Legendary Racecar Driver Danica Patrick Also Makes Fine Wines
Did you know that legendary racer driver Danica Patrick also makes fine wines? It’s true. And the best part is, they are really good. Besides fast cars, Danica has a love for food and wine. In 2009 she actually bought property on coveted Howell Mountain in Napa and planted grapes for her brand, Somnium Wine. Somnium translates into “dream.” Next, she got legendary wine maker Julien Fayard on board to make the wines.
I’m always looking for something new to feature for Wine Wednesday and these small production wines are perfect. I tasted through the portfolio with brand manager Ryan Maloney yesterday at a private event at St Charles Yacht Club in Fort Myers. Chef Justin Fleming put together perfect small bites (and one big bad burger) to match the flavor profiles of each of the four wines.
About Danica Patrick’s wines
We started with a rose that is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and grenache. It has these great strawberry characteristics and was a crowd pleaser. Next, the sauvignon blanc which spends some time in oak. So it’s not this big acid bomb. It’s round and voluptuous with pleasant tropical notes. It smells different than it tastes and was a favorite of the chef’s when it came to food pairing. Finally, the two cabernet sauvignons. Both were big, and were opened several hours before the event so they could breathe.
The 2019 Napa Valley cab has blackberry and cherry with a bit of exotic spice and herbs. It has a velvety finish and gets 92 points from Wine Advocate. The Estate Cab is 100% cab from Howell Mountain and gets 93 points. It’s dark with plum and tobacco, and has a nice long finish. Danica not only scores big points on the track, she scores big in the wine world too. Cheers!
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