TIME FLIES WHILE YOUR FRIENDS ARE MAKING GREAT WINE

Thursday, our RNDC/Cumberland rep (and my first true protégé) Jen, came by with old friend, winemaker Michael Honig. I’ve known Michael for a long time, and having him stop by is like seeing faraway family dropping in. We caught up on things, acclimated Michael to the burgeoning presence of the Depenbrock family around here and tasted through three of his wines:

Honig Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 2009. Grade=Outstanding. I would venture to say this is one of the best Napa SBs in the $10-$20 price range, bar none. Crisp, light-bodied, with fresh Meyer lemon, key lime, fresh cut grass, guava and just a touch of mineral. Our unofficial house Sauvignon Blanc.

Honig Sauvignon Blanc Rutherford 2007. Grade=Amazing. A little more serious SB with some oak aging that lends more melon, lemon meringue, peach and fig notes, some hints of nutmeg and vanilla bean, and a splash of creamy oak. Beautiful.

Honig Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2007. Grade=Amazing. Full-bodied and luxurious notes of blackberry, black cherry and dark plum, some cocoa, vanilla and cinnamon, intermingling with a lot of lush, velvety tannins, spicy oak and slight tobacco and dark chocolate.

Michael has stuck to his guns and specialized in Cab and SB, foregoing the inclinations his neighbors have to make other varietals. He does what he does, and does it very well. The proof, as it has been for as long as I’ve known him, resides in the bottle.