Honig Tasting at Wine Watch Tuesday January 31st 7pm
I made wine out of raisins so I wouldn’t have to wait for it to age. - Steven Wright
We have an incredible line-up of tastings for this week with some room left for both the Southern Rhone event for tomorrow night and one or two seats for the "Once in a Lifetime" Madeira tasting going back to the 1795 vintage.
Next week is another four events on the calendar we begin the week at one of South Florida's hottest restaurants Valentino's with an outstanding line-up of wines and a KILLER menu to match, this event may already be sold out check out our website for the menu and list of wines and please call 954-523-5767 for reservations.
A week from tonight we have our friend Stephanie Honig in town for a tasting, which is the subject of this e-mail.
Next Wednesday we have Anthony Bell in town for a blending seminar and then our 2nd "Once in a lifetime" tasting in two weeks, the Musigny tasting here at the store going back to the 1964 vintage. WOW- I can't wait!!!
We are happy to host the next generation of the Honig family, Stephanie Honig will be here to show us some of this small family owned wineries current releases with a few unique barrel samples and special selection of late harvest wines paired to small courses prepared by Wine Watch Catering’s Toni Lampasone. The fee for this tasting is $45 + Tax for reservations call 954-523-9463.
Honig Tasting at Wine Watch
Wednesday, November 9th
7pm
Tasting Wines:
2010 Honig Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley
Price: $16.50 Sale $14.52 Case $168
Aromas of orange blossom and grapefruit are accompanied by lemon, melon, peach, and nectarine flavors that are ripe, juicy and refreshing. Medium bodied, with a crisp, refreshing, slightly minerally finish.
2010 Honig Sauvignon Blanc Rutherford Napa Valley
Price: $25.50 Sale $22.44 Case $260
Melon, peach, and orange blossom notes are complemented by citrus, grapefruit rind, key lime and a hint of nutmeg. Fruit forward, with a rich mid-palate accented by toasty oak, and a long, crisp, minerally finish.
2009 Honig Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Price: $36.50 Sale $32.12 Case $372
Blackberry, plum and cherry notes are framed with hints of exotic spices, and perfectly balanced by sweet oak. The palate is full and rich, with structured tannins and a long finish.
2006 Honig Cabernet Sauvignon Bartolucci Vineyard
Price: $82.50 Sale $72.60 Case $842
Ripe red fruit, plum and black cherry, spiced by smoked tea, licorice whips, and dried herbs. Richly structured, with an opulent mid- palate and nicely integrated, plush tannins.
2008 Honig Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc (375ml)
Price: $58.50 Sale $51.48 Case $596.70
A special Treat from Honig's Cellars:
2004 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc
2006 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc
Menu
Selection of Cheese: Epoisses, Beemster Gouda,
Tuna Carpaccio with lavender and fennel aioli
Cabernet Sauvignon braised pork belly with sharp cheddar potato gratin and dill scented green beans
A bit about Honig Winery:
When you make wine for a living it is supposed to be fun. You can be serious about what you do and still at the same time be a bit of a “loose cannon”. We wouldn’t describe the Honig Family as being a “loose cannon”, but let’s just say they follow their own path, to the beat of their own drum. Anyone that has seen the postcards of the Honigs and their entire staff dressed up in bumblebee outfits buzzing around boasting about the organic nature of their vineyards, or in Gymnastic gear touting the wines excellent balance. We look forward to see the next adventurous outbreak from the Honigs.
The Honig Winery was conceived by Louis Honig, an advertising genius who loved water skiing and wine. When he wasn't water skiing, Louis was creating classic advertising campaigns for some of the Napa Valley's earliest wineries. It was while visiting these wineries that he fell in love with the Napa Valley. In 1964, he purchased a 68 acre ranch in Rutherford, hoping one day to retire there and make wine from the vineyard. In the early days, the grapes he grew were sold to neighboring wineries and used to produce award-winning wines. But before Louis could realize the dream of producing his own wine, he passed away and his children and grandchildren inherited the estate. In 1981, the partners, Bill and Nancy Honig and Sue Honig Weinstein and Dan Weinstein, honored him by making 2,000 cases of Louis Honig Sauvignon Blanc in an old tractor barn. The wine won a gold medal at the Orange County Fair!
In 1984, at the age of 22, Louis' grandson Michael took over management of the vineyard and winery. One of the testaments of this winery’s character was their determination to become known for the wine that they loved to drink, made from the lowly (priced at least) Sauvignon Blanc varietal. As the years went on the production grew, their accountants looked at them cross eyed. They were sitting on this prime piece of Napa Valley dirt growing a varietal that yielded them the lowest possible return on their investment. Maybe they envied them for having a great time with the land paid for by dear old dad long ago. The Honigs never needed to work to make the banks happy, but they finally grew to a point in 1989 where they felt like drinking red wine and suddenly changed from growing exclusively Sauvignon Blanc to include a little bit of the local favorite- Cabernet Sauvignon.
Today the winery makes three different Sauvignon Blanc based wines. The staple of the winery is still the Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc with over 15,000 cases produced annually this is far and above the largest production at the winery. They also produce a Rutherford bottling of Sauvignon Blanc that contains a bit of Semillon. To preserve the fruit characteristics of this wine, 79% is fermented at cooler temperatures in stainless steel tanks, then aged for 7 months in neutral oak. The remainder of the juice is fermented in new French oak barrels, then undergoes malo-lactic fermentation and is aged on the lees for 7 months. This adds a richly textured background for the bright fruit flavors. There are only 1,000 cases of the Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc produced every year. The third white is a dessert style wine that is only made when the weather permits. The fruit for this wine comes from Block One of their vineyard located next to the Napa River. This close proximity to the river's moisture aids in the natural occurrence of Botrytis, a critical component to a late harvest wine.
The somewhat recent arrival of Cabernet Sauvignon on the property was hardly an afterthought. With prime vineyards in the heart of Napa Valley Cabernet country, the writing was on the wall that the Honigs would produce this noble Bordeaux varietal. The winery produces two Cabernet Sauvignon based wines, the first is produced from 50% estate grown fruit. The Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is aged for 18 months in American oak barrels 1/3 of which are new. They also produce a single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon at Honig. This wine hails from Bartolucci vineyard on Dean York Lane in St. Helena. This vineyard is located at the base of Spring Mountain. It is an old, head-pruned vineyard that has been farmed by the Bartolucci family for three generations. With its gravelly soil and warmer micro-climate, this vineyard is ideally suited to growing Cabernet Sauvignon.
What I Drank Yesterday:
This job just keeps getting better and better as there are only a few people who get to taste as much wine as I do on a daily basis. The most challenging part of my work is doing things in moderation and I have been trying to drink less and drink better- but I am having a problem with the drinking less part.
This was an impressive array of wines brought in by Anthony from Florida Wine Company aka FWC.
2010 Guy Breton Regnie
Price: $33.25
There are 10 crus all located on Pink Granite soils giving them more structure and lower PH, biodynamic producer and this wine comes from 40-100 year old very exotic bouquet of fresh picked flowers, sweet tobacco spice to the wild strawberry and raspberry fruit. Nice freshness and red berry fruit on the tongue with that floral character showing through on the finish, a zesty wine that should open nicely has lovely concentration and balance. Finish 40+ Excellent +
2010 Guy Breton Morgon
Price: $36.25
More of the Pink Granite and less of the Sandstone found in the Regnie, a bit more tightly wound than the Regnie but still exotic spice, mint with lots of black raspberry fruit, wild strawberry with notes of animal, leather and wild flowers. Maybe a bit less fruit forward but very nice red raspberry fruit and pretty floral notes through the finish with firm acidity and a zesty mineral laced finish. Finish 40+ Excellent
2010 Jean Paul Thevenet Morgon
Price: $35
Fresh flowers and herbs on the nose with raspberry and strawberry like fruit a nice hand of spice here also. A very refreshing style of red with succulent red berry fruit and a host of spice and zesty acidity leaving the tongue salivating for food, ending with a lot of floral nuance and a nice hand of minerality. Finish 40+ Excellent
2005 Sesti Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $84.75
Fresh earth, porcini mushroom aromas lifting from the glass, this estate is located in Castello di Argiano and the proprietor Giuseppi Sesti is all natural but not biodynamic. He is was an astronomer in a former life and this wine has a good deal of red cherry and wild strawberry fruit with notes of wild herbs, a very old school producer. Very forward and seductive which is typical of the 2005 vintage nice red berry fruit with a zesty finish, not a blockbuster in style but drinking very nicely right now- classic Brunello. Finish 45+ Excellent
2010 Domaine Diochon Moulin A Vent
Price: $24
Very rich and deep bouquet dark cherry black raspberry wine with lots of violet floral nuance 70 year old vines on granite soils no fining, no filtering a bit of animal/savage. A good amount of that animal showing on the palate along with pronounced minerality and firm tannins with an excellent backbone of acidity- wow this is stunning stuff. Finish 45+ Most Excellent
Jeff from TA was in with the new releases from Macrostie winery and a few other odds and ends.
2007 Argyle Brut Sparkling Wine Willamette
Price: $22.50
This wine is sourced from Lone Star and Knudsen Vineyards. Put En tirage in 2008 and disgorged on demand, there is ample amounts of apple and pear fruit with a touch of ginger spice and fresh floral nuance. A nice amount of fruit on the tongue with a slight hint of sea salt on the finish, tangy and smooth creamy bubbles, nicely balanced with good length on the finish. Finish 40+ Very Good +
2008 Macrostie Chardonnay Sonoma Coast
Price: $19.50
A rich bouquet of toasty oak spice, ripe apple and a touch of caramel. Nice richness on the palate with a good amount of rich toasty apple fruit on the tongue with a touch of that caramel showing on the finish with good balance and freshness at the end. Finish 35+ Very Good
2007 Macrostie Chardonnay Wildcat Mountain Vineyards
Price: $36
Located at the south end of the mountain range that leads into Carneros this wine shows more distinct minerality and a lovely richness to the bouquet of butterscotch candy, pineapple fruit with a hint of pine resin nuance. Lovely richness on the tongue with layers of lemon drop candy like fruit, butterscotch candy and cinnamon spice big but still has lovely balance and a nice integration of toasty oak spice on the finish. Finish 45+ Finish Excellent +
2008 Macrostie Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Price: $27
Fresh black raspberry like fruit on the nose with pretty floral notes nicely balanced bouquet of aromas with aromas of exotic oriental spices. A good amount of black raspberry and cherry like fruit on the tongue with silky smooth velvet like tannins and excellent balance and length on the finish and a good hand of dark spice. Finish 40+ Excellent
2007 Macrostie Pinot Noir Wildcat Mountain Sonoma Coast
Price: $42
A very intense bouquet of fresh flowers and exotic spices, cola, cocoa, very nuanced with black cherry black raspberry like fruit. Big and chewy for a Pinot Noir has some tannins but very velvety smooth and exotic with layers of dark cherry fruit and cola spice through the finish. Finish 45+ Most Excellent
2006 Camigliano Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $54
Black tar and black truffle nuance to the wild strawberry fruit on the nose good concentration and depth of fruit with some herbs and a fresh earth component. Lovely intensity on the palate with tart red cherry and wild strawberry fruit with a nice hand of spice and good length and minerality on the finish, a bit chalky and fine tannins holding things together nicely. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Then a JT Morelli Sighting this year with selections from Peter Wegandt and another very good Pinot Noir but from Austria and a Zinfandel blend that is not my thing but the L'aventure is.
2009 Markowilsch Pinot Noir Austria
Price: $15
A light smoky nuance to the bouquet with red cherry liqueur like fruit with some rose like floral notes here as well as a game like animal character, truffle earthy nuance fairly complex bouquet opening up nicely. A distinct earthy nuance on the palate as well with a good hand of spice and tangy acidity and some tart red cherry fruit. Finish 40+ Excellent
2009 Samsara Pinot Noir Kessler-Haak Santa Rita Hills
Price: $30
Black raspberry like fruit with a good amount of dark spices on the nose one of Melville's sons, a bit of a floral nuance and some bacon fat like nuance. Nice grip on the tongue with some tannins for a PN and a nice amount of spice complimenting the black fruit and a nice savory finish balanced. Finish 40+ Excellent +
2009 Tractor Shed Red Tudal Estate California Red
Price: $7.50
Light smoky nuance on the nose almost like burnt campfire wood black currant and black plum like fruit. A bit fruity almost sweet black cherry jam on the tongue with light spice showing through the finish. Finish 35+ Fine
2009 L'Aventure Optimus Estate Paso Robles
Price: $41.25
A blend of 50% Syrah, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Petite Verdot and a whopping 15.8% alcohol lots of dark spices on the nose espresso and bitter coco spice to the sun dried plum and dark cherry liqueur like fruit very extracted on the tongue with layers of dark spice and ripe fruit and although big this wine still has balance and nice freshness through the finish. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
