Think Napa is just giant wineries and big names? Think again!

There are still MANY small, up-and-coming contenders. Hidden gems to be discovered. Life-affirming wines worth seeking out.

Sommras is one to watch. Savvy Operatives will remember their brilliant Sauv Blanc… So, when this 94-point fruit-packed, spicy, complex red landed on our table our mouths were already watering.

Consider, at just 5-acres of vines, just downhill from Kongsgaard, it’s the type of dream terroir others in Napa would kill for. Planted in the 1990’s, with a TOTAL production of just over fifteen barrels, its scarcity and quality more than justify the full $125 winery price.

Their neighbor’s wines – they charge DOUBLE or TRIPPLE that for the privilege!!!

For under $50?! It’s time to make some room in the cellar.

Sommras is a passion project started by successful entrepreneur named Geetesh Goyal. Half Italian, Geetesh spent his boyhood summers tending his grandfather’s vineyards. Always on the lookout, in 2018 he found the perfect vineyard site on Atlas Peak. He named the winery as an homage to the juice (Somras) that Indian gods would drink with the hopes of it bringing them everlasting life.

They make just a few hundred cases per year. You won’t find it at Costco, or even your most connected local purveyor. Heck, you need a referral to even get into the winery to have a shot at buying some…

Then of course he recruited a veteran winemaker like Kent Jarman to take the helm. Jarman is a protégé of Heidi Barrett at Coupe de Foudre and Au Sommet, with “humble” beginnings at Duckhorn, and later as neighbor to Eisele Vineyard, he singlehandedly put Kennefick Ranch on the cult wine map.

Beyond Jarman’s resumé, he has a ton of experience with Atlas Peak’s 1700+ feet of elevation. In a vintage like 2022, his farming of their small vineyard and winemaking prowess crushed it!

Explosive blackberry and blue fruits with resonate hints of violets, wild herbs, clove, cracked pepper, and toast pop from the glass in concussive waves like a cluster bomb of flavor. This field blend takes the best quality of every variety and magnifies them into more than the some of its parts.

And one sip is all you need to know this is a total life-affirming blockbuster.

Stock up now! This gem won’t remain undiscovered for long!!!

94 Points – Decanter (Awaiting publication March 2026) “Impressively fresh given the heat of the vintage, the wine shows boysenberry fruit and dark purple floral notes, with an underlying earthiness from the Grenache and Zinfandel in the blend. Syrah contributes muscle, while Cabernet Sauvignon adds juiciness and lift. Full-bodied and velvety, it carries an underlying tension that keeps everything in balance.