Bottle # 2 since lasted sampled in August 2020. On nose and palate: similar notes , with a slightly richer, fuller body, and more prominent notes of nectarine and a bit of smoke, balancing the citrus, clean , light acidity and no minerality....a hallmark of a distinctly New World SB....civilized alcohol at 13.9%.
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Aromas of honeysuckle, orange marmalade, lime and passion fruit. Flavors of passion fruit, orange marmalade, lime and stone fruit. Ends with a 20 second finish with stone fruit notes.
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Napa Valley Zoom Tasting. Drank in Gabriel Standart. Appearance is clear, pale intensity, lemon colour with light green tinge. Legs. Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of tropical fruit, ripe mangoes, pink guava, grapefruit, slight passionfruit. Developed. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (13.9%), full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with flavours of ripe mangoes, green guava, grapefruit, passionfruit. Long finish. Good quality. Ripe style SB. Very direct and almost hedonistic. Could cause some palate fatigue with more than 2 glasses. Drink before it devolves.
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Aromas of honeysuckle, passion fruit, nectarine and melon. Flavors of passion fruit, nectarine, honeydew and a touch of lime. Ends with a 15 second finish with passion fruit notes. Continues to drink well.
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Well...quite different from the 2015 tasted last month. On nose: grapefruit , white pepper , faint passion fruit and chalk. On palate: a follow through of the above flavours , in addition to persistent lemon pith and subtle notes of toasted almonds ....medium bodied and at two years of age , can go another 5 years , may put on more weight .
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Aromas of honeysuckle, passion fruit, lemon zest and orange blossom. Flavors of passion fruit, guava, lemon and hint of peach. End with a 15-20 second finish with passion fruit notes. Right in the spot I like these at and definitely claimed down since last year. May need to grab more of these.
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One of my go to Sauvignon Blancs. Fresh aromas of grapefruit and tropical fruit. A refreshing acidity balances out the fresh palate. A fantastic food wine but it’s very good all in its own.
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Lots of tropical fruits on the nose, mangos, pears, lemon and a bit of minerals on the end. Tastes is a bit flat kinda like it got over decanted but some lemon and green apple. Drank at 55 degrees, as it warmed up it got a bit more syrupy so I chilled it back down. Enjoyable white wine, great for chillin outside
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Not as good as the last couple vintages just kind of flat with minimal typical SB qualities. Not bad just not exciting and not a good QPR for a rebuy on this vintage. maybe just me or bad bottle as I usually really enjoy this.
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Pale yellow-green in color with slight spritz initially. Full, forward & fragrant nose of ripe fruit aromas of lemons/limes, guava & kiwi with overtones of floral notes & lemongrass, stony, herbs & minerals. Light bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of lemons/limes & white grapefruit with lemongrass, stony, herbs & minerals. Lingering dry finish. Drinks quite well at present but based on past experience, it should develop with an additional year or two of aging.
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Taste Staff Top Picks (San Diego Wine Co.): “92% S.B., 7% Semillon, & 1% Muscat harvested 8/20-9/26/18 @ 23.2° ave Brix; Treated using 2 different methods: To enhance the delicate tropical fruit flavors, a portion of the fruit goes directly into the press as whole clusters. The remaining fruit is de-stemmed & left in contact with the skins for several hrs before pressing, amplifying the grapefruit/citrus components. All of the juice is fermented @ cool temps in s/s tanks using a variety of yeast strains. Aged on light lees, in s/s tanks, prior to blending & bottling.” 49,820 cases made.
WAY too cold
N: Grass, minerals, flowers -- in no particular order
P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by a crisp acidity which subtly takes charge into the LONG, balanced, tangy/swt finish. An elegant style for now & through '22, I'm guessing, + could well improve through the rest of '19. 13.9% ABV; My EXC-, poss more for QPR? 91 pts & a "Smart Buy" WS (6/30/19). [This vendor's $15.99 now puts it in the TOP 15% of wine-searcher's massive listing.]
Note: Also tasted on 6/8/19
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“As I glance at the magazine article one last time, I see a name on the list that I know I can lay my hands on and is usually quite good; HONIG! Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something. Maybe I should listen. NAH! Shake off that disappointment and get in there and try again. You never know!”
Those were my parting words from my post “So, Have You Ever Been Disappointed?” Like that final comment, I did go out and pick up that bottle of Honig Sauvignon Blanc 2018. Not one to be stopped or hindered by such a small item as a wine not being available (of course that was still after wiping a few tears from my cheek), it was back on the horse and gallop into the future. For the record, I’ve never been on a horse.
In retrospect, I’m so glad I decided to continue on my trek to find great wines, and in this case, great Sauvignon Blanc. Not surprising that Honig would be right up there among the favorites. After all, the winery started with Sauv Blanc in 1980 then onto Cabernet. That has to make them one of the oldest producers of Sauv Blanc in California (while not verified, it’s Don approved). While they do use some other grapes in the wines, they still only produce the two varietal wines.
I did plan a meal around the wine, and while they both held their own separately, as a pairing, it was just okay. I had this recipe I was dying to try “Tuscan Beans with Shrimp.” I figured shrimp with a good white wine, what could be bad about that? Again, nothing terrible, but with the addition of some diced tomatoes to the mix, it was a little too rustic a dish. I did add some lemon zest and juice to the recipe, it helped but still the wine was a little too fruit-driven for the spread.
Food aside, the wine was beautiful. Starting with tropical fruit aromas that made me think of laying on the beach in sunny Hawaii, then moving those same notes as the wine moved along the canvas of my tongue painting additional nuances of stone fruit and crisp acidity that lingers till the finish. This is a wine I am sure to revisit.
While this wine is not produced in the same manner as those that I longed for in my previous post (100% Stainless Steel fermentation versus some to all oak), it managed to help lift my spirits, dust myself off, and “try again.” Also, they do make a Reserve Sauv Blanc that does see some oak. Maybe I’ll have to plan one of my wine safaris to see if I can locate it.
If you’re a Sauv Blanc lover like me, I think you’ll love this wine for all that it brings and, who knows, it might even brighten your day a little as well.
Nose of honeysuckle, apricot, passion fruit and stone fruit. Flavors of passion fruit, apricot, pear and lime. Ends with a finish of 15+ seconds with citrus notes. These young area always a bit over the top for me. Once they settle down after some time in bottle I tend to prefer them. Almost like a mini Bevan.
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Crisp, tensile, and vibrant, with lovely aromatic intensity and a menagerie of nectarine, melon, mango, and lemon-lime flavors. It’s long, moreish, and refreshing in a Mountain Dew kind of way. And let me be clear, I used to love Mountain Dew when I was a kid.
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The jury is still out on this version of such a consistently reliable cuvee. Nothing distracting, just did not present the wow factor that distinguishes this wine from so many of its' counterparts from the region. I'll wait to pass judgment until I've tried a few more.
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Light pale. Honey, pear on the nose. Very crisp. High acidity. Minerally on the tounge, lemon. Not a super developed profile, but a wonderful spring sipping wine.
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P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt beautifully counterbalanced by an acidity which subtly directs the show into & through the LONG, BALANCED finish with a tangy/swtness (60:40). Nicely done for now & through '21. 13.9% ABV; My EXC-. 91 pts WS; [This vendor's $15.99 puts it in the TOP 5% of wine-searcher's already large listing.]
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3/5/2024 - DrLes Likes this wine: 88 Points
Better than I expected, quite serviceable.
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11/26/2021 - Pontifax Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bottle # 2 since lasted sampled in August 2020.
On nose and palate: similar notes , with a slightly richer, fuller body, and more prominent notes of nectarine and a bit of smoke, balancing the citrus, clean , light acidity and no minerality....a hallmark of a distinctly New World SB....civilized alcohol at 13.9%.
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8/13/2021 - slywka7 wrote: 90 Points
Aromas of honeysuckle, orange marmalade, lime and passion fruit. Flavors of passion fruit, orange marmalade, lime and stone fruit. Ends with a 20 second finish with stone fruit notes.
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7/4/2021 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 89 Points
Napa Valley Zoom Tasting. Drank in Gabriel Standart.
Appearance is clear, pale intensity, lemon colour with light green tinge. Legs.
Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of tropical fruit, ripe mangoes, pink guava, grapefruit, slight passionfruit. Developed.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (13.9%), full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with flavours of ripe mangoes, green guava, grapefruit, passionfruit. Long finish.
Good quality. Ripe style SB. Very direct and almost hedonistic. Could cause some palate fatigue with more than 2 glasses. Drink before it devolves.
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10/21/2020 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Grassy and pungent and very aromatic, taught and now... went down the hatch accidentially.
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9/5/2020 - slywka7 wrote: 90 Points
Aromas of honeysuckle, passion fruit, nectarine and melon. Flavors of passion fruit, nectarine, honeydew and a touch of lime. Ends with a 15 second finish with passion fruit notes. Continues to drink well.
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8/21/2020 - Pontifax Likes this wine: 90 Points
Well...quite different from the 2015 tasted last month.
On nose: grapefruit , white pepper , faint passion fruit and chalk.
On palate: a follow through of the above flavours , in addition to persistent lemon pith and subtle notes of toasted almonds ....medium bodied and at two years of age , can go another 5 years , may put on more weight .
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6/27/2020 - slywka7 wrote: 90 Points
Aromas of honeysuckle, passion fruit, lemon zest and orange blossom. Flavors of passion fruit, guava, lemon and hint of peach. End with a 15-20 second finish with passion fruit notes. Right in the spot I like these at and definitely claimed down since last year. May need to grab more of these.
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6/26/2020 - gharter Likes this wine: 89 Points
Reminds me of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Grapefruit, peach, lemon, passionfruit aromas and flavors. Good acidity keeps it crisp and refreshing.
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6/17/2020 - DOCGLO Likes this wine: 92 Points
One of my go to Sauvignon Blancs. Fresh aromas of grapefruit and tropical fruit. A refreshing acidity balances out the fresh palate. A fantastic food wine but it’s very good all in its own.
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6/7/2020 - wino121 wrote: 90 Points
Another good vintage for this annual patio pounder.
Rebuy thru 2021
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6/1/2020 - Cuellar's Cellar Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great wine for a hot day. nice fruit
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5/31/2020 - bbcc66 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Similar to 9/1/19 bottle but not quite as citrusy & refreshing.
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5/25/2020 - Eatmypixels Likes this wine: 88 Points
Good. Reminds me of New Zealand style. A bit of grass but also round. Less tropical fruits and more lucinous.
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5/16/2020 - winebytoth wrote: 88 Points
Lots of tropical fruits on the nose, mangos, pears, lemon and a bit of minerals on the end. Tastes is a bit flat kinda like it got over decanted but some lemon and green apple. Drank at 55 degrees, as it warmed up it got a bit more syrupy so I chilled it back down. Enjoyable white wine, great for chillin outside
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5/9/2020 - Wstinson9 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great aroma of tropical fruit. Smooth and crisp. Very easy drinking, perfect for warmer weather.
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4/29/2020 - redmancge wrote: 86 Points
Not as good as the last couple vintages just kind of flat with minimal typical SB qualities. Not bad just not exciting and not a good QPR for a rebuy on this vintage. maybe just me or bad bottle as I usually really enjoy this.
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4/14/2020 - Cuellar's Cellar Likes this wine: 90 Points
Super nice, and approachable. Drinkable now :)
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12/23/2019 - Hambino Likes this wine: 91 Points
Crisp green apple, smooth not dry, light, refreshing, delicate flavors. Extremely drinkable everyday white, especially for the price!
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11/6/2019 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 90 Points
Pale yellow-green in color with slight spritz initially. Full, forward & fragrant nose of ripe fruit aromas of lemons/limes, guava & kiwi with overtones of floral notes & lemongrass, stony, herbs & minerals. Light bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of lemons/limes & white grapefruit with lemongrass, stony, herbs & minerals. Lingering dry finish. Drinks quite well at present but based on past experience, it should develop with an additional year or two of aging.
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10/31/2019 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Grass, hay, honey, clean and ripe mid palate. Fine at its SRP.
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10/3/2019 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Grassy and hay, a classic Napa SB, fresh, easy going, works it out at $16 or so.
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9/28/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Taste Staff Top Picks (San Diego Wine Co.): “92% S.B., 7% Semillon, & 1% Muscat harvested 8/20-9/26/18 @ 23.2° ave Brix; Treated using 2 different methods: To enhance the delicate tropical fruit flavors, a portion of the fruit goes directly into the press as whole clusters. The remaining fruit is de-stemmed & left in contact with the skins for several hrs before pressing, amplifying the grapefruit/citrus components. All of the juice is fermented @ cool temps in s/s tanks using a variety of yeast strains. Aged on light lees, in s/s tanks, prior to blending & bottling.” 49,820 cases made.
WAY too cold
N: Grass, minerals, flowers -- in no particular order
P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by a crisp acidity which subtly takes charge into the LONG, balanced, tangy/swt finish. An elegant style for now & through '22, I'm guessing, + could well improve through the rest of '19. 13.9% ABV; My EXC-, poss more for QPR? 91 pts & a "Smart Buy" WS (6/30/19). [This vendor's $15.99 now puts it in the TOP 15% of wine-searcher's massive listing.]
Note: Also tasted on 6/8/19
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9/1/2019 - bbcc66 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice refreshing tastes of tropical fruits, citrus & minerals.
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8/28/2019 - Hi.its.Don.4.Wine Likes this wine: 90 Points
“As I glance at the magazine article one last time, I see a name on the list that I know I can lay my hands on and is usually quite good; HONIG! Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something. Maybe I should listen. NAH! Shake off that disappointment and get in there and try again. You never know!”
Those were my parting words from my post “So, Have You Ever Been Disappointed?” Like that final comment, I did go out and pick up that bottle of Honig Sauvignon Blanc 2018. Not one to be stopped or hindered by such a small item as a wine not being available (of course that was still after wiping a few tears from my cheek), it was back on the horse and gallop into the future. For the record, I’ve never been on a horse.
In retrospect, I’m so glad I decided to continue on my trek to find great wines, and in this case, great Sauvignon Blanc. Not surprising that Honig would be right up there among the favorites. After all, the winery started with Sauv Blanc in 1980 then onto Cabernet. That has to make them one of the oldest producers of Sauv Blanc in California (while not verified, it’s Don approved). While they do use some other grapes in the wines, they still only produce the two varietal wines.
I did plan a meal around the wine, and while they both held their own separately, as a pairing, it was just okay. I had this recipe I was dying to try “Tuscan Beans with Shrimp.” I figured shrimp with a good white wine, what could be bad about that? Again, nothing terrible, but with the addition of some diced tomatoes to the mix, it was a little too rustic a dish. I did add some lemon zest and juice to the recipe, it helped but still the wine was a little too fruit-driven for the spread.
Food aside, the wine was beautiful. Starting with tropical fruit aromas that made me think of laying on the beach in sunny Hawaii, then moving those same notes as the wine moved along the canvas of my tongue painting additional nuances of stone fruit and crisp acidity that lingers till the finish. This is a wine I am sure to revisit.
While this wine is not produced in the same manner as those that I longed for in my previous post (100% Stainless Steel fermentation versus some to all oak), it managed to help lift my spirits, dust myself off, and “try again.” Also, they do make a Reserve Sauv Blanc that does see some oak. Maybe I’ll have to plan one of my wine safaris to see if I can locate it.
If you’re a Sauv Blanc lover like me, I think you’ll love this wine for all that it brings and, who knows, it might even brighten your day a little as well.
Cheers
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8/20/2019 - Tompinot wrote:
92 ws
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8/17/2019 - slywka7 wrote: 89 Points
Nose of honeysuckle, apricot, passion fruit and stone fruit. Flavors of passion fruit, apricot, pear and lime. Ends with a finish of 15+ seconds with citrus notes. These young area always a bit over the top for me. Once they settle down after some time in bottle I tend to prefer them. Almost like a mini Bevan.
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8/13/2019 - Baron Slick wrote: 92 Points
Crisp, tensile, and vibrant, with lovely aromatic intensity and a menagerie of nectarine, melon, mango, and lemon-lime flavors. It’s long, moreish, and refreshing in a Mountain Dew kind of way. And let me be clear, I used to love Mountain Dew when I was a kid.
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8/11/2019 - Silenstvi Likes this wine:
From CW. Nice wine. Around $15.
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7/30/2019 - Tahlequahdave1972 wrote:
The jury is still out on this version of such a consistently reliable cuvee. Nothing distracting, just did not present the wow factor that distinguishes this wine from so many of its' counterparts from the region. I'll wait to pass judgment until I've tried a few more.
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7/9/2019 - Abrahm Likes this wine: 85 Points
Light pale. Honey, pear on the nose. Very crisp. High acidity. Minerally on the tounge, lemon. Not a super developed profile, but a wonderful spring sipping wine.
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6/25/2019 - alimack Likes this wine: 88 Points
Nice and acidic. Great for drinking on a hot day.
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6/8/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Taste CA Wines (San Diego Wine Co.): "Harvest Dates: 8/20–9/26/18 @ 23.2 Ave Degrees Brix;" 49,820 cases made.
WAY too cold
N: GRASS, poss gooseberry
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt beautifully counterbalanced by an acidity which subtly directs the show into & through the LONG, BALANCED finish with a tangy/swtness (60:40). Nicely done for now & through '21. 13.9% ABV; My EXC-. 91 pts WS; [This vendor's $15.99 puts it in the TOP 5% of wine-searcher's already large listing.]
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