Page 3 - Dining Out - Aug 1 2021

Restaurant Insider with Anne Lee
I truly dove into the name, my mother made sure that I un- derstood what I was about to embrace. Carole and I went through the Hawaiian dictio- nary and realized that this is like taking an oath, not to be taken lightly. I truly feel that whoever that I talk to, wheth- er from Hawaii or Wisconsin, I represent our brand, our wine and Hawaii.
AL: What kind of feedback did you get from the wine community?
DJS:When you see the brand, the bottles, the first thing they say is, “Wow, it’s so beau- tiful.” And, the wall comes down a bit. What I found is that regardless of where you are from, every ethnicity has some version of Pono. When you explain the core of Pono, leaving everything you touch better than you found it, it reso- nates across all borders. Upon that realization and when they taste the quality of the wine, people get it.
AL: Please tell me the variet- ies of wines you offer.
DJS: Pono’s current releases are a 2015 red blend, a 2015 cabernet sauvignon and a 2017 white blend. Each wine has a Hawaiian name.
The red blend is Hapa ($80, 14.7% alcohol by volume). It is 52% cabernet sauvignon,
26% cabernet franc and 22% merlot from various Napa Valley benchlands vineyards.
The cabernet sauvignon is Mana ($110, 14.7% abv) and signifies character. Peo- ple associate big Napa cabs as being powerful; but in my opinion, Mana is powerful, but balanced. This is 88% cabernet sauvignon and 12%
signifies a universal sign in Polynesian cultures for “one that provides good fortune.” The compass is a nod to my great-great-great-great- grandfather, captain John Meeks, who landed here in the early 1800s and was an adviser to the king.
AL: Anything else you want to share?
DJS: I would love people to know that if they plan on taking a trip to Napa Valley, send us an email as we do very cool private tasting experiences. We give you some options, we have a great pizza oven and we can pair food with the wines. Since we live on the Napa River, we had a boat built for tastings. Imagine roll- ing down the river, listening to IZ and drinking Pono.
We ship to every island in Hawaii and most of the main- land. We also have the Pono Wine Club — you will be no- tified when new releases are ready to go with a 15% dis- count (minimum three-bot- tle purchase). This wine club does not require a minimum purchase every month.
3
2
AL: When did you first open your doors?
DJS: Our first vintage release was in 2012, we only made 50 cases of Hoku, which is the first wine we ever made and 50 cases of Hapa, which is a red blend. With just my wife Carole (who is the CFO) and I, we are up to 1,000 cases now, in less than five years.
AL: How did you come up with the name Pono Wines? DJS: Whenever my grand- mother would see me, she would always ask, “Boy, you being pono?” I would always answer, “I’m trying grand- ma.” Back then, I attributed the meaning as being good, but it’s so much more than that. People tell me my wines are great and that I am the heart of Pono, and I always say that Pono is bigger than us — it’s bigger than anything we do and will go on forever. Before
4
— 21 degrees north, 157 degrees west — signifies the steps of the Iolani Pal- ace in Honolulu, where the ali’i lived and is a nod to my family history. Above Pono, is the golden fishhook, which
1. Mana cabernet sauvignon ($110) 2. Aina pinot noir ($65)
3. Alii sparkling wine ($55)
4. Hoku white blend ($50)
petit verdot from vineyards on Spring Mountain, Atlas Peak and Diamond Mountain.
The white blend is Hoku ($50, 14.1% abv). It’s a bright, crisp blend of 68% sauvignon musqué and 32% sauvignon blanc from Towne Vineyard.
New to the Pono line- up are a just-bottled pinot noir, Aina, and a small production of spar- kling wine, Alii.
AL: Tell me about the bottle designs.
DJS: On our Mana Cab- ernet Sauvignon bottle, the outer etching is the island of Oahu, which signifies the island where I grew up. The coordinates under the name
Pono Wines
Napa, California 916-367-2023 ponowines.com
Private tastings by appointment only
Flavorful, Crisp and Fresh off the Farm
Using local ingredients and French techniques, Executive Chef Jonathan Mizukami showcases his seasonal wit in the Grand Tasting of Vegetables at Hoku’s. The intricate eight-course meal is a dazzling arrangement of delectable courses like Mushroom à la Grecque and Hawaiian Heart of Peach Palm, straight from Oprah’s Farm. Alternatively, for those who enjoy delights from land and sea, try The Kahala Grand Tasting Menu — both tastings are artful and flavorful summer satisfactions.
RESERVE NOW LIMITED SEATING
HOKU’S TASTING
OF VEGETABLES OR GRAND TASTING MENU
Tuesday-Saturday, 5:30–8:30 p.m. $200* per person, wine pairing available *Does not include tax & gratuity
Reservations 739.8811 HokusKahala.com
Dining Out / Aug. 1-7, 2021
/ 3