2008-01-04
Tasting Room of the Week:
HONIG WINERY
by Charles Neave
If there was a religion built around Sauvignon Blanc, then Honig Vineyards & Winery in Rutherford would certainly be the place to position the altar and fill the cups.
Since the winery opened for business, Honig has been famous for their Sauvignon Blanc; this is not a new thing. Yes, they make outstanding Cabernets, but mention the word Honig to a knowledgeable oenophile and the first word that will pop into their head will be that of this versatile and much loved varietal.
While not denigrating one of the Napa Valley’s most famous exports – Chardonnay – many people have found out that for pure versatility nothing beats Sauvignon Blanc when it comes to food and wine pairings, or as a very pleasant wine to sip all by itself. Honig can be a bit more pointed on this topic, but better that you ask them when you visit.
The tasting room is about a quarter-of-a-mile down a gravel road, past an olive oil production facility and through the vineyards. The tasting room and winery is, in fact, surrounded by vines, except for a trim and pleasant patio in front, with market umbrellas and tables where you can sip your wine on clement days. Inside, the space is not cavernous, nor is it too small. It is the perfect size for the groups and individual tasters that Honig normally receives.
Being by appointment only, the tasting room staff or a Honig family member (or both) are able to spend a lot of individual time with each visitor, either at the square “kitchen island” or at the community table in front. “It gives us a chance to make friends, not just customers,” is how they phrase it.
There is lots of glass, in the windows and in the north-facing French doors. The room itself is a contrast in pleasing darks and lights. Wines fill shelves, and a bookcase holds silver-framed black and white photographs of the entire winery staff. And don’t be a surprised if a dog or two insinuates his or herself into your group; Honig is a very dog friendly winery (they have seven on their canine payroll).
There are always four and usually five wines to sample, beginning, of course, with two Sauvignon Blancs. The Napa Valley wine sees only stainless steel, while 30 percent of the Rutherford is six months on French oak. “It’s not too creamy. There is really good mouth feel so it doesn’t mask the taste of the grapes,” is how they describe it.
Then there is the Napa Valley Cabernet with its rich fruit flavors, and perhaps a single-vineyard Cabernet, such as the one that sources grapes from the famed Bartolucci Family Vineyard at the base of Spring Mountain in St. Helena. One hundred percent Cabernet, it is full of the flavors of raspberry, plum and black cherries and brilliantly structured.
To finish up your visit – not that you really want to leave – there is a sip of the winery’s lovely nectar, the Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc. Set aside any preconceived notion you might have of these wines, this one is not overly sweet and is well balanced with just the proper amount of acidity. It is the perfect end to a meal or to a visit to this haven for Sauvignon Blanc lovers in the middle of the Napa Valley.
The tasting room at Honig Vineyard & Winery is open every day of the week, by appointment only. Located at 850 Rutherford Road in the town of Rutherford about halfway between Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail, the tasting room accepts appointments from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. To make an appointment or for more information, contact them at
1-800-929-2217, x318; their Internet address is www.honigwine.com.
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