Working for a small winery, Diane Shimshak’s job is as varied as the wine she pours in the Judd’s Hill tasting room. 

“I work in hospitality, but we all do everything,”she wrote. That could include answering phones and cleaning, but also welcoming visitors, “whether they are making a barrel of wine with the custom crush side, participating in bottle blending day camp or simply visiting us for tasting the wines,” she.

Shimshak especially enjoys teaching about wine.

“Wine, in moderation, can be a part of everyone’s life,” she said. “It brings friends and family together, it can be enjoyed with meals, and it is a part of a healthy lifestyle.”

Which three people would you most like to have dinner with?

Equestrian Jim Wofford, (partner) Mitchell Klug and Vice President Joe Biden. 

What job would you like to try/not like to try? 

Try: Wine critic. 

Not try: Winemaker.

What was your first job? 

I worked in a pie shop in Portland, Ore., after school and (during) summer vacations.

What’s the worst job you ever had?

Shoveling grape pumice out of large tanks after fermentation. 

How did you get into this business? 

I was always involved in sales and sold wine and spirits in Portland, Ore., before moving to California. Once I landed in Napa, it was a natural.

Where were you before Judd’s Hill?

I worked in the hospitality area at Robert Mondavi Winery from 1992 to 2004. That was wonderful. Before Judd’s Hill, I was at Jarvis Winery for three years. That was fun, too.

What’s something people might be surprised to know about you? 

Along with my passion for wine and food, I enjoy riding and jumping horses. I love animals. I think they add a lot to my life. I don’t know what I would do without my horse and my dog. At work, we have chickens and a cat. I always have to have animals around. It calms me.  

What is your favorite charity? 

Napa Humane. I’m on the board.

Who do you most admire in the business world? 

(British wine critic and journalist) Jancis Robinson.

What other business person(s) would you like to see featured in “10 Questions?” 

Mitchell Klug, vineyard consultant

Richard Sowalsky, Silverado Wine Studio

Tim Mondavi, Continuum Estate

Christine Fullin, Napa Valley Equestrian Center

Jamie Thatcher, Napa Valley Equestrian Center

Macella O'Neill, Diamond Mountain Stables

Charles White, Charles White Hay Sales

Christine Grant-Lintz, Premier Pacific Vineyards

Patrick Burke, Judd’s Hill Winery

Lou Vasconi, Robert Mondavi Winery

Sarah Scott, chef consultant and educator

More from Diane Shimshak

If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be? 

Paris. For my next birthday, we are going to Paris.

What was your childhood ambition? 

To be president.

What’s one thing Napa could do to help local business? 

Napa has done quite a bit to improve visitors’ exposure to wine downtown, but it might help to relax a few of the ordinances which limit what wineries can do to attract more business.

I can’t live without: Wine, dogs and horses.

What’s on your to-do list? 

I would like to be able to educate more people about the enjoyment and benefits of wine.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?

It would be nice to have a second indoor tasting area for our guests.

What’s your favorite gift to give?

A bottle of wine.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced? 

The economy.

What’s the most significant project you’ve been involved with in your career?

I serve on the board of Napa Humane and every year we try to donate some valuable wines from Judd’s Hill, and, also, our personal collection, to the Cause for Paws event to raise funds to support the clinic’s excellent work.

Each Wednesday, the Napa Valley Register’s Business Focus asks “10 Questions” of a local entrepreneur or businessperson. Readers are welcome to suggest business people to be profiled. To suggest a candidate for “10 Questions” e-mail: jhuffman@napanews.com