A California Classic. Totally delicious. Three distinct phases of the palette. Fruit at first: Strawberry but also Cherry, like a Burgundy. That leaves to be replaced by acid and then finally a long, spicy finish. Lots of Clove and Pepper.
Wish it was a bit lower in alcohol – I hard a hard time waking up this morning!
I believe this wine was one of the original Rhone Rangers – California’s attempt to replicate Rhone style wines. It’s way cheaper ($30 approx.) than a good, reliable CdP and there is considerable complexity and none of the usual fruity, oaky availability of usual California style wines.
Cheap Talk 
3 comments
Comments feed for this article
October 4, 2010 at 10:17 am
Randall Grahm
I’m very pleased that the ’06 Cigare was so well received and in such august company. As some may know, it was my original intent to model Le Cigare Volant after Chateauneuf du Pape, but over the years, I’ve found that I am not myself so capable any more of really enjoying Chateauneuf. (Will always make an exception for Rayas.) I sometimes find the wines just a bit too overblown – too much tannin, too much alcohol. Grenache, despite its proclivity to higher alcohol, can be a wonderfully finesseful grape with lots of elegance. In my imagination at least, I pretend that I have been relegated to some remote outpost of Burgundy and I’m toiling away, working on a wine of elegance and intelligence. (We do a lot of work with lees in this wine to impart its distinctive savory character, and I believe that is partially what gives it such lovely length and complexity.) It is very hard to keep away the mind-tweaking demons who will whisper in my ear: “Randall, the wine needs more power, more concentration, more imminence.” “Begone, imps and succubi!” I shout to no one in particular. For the record, the alcohol on the ’06 weighs in just under 14%. Thanks for the great post.
October 4, 2010 at 5:21 pm
Sandeep Baliga
Dear Randall,
Thanks for ignoring the imps and succubi – there are too many wines where it is obvious the winemaker has been easily seduced by their call.
Incidentally, I am having a harder time finding Bonny Doon wines at my local large retailer, Binnys. I checked out the wine club at your website and only Le Cigare Volant is available here. I hope to find the others there or elsewhere sometime soon.
December 19, 2010 at 9:44 pm
taiairam
I am enjoying this wine and wondering how in the world I am “logged in” – ? – as I am a 40-something teacher (not professor)?!