By Lynette Carrington
Photo by Will Bucquoy
Danica Patrick may be officially retired from the world of auto racing, but she has shifted gears into making wine. She has embraced beauty and authenticity with her new signature wine, Danica Rosé, created with the assistance of a well-respected winemaking family.
Patrick has been a long-time resident of Scottsdale and has fond memories of the Valley.
“My favorite memory was testing a car out at the track at Firebird Raceway,” says Patrick. “But my very first memory was testing a go kart up north somewhere. I was still probably 14 years old.” She recalls looking into the distance and being amazed at how beautiful the mountains were. Fast forward several years and Arizona is now home.
Patrick’s love of wine started early in her racing career when she spent time in England and grew as she traversed the world. “I’ve been drinking wine since I was in England, and I would go and ask for a glass of whatever their sweetest white wine was,” says Patrick with a laugh.
A trip to the Napa Valley culminated in Patrick buying her own vineyard in 2009 and starting wine brand Somnium, which means “dream” in Latin. Her racing career crossed the finish line in 2018. “At that point in time, I had my clothing line and I had Somnium, my wine,” explains Patrick. “When I retired, I knew what I was going to do.”
Patrick partnered with Les Vins Margnat, a family-owned company with a winemaking tradition dating back more than 200 years, assembled her team of award-winning winemakers, and Danica Rosé was born. It is a traditional rosé wine from Provence, the oldest wine making region in France.
Although Patrick also produces a rosé with her label Somnium, she wanted to create an even more personal type of wine. Patrick says, “I feel that people can resonate with authenticity… Authenticity is something that is really important to me.” Danica Rosé is crisp, light, has a well-balanced acidity, and is a perfect wine for any time of year.
“To make a rosé that is an authentic rosé from Provence was something really exciting for me, and here we are!” says Patrick. The aesthetic of the bottle also has Patrick’s undeniable influence. The name Danica means “morning star.” Each bottle of Danica Rosé has a star on its neck signifying hope, courage, guidance and purity of spirit. The bottle also has an elegantly feminine splash of embossed roses that seductively hugs its side.
“All the things that I do are rooted in wanting to inspire people,” finishes Patrick. “The goal with all my companies and ventures always has to do with something that can transcend far beyond monetary gain, accolades or accomplishments. It is more about something that never ends, which is the drive to want to inspire people.”
Danica Rosé is available online and in Arizona markets in January 2021. To learn more, visit danicarosewine.com.
