A number of years ago when I was working as a reporter for Reuters, I was assigned to cover an American Bar Association annual meeting in San Francisco. After a long day of sitting through panel discussions and programs, I knew I'd be facing a long evening in my hotel room typing on my laptop.
As a reward for what promised to be hours of writing, I felt I deserved a nice bottle of wine. Nothing on the room service menu did anything for me, especially since I was hoping for a great selection being in northern California. So I walked around the area and found a wonderful wine shop.
Since my hotel room had a little balcony, I knew I wanted a crisp white I could sip outside while I worked. I asked the salesman to recommend his favorite Sauvignon Blanc from California.
I'll alway remember his quick response: Honig.
I trusted his judgment and bought a bottle. It was everything I had hoped it would be, so beautifully balanced and refreshing.
When I saw that the Wine Merchant in St. Louis was hosting a tasting of Honig wines and that Michael Honig would be there, I couldn't wait to meet him. Michael is the grandson of the winery's founder, Louis Honig, who passed away a number of years ago. Michael took over management of the winery in 1984, when he was 22 years old. According to the Honig website, the winery was struggling at the time. It said that Michael used an old meat locker for an office and a shoebox marked "misc" for an accounting system. Although he had no formal training, he began canvassing the streets of San Francisco, selling wine and delivering it himself.
It the years that followed, the winery became famous for its award winning Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon -- the only two varietal wines it sells. But the Honig name is equally well-known for its leadership in sustainability both in the winery and vineyard.
In fact, Honig is one of the wineries featured in the 2014 book "Down to Earth, A Seasonal Tour of Sustainable Winengrowing in California." This absolutely beautiful book was written by Janet Fletcher and features breathtaking photos by the amazing George Rose, who has got to be the best in wine photo business. The book was published by the Wine Institute.
During the tasting at the Wine Merchant, I sipped the Honig Napa Valley 2013 Sauvignon Blanc that was on sale for $14.99 and its Rutherford Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, which was $22.99. Both were delicious. The Rutherford Reserve is aged in oak, making it rich and toasty.
I was able to review the Honig Napa Valley in my July 23 St. Louis Post-Dispatch column, which focuses on wine under $15.
If you're a Sauvignon Blanc fan, but aren't crazy about the pungent ones from New Zealand, do yourself a favor and try the Honig wines. You'll be glad you did.
#wine #napavalley #sauvignonblanc #sustainability #wineinstitute #honig
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