In January of 2017 we had the sincere honor of debuting one
of Howell Mountain's newest treasures in our Kahuna Club called Somnium. Since then we have relished in watching
people fall in love with this wine over and over again, garnering loyal fans. Over the last couple of years we all at ACME
have also had the great of getting to know the woman behind the project, Danica
Patrick, former IndyCar and NASCAR racing driver. Dynamic, energetic, impassioned, aspiring,
and joyful...all the things I have written on my fridge to remind myself to be
and all things she naturally encompasses.
A woman who dreams big and then goes bigger. She has pushed boundaries in male dominated
professions and continues to do so with fervor, enthusiasm, and grace. She also continuously encourages other women
to dream big and loyally supports the women around her in achieving their very
best self. Another vibrant personality
assisting in Danica's wine project is Tracy Smith, General Manager of Somnium,
and a Napa Valley native and former member of the ACME Fine Wines team. These two spirited women have taken one
'small' dream and created one big success, inspiring others all along the
way.
"I named the vineyard Somnium, which means dream in
Latin, because I thought owning my own winery was something that would just be
a dream, but, it eventually became a reality. I can't tell you how many times I
have signed an autograph for a child and added the note --dream big! It is a
life motto--it's how I think, how I live and what I preach! My dreams never
stop, and they continue to evolve. Now that Somnium is a reality, my next dream
is to create an environment and experience where it is easy for others to fall
in love with Napa Valley, just like I did so many years ago." ~Danica Patrick
When the brand first launched, the wines were made by Aaron
Pott. But the baton has been passed with the 2018 vintage to super star
winemaker Julien Fayard. "Julien displayed great ability for being very
versatile with the wines he was making. With his winemaking style and expertise
behind the brand, it feels like we are stepping into a new phase as we
diversify beyond our estate wines." Danica said, "I am excited about this next
chapter for Somnium."
The Sauvignon Blanc is crafted from the Knights Valley AVA.
The vineyard sits on the Vaca Mountain Range between Northern Napa Valley and
Alexander Valley. It is protected from Pacific Ocean influences more than other
Sonoma County growing regions. Its warmer climate, slightly higher elevation
and volcanic soils all combine to create ideal growing conditions. This vineyard
is noted for its volcanic soil with large cobbles, yields a gracefully nuanced
wine which benefits from sun drenched growing days and cool evenings.
The 2018 is 100% Sauvignon Blanc seeing 80% new French Oak and is aged
for 22 months. It has bright acidity and has flavors of honeydew melon, green
apple, pear, and mango. Only 100 cases made.
