Rutherford, Napa Valley, California
$110 (Wine Club Reorder Price $99)
The search for balance and connection is what ancient Hawaiians call living ‘Pono’.
It is a continuous celebration of living in the moment, an appreciation for where we are and where we are going as we embrace life’s journey. Sounds like a pretty good mantra coming off this past year, don’t you think?
When I was searching for some new incredible wines to bring into the shop for you, I was blown away when I had the opportunity to taste Dave Sedeno’s collection of Pono wines. Dave Sedeno is a native Hawaiian and Pono Wines founder. Two decades ago he began working with many world-renowned wineries and winemakers in Napa and Sonoma. Through these collaborations he creates Pono Wines, with his wife Carole, resulting in wines that are timeless, rich in flavor and filled with a sense of adventure. Dave creates small lot wines with grapes sourced and blended from premium Napa Valley vineyards resulting in wines with great depth and palate pleasing layers.
Each bottle of Pono wines tells a story, the etched outline on the bottle before you is the island of Oahu and the coordinates beneath the name, 21 degrees north/157 degrees west, bring a traveler to the steps of the lolani Palace in Honolulu, the residence of the Hawaiian monarchs, a nod to Dave’s family history traced back to ancient Hawaii. Above the letters spelling out “Pono” is a golden fish hook. This is a ‘makau’ a universal sign in Polynesian cultures for ‘one that provides’ – good fortune.
“Mana” in Hawaiian means powerful. Pono’s ‘Mana’ Cabernet is powerfully made, a bold Napa Valley Cabernet led by formidable tannins. This Rutherford Cabernet is full of juicy flavors of black currant and blackberry with smashed peppercorn and hints of Cuban cigar. On the palate the wine is rich and finishes with a strong, yet smooth tannin structure that pleads for seared Wagyu beef or filet mignon.
Jennie Kaplan Woodson – March 2021
Bacchus & Venus Wines 