I’m not terribly familiar with the PNV wines, but I ran across the 2019 Honig PNV Rutherford Cabernet today. Does anyone know anything about it? Seriously only 5 cases made?
Have not tasted a Honig in 15 years. What is the cost of this wine?
It’s $299. High for sure but it appears only 60 bottles produced.
Honig never struck me as a high-end producer. Maybe something has changed but that is a really high price. Always seemed as a good intro to Napa Valley wine.
Honig does have a reasonably priced large production Cabernet, but they also produce some very good, smaller production vineyard designated wines.
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The Premiere Napa Valley wines are made by many Napa producers for the annual auction event. Always very limited production and very expensive. I think you’re paying for the label and because there are so few.
https://premierenapavalley.com/media/press_release.asp?ID_News=3624194
Exactly and I highly doubt they’re worth it.
They’re not and they can be found in supermarkets across the country. Usually priced in the $40-50 range for their main Napa Valley bottling. Perfect for a party/get-together with non-wine enthusiasts as it’s very crowd-pleasing.
So surprised they are trying their hand at the high end game. No one on here are buyers at that price. Who would buy that wine?
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While my cellar is now full of mid to higher end Napa Cabs, Honig is one of the Cabs I got started with and still maintain some in my cellar. Always enjoy a Honig Cab with a few years on it. I’d have no problem springing for a bottle of the PNV stuff just to try. Bought a PNV Round Pond at Gary’s Wine last time I was in Napa and paid a few bucks for that. My wife and I enjoyed it, although I wouldn’t buy it again at the price. But still fun to try as I’m a Round Pond fan as well.
What silly comments. Mondavi makes inexpensive Fume Blanc and I Block. They make $15 Coastal Cabernet and Mondavi Reserve Cabernet. That Honig makes a mass produced supermarket wine has no bearing on their ability to produce a higher quality smaller bottling. Honig has always made higher end limited bottlings. Many wineries do the same. And the Honig Rutherford Reserve SB is a completely different and very good wine than the sub $15 one found in supermarkets everywhere also
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Plus, they’re made and auctioned for charity!
I actually think Honig does a pretty admirable job at all levels of production. They might be everywhere but their wines don’t suck. The Bartolucci Cab is pretty good. But PNV wines are almost always a 100+% premium b/c of the auction. Not a place to go for value, just unique wines.
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Wasn’t comparing their Sauvignon Blanc’s, but any of their higher priced Cabernet’s in the around $90-100 would represent rather sub-par QPR considering how many great wines are made above or even below that price point.
Honig and R Mondavi (which its history speaks for itself) are very different and even comparing the two is ridiculous. 
Uhh….no. Honig has been making small production single vineyard cabs for around 25 years as well as PNV lots. Some of which have been exceptional over the years. In the 3 decades I’ve been regularly visiting Napa I’ve been to dozens of wineries that do the same. They make mass produced wines because that’s the business that keeps the lights on and smaller production wines because that’s the art of wine they love. It extends far beyond these two
Recently you stated you have been at this about a year, less than 100 bottles in your cellar and are buying $200+ bottles. Youve got a lot to learn and money cant replace experience. Id suggest considering buying more varied and less pricey wines instead of Instagram worthy bottles. Its a long journey ahead for you
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PNV wines are made specifically for the Premiere Napa Valley Auction by Napa Valley Vintner members. The wineries donate the wine for the auction and proceeds go to support NVV along with local community initiatives. The wines are produced in 5, 10 or 20 case lots. These are unique wines produced specifically for the auction - never to be made again or sold. Each bottle is signed and numbered by the winemaker. Collectors seek them out because they are rare and never to be offered again.
Most of the auction lots are purchased by the trade and then sold to their customers. There are also some wine syndicates (formed by private wine collectors) that also attend and bid. The entire PNV lot goes to one winning bidder. Most trade attendees are bidding on behalf of customers knowing they have a specific budget in mind for PNV purchases or want specific producers. Once the auction is over, only the winery can see what the winning bid was on their lot along with winning bidder info (and also under-bidder info). What is charged for selling the wine is up to the winning bidder - some stores only recoup their actual cost while others charge a premium. This particular retailer had not participated in a PNV auction prior to last year. They won several lots in last year’s auction - including 2-20 case lots, 1-10 case lot and 4 5-case lots - pretty impressive for a first-timer.
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Great info-thanks Karen
Thanks and one of my LWS (Meritage Wine Market) used to be one of the biggest bidders and winners each year at the auction. I have been able to taste many of these bottles over the years.
David, how were the wines you tasted?
The Winehouse here in LA has PNV bottles on the shelves from time to time, and I’ve always been half-curious about them.
They were all very good but not consumed under the best of circumstances. They had Friday night tastings where they have a wine flight but allow customers to bring bottles or grab em off the shelves to buy/open. Over the years I tasted a bunch but never sitting down with a well aged or properly decanted wine. It was always the Friday night throw down