Taste the Passion

Danica Rosé wine delights with refreshing notes and appeal.

By Debbie Hall

Danica Patrick, world-renowned retired racecar driver and entrepreneur, demonstrates her life of passion as a journey, not a finish line. With her love of wine, Patrick has cultivated her own brand with her Somnium Vineyard located in St. Helena, California, and now expanded her love of wine by launching Danica Rosé wine from the Provence region in France.

Her path to appreciating wine began when she lived in England during her racing days. World travels took her to four continents, including Asia, Australia (including New Zealand), Europe, and Africa (including South Africa). She visited wineries all over the world and recognized the stunning beauty where her favorite drink was produced. As her passion for wine grew, Patrick developed her entrepreneurial expression with her Napa Valley winery purchase.

As a wine drinker, Patrick was first introduced to white wine and then incorporated red wines into her experience. She delighted in the bubbles of champagne before tasting sparkling and still rosé wine.

“The well-balanced acidity of rosé wine is part of the experience as it grows in popularity,” she says. “Its vibrant taste, along with its quality, is why rosé wine is much more in demand.”

As the fastest growing major wine category, according to vinepair.com, with a 281% increase in sales over the past four years, Patrick was excited to offer her new authentic French rosé to consumers around the world.

Provence is the oldest winemaking region in France and perfectly suited with its climate, terroir, and grape varietals to produce rosé wine. More importantly, this region embraces rosé wine as a specialty and a part of its culture to be savored and celebrated. The dry Provencal rosé is produced using the saignée method on the grapes imparting more tannin and color to ferment its pink juice.

Danica Rosé captures the delicate crisp features of this premium wine. Its flavor profiles express luscious flavors of white peach, fresh melon, and tart strawberry with aromas of hibiscus and lime blossoms. The finish delights and tantalizes the palate, whether pairing with food or enjoying its attributes as a delicious drink.

To create this complex flavor palate, Patrick is collaborating with the Margnat family, with winemaking traditions that span four generations dating back to 1895.

“I wanted to pair up with someone who has a long history and traditions in winemaking with great success. It’s all about quality, and I knew they could produce the best wine bearing my name.”

While her introduction to wine was in England, Patrick would discover that wine with meals is also common in Italy and France. In the US, reasons are different, according to Wine Business News. The number one reason Americans drink wine is for its taste, followed by a way to relax, pair with food, and socialize with others. Patrick followed these reasons when creating Danica Rosé developing a lighter, more palatable wine to fit American’s tastes as well as become part of the world market. She also recognizes that pink is an uplifting color associated with fun and love. Her rosé wine combats any mood and allows people to show hope and gratitude with a glass of Danica Rosé.

Part of the allure of rosé wines is the packaging, and Danica Rosé entices in an elegant custom glass bottle paying homage to the blends’ French origin. The bottle’s design captures its flavor profile, the balance of its elements, and the winemaking history. The glass is embossed with a floral design depicting its floral notes as the color of the wine dazzles as if in a prism. Its shape captures the elegance of the presentation. After enjoying the wine, Patrick repurposes the beautiful bottle as a stylish addition at her dinner parties using as water bottles placed for guests. Its exquisiteness can also be transformed as a vase and other purposes.

For her latest offering, Patrick teamed up with Nechio Novak private equity group, including former Budweiser executive Rick Nechio and entrepreneur Damian Novak. The fund offers over 100 years combined experience in the adult beverage and food & beverage industries along with strong business development and management.

It was Patrick’s love of cooking, food, and wine that brought her to Napa Valley in 2006. Overlooking the bottom of a valley as the morning fog drifted away, eating a sumptuous breakfast, and tasting wonderful white wines, Patrick loved her experience and started to dream of owning a winery. Later that day, she would meet winemaker Aaron Pott and they would bond over aged wines. Later in 2006, Patrick would find the perfect property on the switchbacks of the Howell Mountain in Napa Valley. She would purchase the property in 2009, naming it Somnium, which means, “dream,” and developing Somnium Wine (somniumwine.com). Patrick would produce Cabernet Sauvignon from 2011 to 2014, add Cabernet Franc, and expand the portfolio to include varietals.

As for her latest offering, “I wanted to produce a personal wine that everyone could enjoy all year round,” says Patrick. “I have introduced a rosé for those who love wine, such as myself, as well as for those who enjoy cocktails that will try a glass of Danica Rosé. Its packaging is an extension of me to share with everyone as they raise a glass of my wine.”

Danica Rosé wine is available online and in select stores with a national retail expansion slated for Summer 2021. For more information, visit www.danicarosewine.com and follow on Facebook and Instagram at @danicarosewine.