Somnium Wine

 BY LAYNE RANDOLPH | PHOTOS BY WB PHOTOGRAPHY

It is not entirely expected for a retired NASCAR racecar driver to be drawn to winemaking, a calling that requires the patience of a saint and a penchant for subtlety, but Danica Patrick defies that notion. She dreamed of owning a vineyard and making wine one day, and in 2009, she achieved that goal. In the decade since she purchased property on Howell Mountain in Napa Valley, she has poured her heart into Somnium (Latin for dream), and it is now a highly acclaimed wine producer.

Danica was intimately involved in the Somnium wine label design – the jagged line eludes to a racetrack along life’s journey. The dot above the name – a stylized “You are Here” – symbolizes being in the moment and appreciating the sense of place that wine evokes.

After a decade of watching her vineyard mature and releasing a few vintages, Danica turned to French Winemaker Julien Fayard to become Somnium’s winemaker and expand its portfolio. Fayard’s illustrious resume includes working with his family’s winery in Provence, and later working at Lafite Rothschild and Smith Haut Laffite in Bordeaux before relocating to Napa Valley in 2006. He served as Philippe Melka’s director of winemaking and has become one of the region’s most respected winemakers.

Somnium’s premier wine from the beginning has been the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, made from 100 percent estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 100 percent new French oak. In recent years, Somnium added a small production of Rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon to the offerings. As of June 2020, Somnium Wine offers Sauvignon Blanc from Knights Valley in Sonoma County, California, and a Cabernet blend of four varietals from two distinct Napa Valley vineyards – three from their estate property and one from Coombsville.

Somnium operates without a tasting room of its own, which seems irrelevant in the “new normal” of today. General Manager Tracy Smith explained that tastings are provided on an appointmentonly basis, catering to each client’s location and personal taste preferences. That means that the tasting does not have to be in Napa Valley.

Outside Napa Valley, Smith will travel to the client for a private, custom experience, either individually or in small groups, in the comfort of home or another carefully selected site. In Napa Valley, a Somnium Brand Ambassador will arrange one-on-one tastings at local restaurants or other establishments as requested. If clients prefer, they can purchase Somnium tasting sets and schedule private virtual tastings.

Smith is a fourth-generation Napa Valley resident with decades of experience in the wine industry and incalculable generational knowledge as a member of one of Napa Valley’s oldest families. According to Smith, the mission with these uber-personal wine tastings is to get each client to “put the phone down and enjoy,” and heed that dot on the label, reminding them “You are Here.”