A visit to La Honda

A classic setting for a winery: beautiful hills, green meadows, lush vineyards. If this is what you expect, you’re in for a big surprise when visiting La Honda Winery, which is located in an unimpressive urban neighbor in the middle of Redwood City. In fact, the winery itself looks so much out of place that I was almost surprised by its existence there, even though it was the destination for Mrs Spectator and myself on a hot summer day.

Once inside, the industrial neighborhood quickly fades away and is replaced by a pleasant, spacious hall, decorated with wood and stone, and an inviting, dimly lit, tasting bar.

Colin, the assistant winemaker who poured for us, was friendly and knowledgeable, and made us feel at home when we took our time tasting wine and taking notes. We were told that since our visit was on Vintners’ Festival, the tasting line-up is not the regular one. La Honda have won multiple awards for wines that were not poured during the Vintners’ Festival and are available for “connoisseur” and “wine club” customers, so this particular line-up is not representative of all their wines.

Colin started us off with the 2009 Lodi Sauvignon Blanc, a pale wine with a fairly weak, peachy and floral nose, and a taste that offers little beyond acidity. The second wine was 2006 “Red Capsule” Pinot Noir, blended from several vineyards. Mrs Spectator’s immediate comment was: “very woody”. Indeed, this is not a light Pinot: big and woody, dark, bitter and tannic from the get-go. Colin told us that it is 50% whole-cluster fermented, which explains the big tannins. This wine will please fans of big Pinots, but for us it was a little overwhelming.

The third wine, 2007 “Sequence” Pinot Noir, had an earthy, slightly sweet nose, with cloves. Good acidity, medium body, earth and spice, with tart, balanced tannins on the finish. A good and balanced wine that should get even better with time.

Next came the 2006 Sangiovese-Cabernet Sauvignon blend, with tart flavors of cranberries and an acidic finish, a wine that reminded me a lot of the Italian style, and should pair well with food. It turns out that this wine breaks new ground – first time these grapes are grown in the Santa Cruz mountains (more specifically, in La Honda). I’d say it turned out pretty well for a first effort.

The best came last: 2006 Meritage, Chalk Hill. Aromas of dark and sweet fruit, prunes and herbs. On the palate it starts smooth with mild chocolate, then adds a layer of blueberries and just the right amount of black pepper, with a pleasant finish with balanced tannins. A round and complex wine, it was our favorite.

After the tasting we had an interesting conversation with Ken, the winemaker, who was open and welcoming, and shared with us the story of the winery and his personal philosophy, mixed with plenty of humor. “A Pinot is like a woman,” he joked. “If you tell her she’s beautiful and show her that you love her, she will pay you back. Cabernet, on the other hand, is like a teenage boy: feed him too much and let him watch TV, and he becomes a bore. You need to show him a heavy hand.”

Besides, one has to admire a winemaker who combines functionality and aesthetics in his barrel room:

Thanks to Colin, Cynthia and Ken for making our visit fun and interesting. Visiting La Honda is worthwhile just for them, but if you need more reasons, consider the unique location, the beautiful interior, and of course, the Meritage!