The honey for this specialty dessert-style wine is produced in hives throughout the Sierras. It is composed of a blend of three types of honey: cotton- alfalfa, orange blossom and sage. Each type brings a unique quality to the blend and contributes to the overall complexity of the mead. Alfalfa is neutral in flavor but yields a dark, amber color. The orange blossom brings a floral bouquet to the nose of the wine. Toyon, an evergreen shrub also known as California Holly, is lighter in color than the alfalfa and helps to balance the blend.