22-year-old got the same respect and attention as my dad. Nobody felt rushed. Lunch at the one place that took us last-minute was a highlight. We tipped her before we tipped the restaurant.

I planned a surprise for my husband's 40th. Vivian called me two days before to ask about his favorite varietals, and then built the whole afternoon around it. He keeps saying it's the best gift he's ever received. I keep saying Vivian planned the whole thing.

Eight of us, two days, no plan. Vivian turned it into a movie. Cabs in St. Helena, a brewery in Calistoga, a sunset spot I won't name because it's apparently a secret. The boys are still talking about it. Booking her for the next one already.

I was nervous about doing Napa solo. Vivian picked me up at my hotel in St. Helena and within ten minutes I felt like I was riding with an old friend. She told me the history of every road we turned down. I learned more in one day than I have reading about wine for a decade.

We had a team of 12 over three days. Vivian coordinated with three different venues for private tastings, handled a same-day reschedule when a meeting ran long, and somehow still remembered everyone's name and drink. Operations at this level is rare. People who love their job this much are rarer.