The buzzy South Main Street district in Fort Worth’s Near Southside has a new spot to sniff, swirl, and sip.

Soma Winery — aptly named for its address at 201 S. Main St., in the burgeoning "SoMa" (South Main) district — has whisper-quietly opened its doors, serving wine flights, wines by the glass or bottle, and even bottles to-go.

Owner Amit Virk was previously a silent partner with his brother in another Fort Worth winery for about four years. The softspoken wine enthusiast says he was ready to have his own space to serve wine his way. And that includes bringing some international verve to the extensive menu.

“We have wines from Africa, New Zealand, and Australia, and we’re trying to get people away from thinking they need to only try California wines or French wines,” he says. “California wine is great, but there are other places that also produce wine. You can see and taste the difference and broaden your horizon.”

Virk’s eventual goal is to produce his own wine on-site under a private label. He hopes to begin production by the end of the year or early 2023, but delays in obtaining equipment have hindered his timeline, he says.

In the meantime, Soma is gaining an early following for its wine flights, bright and friendly atmosphere, and approachable servers.

“We already have regular customers who know our names and we know their names,” Virk says. “It’s nice to have that neighborhood feeling.”

A sense of community was important to Virk when deciding on a location. It was two years ago when the then-fledgling South Main Street caught his eye. He says nearby Nickel City bar was preparing to open, and The Bearded Lady had just relocated from West Magnolia Avenue.

“It seemed like a neighborhood versus a more commercial area,” says Virk.

Local art and meeting space
Furthering that feeling of community, Virk is using Soma Winery as a space to display local art. He aims to choose area artists whose work matches his wine room aesthetic, he says. The artists showcase their pieces (all for sale) within the winery for about two months. His goal is to support as many artists as possible with their rotating work.

Soma Winery has also a semi-private space for meetings or small parties that can accommodate eight people seated or a standing group of about 15. But the entire winery itself is available for private events with a capacity of 120.

Eventually, Virk plans to host themed wine events and dinners. He hopes to launch flatbread pizzas and paninis in the next couple of months but does currently offer charcuterie boards and hummus plates for wine pairing.

Soma Winery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 4-10 pm.