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Honig Vineyard and Winery is a family-owned and operated winery situated in the picturesque town of Rutherford in Napa Valley, CA.  Honig Vineyard courtesy of Honig In 1964, Louis Honig purchased a 68-acre vineyard in Rutherford from the Wagners’, who are owners of the nearby Caymus vineyards. Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc were the two varieties planted in the vineyard that they bought. The Honig family grew and sold these grapes to nearby wineries until 1980 when they decided to try producing their own Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. It was a great success! Realizing the potential of the grapes growing in their vineyards, they built a winery that was completed in 1982. Even though the wine they produced was good, they still struggled with sales and marketing. Michael Honig, grandson of Louis, saw great possibilities and stepped up to the plate in 1984 at the age of 22. Michael and his family slowly transformed their marketing approach. Sales grew, and today, their wines are sold in all 50 states and internationally.  Michael Honig Photo courtesy of Honig winery. Michael and his team are committed to the environment, practice sustainable wine growing, and use solar energy. They have California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance and Fish Friendly Farming certifications.  Photo courtesy of Honig winery In addition to hawks and owls that keep the rodent population down, they use sheep (aka Wooly Weeders) as natural lawnmowers, eliminating chemical weed killers.  Photo courtesy of Honig winery By only focusing on the production of two varietals, they have achieved the “true expression of the vineyard.” Michael recently sent me a bottle of each varietal to taste. He said, “We specialize and only make Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. These two wines are the bottlings that we sell all over the world.”  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Honig 2023 Sauvignon This bottle is very eye-catching, with a beautiful view of the vineyard. It’s like looking through a window! The wine is 98% Sauvignon Blanc, 1% Semillon, and 1% Muscat. The grapes are sourced from Honig’s sustainably farmed vineyard in Rutherford (58%) and Lake County vineyards (42%.) Fermentation and aging take place in stainless steel tanks.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Floral, white stone fruit, citrus, and a hint of tropical notes. Palate: Pear, grapefruit, honeysuckle, and a touch of key lime make for a lively whirl and a juicy finish. It is fresh and bright! Alcohol: 13.5% SRP: $23.99 Pairing suggestions: Enjoy as an aperitif or serve with seafood, salads or sushi. Honig 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley The first vintage for the Cabernet Sauvignon was in 1987. The grapes for this wine are 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5.3% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 2.4% Petit Verdot, 1.4% Cabernet Franc, and 1.2% Petit Syrah. Grapes are sourced from the Rutherford vineyard and local Napa Valley vineyards. The wine was aged 18 months in French and American oak barrels (25% new American oak, 20% new French oak.)  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Dark berries, cherry, a hint of cranberry, and baking spice. Palate: Lush notes of dark cherry covered in mocha, dark berries, sweet spice, and minerality. It is a sweet and savory dance on the palate with a silky, long finish. Nicely balanced. Alcohol: 14.9% SRP: $46.95 - $56.00 Pairing suggestions: Grilled meat, hearty stews, seared tuna, and mushroom risotto. As the song says… A bottle of red, a bottle of whites Whatever kind of mood you're in tonight… Billy Joel’s “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant”  Photo courtesy of Honig winery Until next time…
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com Napa Valley might be one of the smallest winegrowing regions in the world, but it is renowned for its vineyards, wineries, and of course, wine!  Photo courtesy of Visit Napa Valley The Napa Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area) became California’s first American AVA in 1981. There are approximately 46,000 vineyard acres and over 400 wineries spread across 16 AVA appellations. Napa Valley AVA is only 30 miles long and five miles across at its widest point.  Although this is a dry Mediterranean climate, within the appellations and its sub-appellations there are diverse microclimates and terrain that contribute to the grapes distinct characteristics. There are more than 34 grape varieties grown here with Cabernet Sauvignon being the most planted and Chardonnay the second.  Photo courtesy of Oberon Wines Tony Coltrin is the winemaker for Oberon Wines, which is part of the Michael Mondavi Family portfolio. Tony was born in St. Helena and is a lifelong resident of Napa Valley. Earning his oenology degree at UC Davis, he has worked in the wine industry for over 45 years. He began his career with Robert Mondavi Winery. In fact, Tony is noted for his winemaking efforts on the first vintages of Opus One as well as Robert Mondavi’s Fume Blanc. I love this quote from the Oberon website. Tony says, “Being a winemaker is not something I do every day; being a winemaker is who I am every day.”  Tony Coltrin Photo courtesy of Oberon Wines Having the advantage of being a lifelong resident, Tony knows every expression of the valley and specifically which sub-zones produce Bordeaux grapes that are exceptional. His lifelong relationships with growers throughout Napa Valley are the very essence of Oberon’s quality and consistency. Tony selects top quality fruit year after year from the finest winegrowing regions throughout Napa. I received four Oberon wine samples representing Napa Valley and Tony’s gift for winemaking. All the wines are cellared and bottled by The Michael Mondavi Family, Napa, CA.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 2019 This is a blend of 75.6% Sauvignon Blanc and 24.4% Sauvignon Musqué. The grapes are sourced from the warm Pope Valley and cool Carneros appellations. Both cold tank fermentation and 13% barrel fermentation are used to maximize the overall fruit expression. “The cold-fermentation in-tank helps us maintain the pureness of fruit and aromatics, and barrel fermentation adds a subtle creaminess and length.”  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Floral, pear, melon and lemon aromas open to a palate of pear, honeydew, green apple, a hint of herbs and crisp acidity. The oak fermentation adds depth and richness along with a touch of creaminess. Enjoy as an aperitif or pair with seafood, grilled white meat, veggies and pasta salads. Alcohol: 13.7% SRP: $19 Chardonnay Los Carneros 2018 This is a blend of 99.7% Chardonnay and 0.3% Muscat. The grapes are sourced from cool, breezy, sun-drenched, western facing slopes of Los Carneros. After barrel fermentation the wine is aged in 33% new French oak for seven months.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss A bouquet of white flowers, pear and honey lead to a rich palate of pear, honeysuckle and apples with vanilla and caramel lingering on the finish. Fresh acidity and balanced fruit add to the expression of this wine. Enjoy as an aperitif or serve with fish, light pasta, grilled veggies, or Mediterranean fare. Alcohol: 13.7% SRP: $22 Merlot Napa Valley 2017 This is a blend of 87.7% Merlot, 10.9% Syrah and 1.4% Zinfandel. The grapes are sourced from the Oakville district. An extended maceration naturally softens the tannins and long fermentation in French oak barrels and 12 months of barrel aging.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss This wine has luscious dark fruit aromas that segue onto the palate with dark berries, plum, dark cherry and mocha. This is a well-structured wine with silky tannins and elegant notes. Pair with grilled meat, roasts, stews, or seared tuna. Alcohol: 13.9% SRP: $23 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2018 This wine is a blend of 92.7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7.3% other blending varietals. Grapes for this wine are sourced from Napa’s outstanding areas such as Rutherford, St. Helena, Oak Knoll, Yountville and Pope Valley. Taking the different expressions from each area and layering the fruit, Tony has created complexity and richness in this wine. It is aged for 13 months in 45% new French oak barrels.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Lovely aromas of violet, lush dark fruit and a touch of baking spice set the stage for this elegant and expressive wine. The palate offers layers of dark berries, plum, black cherry, spice and a hint of anise. Dark cherry and bittersweet chocolate linger on a long finish. This is a well-structured wine with silky tannins and richness. Serve with grilled meat, hearty fish, pasta, or hard cheese.
Alcohol: 13.7% SRP: $25 These are complex and expressive wines and they can be enjoyed all year round. I know what I’m adding to my “pour list”. Until next time… Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com It’s another beautiful spring day, even though it’s only February. And it is a perfect evening to take advantage of this welcome “heat wave” and grill up some fish and veggies for dinner.   To celebrate the arrival of warm weather yesterday, I opened my last bottle of The Withers Winery 2013 Rosé from the Sierra Foothills of CA. Once the epicenter for the California Gold Rush, this high elevation and cool climate area now produces a variety of refined and beautifully balanced wines.  The Withers 2013 Rosé is a blend of 56% Mourverdre and 44% Grenache. The color is vivid salmon bordering on orange with aromas of strawberry, raspberry and floral. The palate offers gentle citrus notes with lush red berry flavors and hints of minerality. A touch of lemon zest lingers on the finish. As I’ve opened each bottle of this vintage over the last year or three, I’ve taken a moment to write a quick post to share my thoughts. This is an expressive rosé that has never disappointed and I’m looking forward to trying Wither’s other rosé vintages soon! Alcohol: 13.4% SRP: $25  Andrew Tow is the founder and owner of The Withers Winery. To learn more, please visit: http://thewitherswinery.com  Photo by Penny Weiss Taken May, 2014 I hope you are enjoying some good weather, wherever you may be!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com  The rain and humidity finally disappeared last evening. So a few friends and I gathered for a sunset glass of wine and appetizers. Our host had a few bottles of perfectly chilled MacRostie Russian River Valley Chardonnay waiting for us. MacRostie Winery and Vineyards is located along the Sonoma Coast in the heart of the Russian River Valley in California. Founded in 1987 by Steve MacRostie, he and winemaker Heidi Bridenhagen are making extraordinary wines. In addition to Steve’s Wildcat Mountain Vineyard, he uses grapes farmed by some legendary winegrowers such as the Duttons, Sangiocomos and Martinellis. The winegrowing sites include more than 30 Chardonnay vineyards and over 15 Pinot Noir sites allowing for diversity and vibrancy in their wines.   The 2015 Russian River Valley Chardonnay is a blend of grapes from some of the finest vineyards, including Kent Ritchie Vineyard, Martinelli Vineyard, Mirabelle Vineyard and Charles Heintz Vineyard. The wine is very aromatic with notes of flowers, citrus, tart apple and honeydew that spill onto the palate with hints of oak and melon that linger on. This is a crisp and well-defined Chardonnay and an elegant addition to any table. SRP: $34 And now I’m off to embrace this beautiful day!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com  It seems that my “to do” lists are getting longer along with the daylight hours. And as I complete one task, several more pop up! My goal is to check off all items by the end of this weekend so I can put my energy into focusing on all the wine events coming up this month and next.  Looking ahead to the next few weeks, I’ll be attending several wine events, seminars and Master classes. I’m looking forward to learning more about wines from Greece, New Zealand, Italy and New York! Before I begin my “travels” next week, I want to make a quick stop in California today.  The other evening I tasted a delicious Cline Cellars 2012 Sonoma Zinfandel. Cline Cellars was founded by Fred Cline in 1982 and his brother Matt joined the team as Winemaker in 1986. The 350-acre estate is located in the Carneros District of the Sonoma Valley. Their vineyards boast some of the oldest and rarest vines in California, which includes one hundred year old plantings of Carignane, Mourvedre and Zinfandel grapes. Cline Cellars produces at least seven different Zinfandels, including an Ancient Vines Zinfandel made with vines that are 80+ years old. It is interesting to note that Zinfandel grapes are of Croatian origin. DNA fingerprinting has confirmed that both Italy’s Primitivo and Croatia’s Crljenak Kastelanski grapes are genetically identical to Zinfandel grapes. Zinfandel grapes didn’t arrive in America until around 1920. By the end of the 19th century, Zinfandel grapes were being planted throughout California and most likely originated in Croatia. According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Zinfandel is the third leading wine grape variety in California.  The 2012 Sonoma Zinfandel is filled with aromas of strawberry, cherry and spice. The wine is fruit forward with notes of strawberry, raspberry and cloves with hints of herbs and vanilla on the finish. Soft tannins and a silky mouth-feel combined with robust fruit flavor give this wine a rich and memorable impression. Unfortunately, I don’t have a photo of the wine due to technical failure of the camera on my cell phone. These photos are courtesy of Cline Cellars. Have a great Thursday!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com Perhaps it is because I’ve been surrounded by a “pink” theme for the past few days, but I’ve been craving rosé wine lately. In my last post I shared my thoughts about a lovely sparkling rosé from the Vinho Verde region of Portugal.  So now let’s travel to another continent and explore a delicious rosé from Lazy Creek Vineyards located in Anderson Valley, Mendocino County, California. It is the second oldest vineyard in the valley dating back to the early 1900s when an Italian family established the 95-acre property for farming. In 1969, Hans and Theresa Kobler, natives of Switzerland, purchased the property and converted the old barn into a winery and planted Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer and Chardonnay vines that they brought by suitcase from Europe! After a “fruitful” run of 26 years and 19-planted vineyards, it was sold again in 1998 to Josh and Mary Beth Chandler. Ten years later in 2008, Don and Rhonda Carano purchased the 95-acre ranch which now had about 40 acres of grapes including Riesling. Don and Rhonda are no strangers to growing grapes, having first purchased a small ranch in 1979 in the Alexander Valley where they grew a few acres of Gewürztraminer. Their passion and commitment to sustainability transcends to the wines that they produce. Lazy Creek Winery was recently awarded a sustainable certification by the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.  Don and Rhonda Carano Photo courtesy of Lazy Creek Vineyards  Lazy Creek Vineyards Lazy Creek Vineyards 2015 Rosé of Pinot Noir is a noteworthy wine made from 100% Pinot Noir. The color is light coral with delicate floral aromas mixed with strawberry, grapefruit and melon. The palate offers strawberry, honeydew and watermelon with hints of nectarine. This medium bodied wine has richness to it but is light at the same time. A dry and crisp finish gives way to flavors that persist for a satisfying conclusion. Serve chilled with just about any food. Thumbs up on this rosé! http://lazycreekvineyards.com Alcohol: 14.2% SRP: $22 Have a happy Friday and a magical weekend!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com In my last post I raved about a wonderful bottle of Zinfandel that was consumed before dinner was served. So of course I opened another bottle of wine to complement the meal.  The 2009 J. Lohr “Seven Oaks” Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon was the perfect choice. Located halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Paso Robles appellation produces Bordeaux and Rhône varietals. Due to the 50-degree temperature swings and very little moisture, the Cabernet fruit tends to be more intense, with concentrated fruit and soft tannins.  The 2009 is a blend dominated by 79% Cabernet Sauvignon with 9% Petite Sirah, 5% Petit Verdot, 2.5% Merlot 2.5% Syrah and 1% Cabernet Franc. The wine was dark red, bordering on purple, with aromas of dark cherry, plum, spice and hints of vanilla. The palate offered a beautifully structured wine with layers of rich dark cherry, plum, blackberry, spice and a tease of vanilla bean and oak. Silky tannins and a “jammy” mouthfeel led to a long finish. The wine paired beautifully with the Parmesan crusted salmon, Kale & Ricotta ravioli and sautéed spinach with mushrooms! Alcohol 13.5% http://www.jlohr.com  Have a great Wednesday!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com  Hopefully everyone has been enjoying the holidays so far. All the wonderful posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram certainly depict the joy, love and celebrations that are going around!  I have been doing my fair share of celebrating, dining and wining as well and is the excuse for my absence here for a few days! I have much to catch up on, but the holiday season is far from over, so my posts will be spread out over the next week or so.  To get the season off to a fun start, I had dinner with a friend prior to Christmas at a lovely French restaurant. We ordered a bottle of 2009 Rombauer Napa Valley Merlot that carried us through appetizers and entrees. This elegant Merlot is blended with 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petite Verdot. The color is dark ruby with enticing aromas of dark berries, plum and black cherry. The palate offers juicy notes of blackberry, plum and oak with smooth tannins and a silky mouth-feel. The wine paired beautifully with the appetizer of Mini Pumpkins filled with Mousseline, Wild Mushrooms and sautéed shrimp and the cod and lobster entrees. Koerner and Joan Rombauer founded Rombauer Vineyards in 1980 with first, second and third generation family members running it today. An interesting note: Koerner’s great aunt was Irma Rombauer, author of the “Joy of Cooking”. http://www.rombauer.com Whatever you’re celebrating, I hope it’s filled with love, laughter, family and friends!  Happy Monday! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com
 It’s interesting how a change in temperature can influence the palate. I awoke the other morning to crisp fall-like weather and my thoughts went immediately to making one of my hearty soups. I started compiling a list of ingredients to buy and perused my wine inventory for a bold red wine to serve with the soup. By the time I was ready to go food shopping, the humidity and heat had crept back in. The soup went on hold mode and the California Cabernet Sauvignon was gently slipped back into its resting place. With another heat wave on the horizon, I’ll revert back to “light” cooking and enjoying crisp, refreshing, chilled wines! Speaking of which… I popped open a bottle of 2013 Frog’s Leap Sauvignon Blanc, Rutherford, Napa Valley. This 100% Sauvignon Blanc is “made entirely from dry-farmed and organically grown grapes.” Quote taken from Frogsleap.com The color was pale straw with vivid aromas of pear, citrus, grapefruit and a hint of floral. The palate offered a tasty infusion of citrus, pear and pineapple with hints of grapefruit and melon. A combination of lemon zest and vanilla lingered on the finish. This is a crisp and beautifully balanced wine that would complement a multitude of food in addition to drinking on it’s own, as I did.  I’m off to embrace this warm but beautiful day! I’m thinking perhaps a white Burgundy might be nice for this evening!
Happy Thursday! Cheers! Penina  With all the dreadful heat and humidity of late, my desire to “imbibe” has waned a little. For the past few days, water seems to be the big star in my glass. However, I did have a refreshing and perfectly chilled Sauvignon Blanc the other evening.  The 2015 CADE Sauvignon Blanc was a great choice for a balmy night. Made with 92% Sauvignon Blanc, 2.5% Sauvignon Musque 3% Sémillon, and 2.5% Vionier, it was just the right blend of grapes that added subtle layers to the wine. The color was so pale, it was almost clear. Delicious aromas of soft citrus, peach, lemon and honeydew segued onto the palate. The texture was creamy with some floral and apple thrown in. Hints of honeysuckle and lime lingered on the finish. This was a crisp and wonderfully layered wine! Alcohol 14.2% CADE is PlumJack’s sister winery, located high up on Howell Mountain in Napa Valley. The winery is at an elevation of 1800 feet and is considered one of the greenest wineries ever built.
http://www.cadewinery.com I have many bottles of wine to taste and review, but I’m waiting for a break in the weather, which will hopefully arrive towards the end of the weekend. Have a great Thursday! Stay cool! Cheers! Penina |
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