Millionaire Secretly Giving Away Bottles of Wine to Unsuspecting Diners in San Francisco Area
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Purestock/Thinkstock(SAN FRANCISCO) — Watch out, Bay Area diners – you could be next. Or at least you can hope you’re next.
A woman who has chosen to remain anonymous has been sneak attack gifting bottles of wine to unsuspecting diners in her home area of Tri Valley, California, which consists of Danville, Pleasanton, Livermore, San Ramon, Dublin, Amador, Livermore and San Ramon.
She’s dubbed herself the “Secret Somm” on Twitter, where she’s been doling out hints to her whereabouts and photos of the people she’s surprised.
Grab your chopsticks, @DublinPIO. I’m headed your way! #wine #comefindme
— SecretSommCA (@SecretSommCA) February 1, 2015
“I am madly in love with this community. I’m so thankful to live here,” she told ABC News. “I just wanted to do something that married my love of this wine country with the community and make people smile and do something fun.”
Visiting about 10 restaurants a weekend, the “Secret Somm” has a driver take her and a companion to multiple stops a night, and the reactions are joyful each time.
It’s raining, Cellar Door is pouring! Oh what a night in @PleasantonDT @VisitTriValley pic.twitter.com/HTETHsNXZN
— SecretSommCA (@SecretSommCA) February 7, 2015
“The best one was at a restaurant in Danville. I saw a lovely couple having dinner and sent them a bottle of wine and they seemed just really amazed by it. Afterward, the waiter said the wife pulled him aside and said, ‘I can’t tell you what this meant to us. My husband was laid off today, so we decided to go out and treat ourselves to a nice dinner and this happened. It was so restorative to our hearts,’” she said. “We just walked out of there on cloud 9. No way could we have planned something like that to happen, and it was much more than wine.”
Some guests have asked to send a bottle of wine back as a thank you. Some restaurant owners have tried to get in on the action by not letting the “Secret Somm” pay, but she always insists.
Lovin’ @livedowntown tonight! This happy group scored a bottle of @McGrailVineyard #CabernetSauvignon #cheers pic.twitter.com/wh9ZSjnEGT
— SecretSommCA (@SecretSommCA) February 1, 2015
“It’s been spiritless and really incredible,” she said. “I guarantee whatever pleasure people have gotten out of a wine I’ve given them, I’ve gotten so much more back.”
So far, she’s gifted over 75 bottles of wine and spent over $4,000. As a woman who made millions in the tech industry, the “Secret Somm” is thankful to, “have the luxury to do this,” she said.
While she only plans to continue through Valentine’s Day, the “Secret Somm” hints she could be back next year.
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