Napa Valley Dreams

Danica Patrick. For many Hoosiers, her name is synonymous with the Indianapolis 500, GoDaddy commercials and even the word “feisty.” She is the most successful woman driver in the history of American open-wheel car racing and has run the Boston Marathon, among other challenges achieved. Her thirst to work hard and be the best has led her to a new chapter of her life where her love for food and wine combined with her high accolades show she is nothing less than exceptional.

Where does a down-to-earth Midwesterner go after breaking the glass ceiling for women in racing, setting numerous records, starring in 14 Super Bowl commercials and being named one of TIME Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People”? She becomes an author (Pretty Intense), an inspirational speaker and the sole owner of Somnium, an impressive vineyard in California’s Napa Valley.

Patrick challenges herself to be at the top of whatever she does in life, which extends to her aspiration of owning a vineyard and producing superior wine. Somnium, meaning “dream” in Latin, started as just that: “It really truly did start as a dream of me standing, looking over a beautiful vineyard at 10am with a glass of wine in my hand,” Patrick recalls. The years she spent racing in Europe gave her a profound love and appreciation for remarkable food and fine wines.

In 2006, after immersing herself into Napa Valley’s blankets of vineyards, captivating views and legendary food, she fell in love with the region. Three years later she enlisted famed winemaker Aaron Pott (current winemaker is Julien Fayard) to acquire property in Napa Valley with three unwavering requirements: It had to be beautiful, have a breathtaking view and, most importantly, the soil had to be A+ good. Pott delivered when he found 24 acres on Howell Mountain, 1,300 feet above sea level, that checked each one of these requirements. Somnium was born.

Patrick wholeheartedly believes that if you have something good to start with you have a better chance of success in the end. Howell Mountain, known for its rocky soil and history of producing “big reds” like Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Petit Sirah and Merlot, allowed for Patrick to pick a red as the right choice for the first varietal of the vineyard.

Somnium harvested its first Cabernet Sauvignon in 2014. In 2017, Somnium’s first estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon was released to the public. Since that first vintage, Somnium has introduced a Napa Valley rosé and a Rutherford Valley Sauvignon Blanc.

When having a glass of wine, Patrick’s philosophy is to not talk about the wine but to allow the wine to be a facilitator in connecting with others. She wants people to live in the experience, sit together, have fun and engage in conversations about life. 

In 2019, the vineyard proudly gained organic status.

When having a glass of wine, Patrick’s philosophy is to not talk about the wine but to allow the wine to be a facilitator in connecting with others. She wants people to live in the experience, sit together, have fun and engage in conversations about life.

She was instrumental in designing the logo and label for the brand. An iridescent marking represents a whimsical dreamlike state; the curvy lines are meant to parallel life’s winding road as well as pay homage to the road leading up to the vineyard. The red dot above the i in Somnium (which Patrick calls the “you are here” dot), alludes to the mind-set of being present in every moment of your life.

Patrick has a clear passion and love for all wines, which has allowed her to grow her portfolio of achievements. Outside of being the sole proprietor of Somnium, she has partnered with another winemaker to create Danica Rosé, lending her name and influence to the brand. Provence Rosé is deeply meaningful to her with details of why creating a true French rosé was a perfect fit for her: “The reflection of being able to expand in the wine world and my career rooted in authenticity—people may not always have liked me but at least you always knew what you were getting with me. For me, rosé from Provence is just that: It is the authentic [expression] of this specific rosé and you always know what you will get.”

Patrick has proven over the years she is authentic just like her wines. Her roots to Indianapolis still linger. The Indianapolis 500 was the draw for her and her family years ago and while Patrick has moved away from Indiana, her family proudly remains in Brownsburg and Zionsville. Being close with her family allows her to continue to enjoy and explore Indianapolis every time she visits. From her love of seasonal visits to pick apples and strawberries to her fondness of supporting local restaurants, she keeps Indianapolis very close to her heart. 

Although Somnium is not open to the public, there are multiple offerings for private tastings offsite including a food-pairing experience. Somnium also offers virtual tasting experiences and sells wine directly to consumers.

• For more information about how to purchase the wines or to reserve a private tasting, visit SomniumWine.com
• For more information on where to purchase Danica Rosé, visit DanicaRoseWine.com