Feel Good Friday: Head High Wines and Sustainable Surf

By TJ Carter November 20, 2015

head high wines — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Drinking wine and surfing are pastimes with little overlap — and that’s how it should be. Being sloshed around by waves is a lot more dangerous if you’re already sloshed. Still, Bill Price and Sam Spencer, the partners who run Head High Wines, have managed to partake of both wine and surfing — just not at the same time.

Head High Wine Team Member Portraits — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Head High Wines is a sustainably operated winery located along California’s North Coast. If you’re a surfer, then you may know “head high” as a surfing term denoting a wave that is as high as the surfer’s head. We suspect that it’s also a nod to the feeling one gets while drinking wine.

One way Price and Spencer (pictured) show their love of surfing is by partnering with Sustainable Surf, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the waves. For every two bottles sold, Head High Wines donates $0.50 to Sustainable Surf and $0.50 to the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation.

Related: Watch the Story of Ramon Navarro, Professional Surfer Turned Activist

“As avid-surfers, partnering with Sustainable Surf was a natural decision for me and Bill,” says Spencer in a press release. “Just as we treat our vineyards with the utmost care, we believe the ocean and beaches deserve the same attention. It’s an honor to be involved with this group.”

Sustainable Surf is currently involved in a number of projects, including a styrofoam recycling initiative and a drive to construct surfboards out of more sustainable materials. The non-profit also seeks remedies to major problems affecting the world’s oceans, including acidification and rising sea levels.

Head High currently makes three wines: a 2013 Pinot Noir ($35), a 2013 Red Blend ($30), and a 2014 Rosé ($24). If you’re looking for a long-term discount, you might consider checking out Head High’s generous membership options.

Click here to purchase a bottle of wine from Head High

Click here to learn how you can support Sustainable Surf.

Topics

Liquor, Beer, and Wine

Former Digital Trends Contributor

TJ Carter wears many hats, both figuratively and literally. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 2011 with a degree…

Culture

The 12 best Connecticut cigars I’ve tried and tested in 2024

Best Connecticut cigars up close and personal

Connecticut cigars are the clear winner for smoking on a hot summer day, in the morning with some coffee, or when you just don't want a swift kick in the teeth (of pepper). There's no shortage of options, either. Connecticut shade wrappers are one of the most prevalent in the world of cigars, and it's certainly the most common natural shade. Maduro is also popular, but the two wrapper types couldn't be any more different. Connecticut wrappers, and by proxy Connecticut cigars, are typically mild to medium in strength and brimming with creamy, smooth flavors. They're composed of tobacco leaves grown in the Connecticut River Valley in the United States -- which is where the name Connecticut comes from. Consistent and flavorful, some of the best beginner-friendly cigars are Connecticut-wrapped, but you should never sell them short. A Connecticut shade cigar can be just as refined, elegant, and premium as any other. If you know where to look, you may even find some of your favorite blends in the category across a wide range of brands and cigar makers.

I'm about to take you on a magical, doughy, and delicious trek through the broad range of Connecticut cigars. In short, here are the best Connecticut cigars tried and tested by a genuine enthusiast of the craft: yours truly.
The best Connecticut cigars I've tried and tested
While the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper is considered a Connecticut shade, I did my best to steer clear of recommending them for this list. They're better classified as a Maduro shade or darker cigar. That doesn't mean you should avoid them, quite the contrary. But for this list, I wanted to stick to smooth, relaxing smokes that are strong on flavor but not quite so strong on pepper and spice. I also tried not to choose a lot of repeats. If you see your favorite cigar missing, that might be because it was recommended on another list or it just didn't make the cut. If you have any recommendations of your own, I'm always available through social media or email. Without further ado, let's get this thing started.
Aganorsa Leaf Connecticut

Culture

This is when the Hulu, ESPN+, Disney+ password sharing crackdown starts

The Disney Plus sign-up menu is displayed

The era of password sharing is slowly but surely coming to an end. Netflix has already begun cracking down on people sharing passwords across households, and now, other streaming services are following suit. Before 2024 is over, Disney Plus password sharing will be a thing of the past.

Disney's streaming services are now preparing to crack down on those who are sharing passwords, and the consequences for doing so could be severe. Users across Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus will be warned about password sharing, and if they don't Disney CEO Bob Iger even laid out a timeline for when the crackdown will start, although he didn't get into too many specifics.
Bob Iger says Disney will start its password-sharing crackdown over the summer

Culture

Reacher season 3: Everything we know so far

Get up to date on Reacher season 3!

Alan Ritchson in Reacher.

The era of Jack Ryan may be over, but Reacher is carrying on as one of the best shows on Amazon Prime Video. This action thriller is based upon Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels, which previously featured Tom Cruise in the leading role of two different movies. But for Prime Video, Alan Ritchson has stepped into the role of Jack Reacher, a former member of the United States Army Military Police Corps who drifts from town to town and takes justice into his own hands when the local law enforcement isn't enough.

Prime Video didn't waste any time before renewing Reacher for a third season last year. And while new episodes are still several months away, we're sharing everything we know about Reacher season 3.
Which Reacher novel will season 3 be based on?