Michele Padberg - Co-Owner Vivac Winery

Advanced Sommelier

International Wine Judge

Editorial Board for New Normal International Digital Wine Publication

Michele was born and raised in Taos, New Mexico, an arts community north of Dixon. After graduating from Taos High School in 1996, she studied at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago, and spent an additional 3 years as a B.F.A. Theatre major at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She returned to New Mexico and in 2001 assisted Jesse, his brother Chris and his brother’s wife, Liliana, open the winery tasting room in Dixon in the fall of 2003. Passionate about the world of wine, she received her Sommelier Certification from the International Wine Guild in 2004, her Advanced Sommelier Certification along with several Master classes in 2005 and became a worldwide International Wine Judge in 2018. The business management partnership with her sister-in-law Liliana, allows Michele to focus on the vital external structure of the company centered on the winery’s brand development. Her skills in the wine industry allow her to develop and coordinate exciting events and partnerships, give wine history lectures and informative wine appreciation classes, craft a diverse social media presence and manage a distribution team that get the Vivac wines out into the marketplace. Michele is a freelance writer and was the owner and fromagere of “Kissable Cheeses”  from 2014-2018. She enjoys assisting her daughter, Denali Dae, with press for the publication of her books (‘How Relative is Relativity’ available on Amazon.com) and attending cultural events with her. Denali is Twice Exceptional (Gifted and Dyslexic) and Michele has nurtured her ability to self advocate and teach other students with challenges to do so as well. Each year Michele and her family gratify their love of travel by seeking out a new adventure in a far off destination.