Elizabeth Vianna, Chimney Rock Winery

Photo credit: Jeremy Ball

Title:  Winemaker/General Manager
Location: Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California

Years in the Industry: 
27 years.  I was living in New York City waiting to apply to medical school, working at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical center, when I caught the wine bug as a consumer. A dear college friend’s father shared some beautiful older Bordeaux with us, and I became obsessed. My sudden infatuation with wine propelled me to start reading, tasting, doing everything in my power to learn more about wine.  The next thing I knew I was taking my biology/pre-med skills and applying to the graduate program at UC Davis for Viticulture and Enology. 

It has been an amazing first three decades in the wine business.  Wine has taken me so many places, and there are so many incredibly interesting and passionate people in the industry.  I was fortunate to have great mentors as I entered the wine industry at Trefethen with Peter Luthi, Chimney Rock with Doug Fletcher, and many incredibly talented winemakers at Napa Wine Company including Celia Welch, Heidi Barrett, Pam Starr, Erin Green and others.  I eventually returned to Chimney Rock as assistant winemaker and never left. 

I am in love with the piece of land I get to work with every year and have an incredible team that has truly become a second family for me.

 My top three challenges to wellness:
1. It has taken me a long time to learn to say “no” to keep work/life balance.  I’m still working hard at that one.  I love my work and new challenges, and my brain seems to forget I can’t be in three places at the same time, so I tend to spread myself too thin.  This is a work in progress.
2. Carving time out for myself every day can be a struggle.
3. To be around food and wine all the time for a food and wine lover can be a challenge to stay balanced on the wellness front.  I do my best.  This too is a work in progress. 

 How I keep it together to stay well:

1. At this point I am leaning towards being mostly vegetarian with occasional seafood in most of my routine.  As a Cabernet Sauvignon winemaker, dinners include lots of red meat which I enjoy, but you can have too much of a good thing.  I suspect I will make the jump to 100% vegetarian at some point in my future.  I just feel best on a plant-based diet.  And always, always drink lots of water!
 2. Travel is an essential part of my wellness. Whether it’s a quick getaway to the beach for the weekend or a long trip to an exotic country.   To get away, to see and learn from new cultures, to keep perspective, and remind myself that although I love my work, there is so much more to life than how we earn our living.
 3. My daily walks and weekend hikes with my amazing husband and our Labrador Molly are an essential part of my sanity and well-being.  It takes about five minutes to quiet down all the noise and just take time to look at the sky, breathe deep, pay attention to the nature around us, and just have a good laugh.  This centers and grounds me very quickly. 
4. Taking time daily to remember everything I am grateful for. No matter how challenging a day is – this is an important way to keep myself centered.

What inspires me:
Music was my first great love so lots of music in my life always.  I’m inspired by literature, poetry, art, dance – anything creative that connects us to the core of being human.  Good people and great leaders inspire me endlessly.  Mentoring younger people inspires me.  I also find endless inspiration in my tribe of friends and family.

A quote I love: 
"I believe in kindness. Also in mischief. Also in singing, especially when singing is not necessarily prescribed." ~ Mary Oliver

You can connect with Elizabeth on Instagram @elizvianna or @wavensworld if you love dogs. 😊