Honolulu Weekly

It happens all the time–a birthday, an anniversary, a Wednesday–there’s always a reason to get together with friends. And the best gatherings have the wine free-flowing, necessitating the trip to Costco for some Yellowtail by the case to be poured over mediocre parlor games. The next day is spent clearing away the empty bottles and the mess, usually with a sensitive head and a wish that the air would stop being so damn noisy.

‘Next time,’ you think to yourself, ‘we’re going out.’

But going out can be a problem as well: making reservations, the tight seating that makes it impossible to mingle. And then there’s the exorbitant bill with nothing to show for it but another hangover. Or you head to the local bar or saloon, only to have to shout over the noise and constant flux of patrons arriving and leaving, losing all sense of intimacy with your friends. You begin to wonder if you can somehow combine the intimacy of home with the fun of a night out.

Wine The Experience at Kilohana Square manages on all levels. All you need is a little planning. Two months of planning, actually, but don’t fret–stop in and taste a few of the 50 varietals of whites, reds and dessert wines, while winemaker Shannon Ball works with your palate to find a batch of your liking. Once you’ve found it, your job is done–there are no stems to remove, no grapes to be crushed, just a desire to make time move faster for the fermentation to complete.

When that happens, bring your friends and some food. Last week, Marcus Misinec and his new bride Laura brought their families from all over the mainland, mostly from Ohio and Indiana. Picking out three wines, a Pinot Noir Bin No. 3, a California Amador Country Petit Syrah-Zinfandel and a Washington Columbia Valley Riesling. That meant about 90 bottles of wine for a gathering of about 20 people. Though we didn’t stay for the entire evening, it seems obvious that take-home bags of the best kind get utilized.

That’s part of the experience. Bottling and corking the wines yourself becomes a group project, topped off with the application of the labels that you get to design yourself. A look through the books of bottles past show the creativity and humor that make occasions such as this the perfect keepsake–even if you decide to empty the contents.

It’s a wonderful setting for us,’ says partner John Bell, ‘because we get so close with people, their family and friends, and it’s like they become part of our family. It’s another kind of aloha.’

A ‘barrel’ of wine costs anywhere from $300 to $400. If that makes you wince, consider this: one barrel produces approximately 28 to 30 bottles, making the cost around $10 to $14 dollars per bottle. You’ll never go to Costco again. –Dean Carrico