Jun 7, 2018 | American Wines

Honig Wine at the Roadhouse

A honeyed legacy in every sip!

by Felipe Diaz

Louis Honig purchased the sixty eight acres that would become the Honig winery in 1964. A San Francisco advertising executive, he found a parcel already planted with Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. He looked forward to a place where he and his family could enjoy time away from the city, and eventually make wine as well.  In the meantime, he was happy to sell the grapes to local vintners.

Unfortunately, Louis passed in 1981, and never saw any wine made by the family. As a tribute to his memory, Louis’ family took that year’s harvest and made wine, some of which they entered into the Orange County Fair in southern California. After winning a gold medal at the fair, the Honig family realized they might have something special on their hands.

Louis’s grandson, Michael, dropped out of college to focus on developing the vineyard, and has made it a model of sustainable viticulture in the heart of Napa Valley.  Honig practices sustainable agriculture by applying several biodynamic practices, including using sniffer dogs to find harmful bugs amongst the vines. Fittingly, they also maintain several bee hives across their property (“honig” is German for “honey”).

The Roadhouse features the Honig Sauvignon Blanc on our list. It is a bright, lively wine, which bursts with aromas of orange and lemon, and hints of white flowers. Its flavors are clean and balanced, with grapefruit standing out, followed by lingering mineral notes. Pair this wine with our Kale and Pinenut salad, our fresh oysters, some creamy mac and cheese or grits, or sautéed scallops.