Daisy Merrick founded Soma Vines in 2018, a wine import and distribution company whose name is taken from Hindu mythology. Soma is revered not only as an elixir but also as the god of the moon. Joined by Antoine Lucchesi, Soma evolved into a winemaking project with a first vintage released in 2020. The wines are made with zero additions and are united by distinctive labels from Daisy’s sister, Lilly Winter. Hailing from the UK, Daisy’s love of wine led her to study WSET Advanced, which was followed by wine-focused roles in London, New York, and Berlin. Antoine, originally from Marseille, studied oenology before working for wineries such as Sekthaus Griesel and Domaine Brand et Fils. Daisy and Antoine established themselves as négoce winemakers with a cellar in Hackenheim, working with grapes purchased from friends who share the same philosophy and work organic or biodynamic. Working as a négoce winemaker comes with its own challenges: in years where there are not enough grapes the search intensifies, stretching further afield through sheer necessity, and a reliance on friends, word of mouth and community is key. Since 2023, they rent 4 hectares of vines in and around Eckelsheim, planted with Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Bacchus, Riesling, Silvaner, Dornfelder, and Frühburgunder. This year, an early budburst brought on by a warm April was harshly contrasted by frost in May, and 80% of the production was lost.
The grapes for Hang On were picked at the beginning of September ’22, from Weingut Nägele in Baden. The 40-year-old vines grow on clay and calcareous soil and are farmed organically. Kept in the cold overnight, the grapes underwent a cold maceration and were pressed the following day. The juice, 50/50 Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc, was transferred into 500l old oak barrels to ferment and age. The wine is undisgorged, leaving yeast particles inside the bottle that give it a slightly cloudy appearance. Tiny bubbles with a floral touch, chill with the bottle standing upright before drinking.