Ania
Gatto said one of the things she likes best about her work as a
concierge is the feeling of accomplishment “knowing you have made
someone’s trip a lifetime experience.”Source: Concierge looks to create 'lifetime experience' for Napa guests | 10 Questions | napavalleyregister.com
Ania
Gatto said one of the things she likes best about her work as a
concierge is the feeling of accomplishment “knowing you have made
someone’s trip a lifetime experience.”
“That is what lets me sleep well at night,” said Gatto.
Three years ago Gatto joined Wine Country Concierge. In 2015, she bought the business from then-owner Jackie Richmond.
1. You said you were born in Warsaw, Poland. How did you end up in the U.S.?
My dad was an Olympic coach for sailing. He worked for the Spanish, American, German and Portuguese team (for 40 years).
I
tell people my heritage is Polish, my education is Spanish and I’ve
lived 20 years in the States. (Having) lived in three different cultures
allows me to adapt quite quickly and I think that’s one of my gifts.
2. What’s a common misconception you get about your business?
They think I’m a limo driver. Or that I have a driving company.
3. What does Wine Country Concierge provide?
We
are a high-touch, non-pretentious, luxury concierge service. We have
intimate relationships with local wineries, farmers, owners and of
course, we also (arrange) lodging.
4. What was your first job?
I
started my long-time love of hospitality and wine during college in
Philadelphia. I was a daytime bartender at a restaurant in downtown that
featured 120 wines by the glass. Ristorante Panorama is still in
existence and holds the largest Cruvinet system, which is system where
the wines poured on tap, meanwhile the bottles are hooked up to a line
of Co2.
5. What’s the worst job you ever had?
When
I worked harvest in Stag’s Leap, I realized that wine making and
production was not for me. I am programmed to be around people and
missed human contact. After working for the Ritz Carlton and Four
Seasons I realized that hospitality and people are what I thrive in.
6. How did you get into this business?
After
working four years at Panorama in Philly, I worked for the Ritz Carlton
Hotels in the wine department which led me into my sommelier career in
New York City.
After eight
years in NYC and being part of four opening teams of multiple Michelin
star restaurants, I moved to Napa so that I could stay close to my love
of wine and yet distance myself from the restaurant world, while using
my skills of hospitality, attention to detail and wine knowledge. Wine
Country Concierge allows me to thrive in all of those.
Learn how to start a concierge business today at Concierge101.com.
7. What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Our
challenge has become our biggest asset, which is to be able to work
with clients that we don’t meet in person and yet fulfill all of their
wishes when visiting the wine country.
8. What’s on your to-do list?
I
have visited over 300 wineries in Northern California and tasted
thousands of wines. While I keep a tight schedule to continue my search
and knowledge on a weekly basis, my goal is to visit and meet the people
behind all of them.
9. Which three people would you most like to have dinner with?
-Julia
Child would be a hoot, especially if we could dine in one of Napa’s
three-star Michelin restaurants so that I could hear her thoughts on the
cuisine.
-André Tchelistcheff would be the ideal winemaker to share current Napa’s cult wines.
-George Yount because he was the first permanent Euro-American settler in Napa Valley.
10. Who do you most admire in the business world?
-Robert and Margrit Mondavi for creating a brand that is world famous and put Napa Valley on the map.
-The
Gamble Family for continuing to farm Napa Valley since 1916.
Specifically, Tom Gamble for continuing the family legacy meanwhile
supporting sustainability and preservation of agriculture in Napa
Valley.
-Dick Peterson, Heidi
Barrett’s father. He is an incredible winemaker that is an open book
about farming and wine making in Napa in the late ‘60s. His book “The
Winemaker” is one of my favorites and so is his sparkling wine.
