Marita’s Vineyard is a 2.6-acre estate in the Coombsville AVA, planted in 2002 by Bulmaro Montes — a former Vice President of Operations at Joseph Phelps Vineyards, where he oversaw landmark wines such as Insignia and Backus. The vineyard occupies a gently sloping hillside with well-drained rocky and stone/gravel soils, and vine root depth is intentionally shallow, averaging just 24 to 36 inches, which concentrates fruit flavors. No pesticides or insecticides are used; beneficial insects are encouraged as part of a sustainable farming plan tended exclusively by Bulmaro and his brother Manuel, who together bring over 90 years of combined grape-growing experience.

The 2013 growing season in Napa Valley was widely regarded as one of the finest in recent memory — an exceptionally even year with no significant heat spikes or cool stretches, producing grapes with thick skins, small berries, and concentrated flavors. Napa winemakers were unanimous in their enthusiasm for the harvest, describing wines with rich, ripe character balanced by a cool freshness and impressive structure. In Coombsville specifically, the region’s maritime moderation kept temperatures on the cooler side through the ripening season, extending hang time and allowing for ideal development of phenolic ripeness alongside refreshing acidity — hallmarks of the appellation’s style.

The SOMA is the more approachable of Marita’s two wines — graceful and fruit-forward with gentle tannins. Winemaker Kurt Niznik crafts the wine to reflect the balance and softness that are hallmarks of both the estate vineyard and the Coombsville appellation, with additional bottle aging given before release to allow the wine’s structure to integrate fully.