2013 Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Volant Red Wine Central California 750 ml

30th Anniversary of An Iconic Central Coast Bottling

For lovers of savory Châteauneuf-du-Papes and svelte California reds, this stunning Randall Grahm release is everything you want for under-$50—and perfectly aged to boot.

Grahm, the founder of Bonny Doon, is one of America’s most legendary winemakers, the original Rhône Ranger and a pioneer of biodynamic viticulture, and Le Cigare Volant has long been his flagship bottling. The 2013 is the 30th anniversary release—and we can attest that it has risen to the occasion. Bursting with juicy black fruit, smoke, earth, and floral aromatics, sourced from top vineyards like Bien Nacido, this gorgeous library release took 93 points from Wine Enthusiast. 

In 2006, Randall Grahm was doing exceedingly well as the founder of Bonny Doon. The brand was flourishing and sales were skyrocketing. But then everything changed as a health crisis put his life on the line and revolutionized his perspective. From that point, Grahm shrugged off the success and the money, and re-committed his focus on originality and authenticity. What has followed have been some of the best wines of Grahm’s career, with the 2013 Le Cigare Volant representing his renewed quest to produce the only the very best.

The name Le Cigare Volant is a nod to a law in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, passed in 1954, forbidding the flying of UFOs and Flying Cigars above their vineyards.  Starting in 1983, as a nod to the former summer home of the pope, Randall sought to re-create the character of their Grenache based blends with fruit from California.  Describing the project as a vin d’effort, he sourced fruit from multiple vineyards, employing unique vinification techniques such a manipulation of sur lie aging, all to create a wine risqué and unabashed, but still civilized enough to take to a dinner party without scandal. Recently tasting through a six vintage vertical of Le Cigare Volant with Randall it was clear the 2013 is just coming into its own—and we excitedly locked down 150 cases to share with you.

Grahm pulled out all the stops for this anniversary bottling, sourcing some of the richest, spiciest Grenache he could lay his hands on. The Syrah hails from the acclaimed Bien Nacido Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley—as close to Northern Rhône as you get on the coast: savory, structured, and peppery. Old-vine Mourvédre was drawn from 100-year-old, non-irrigated plots in Contra Costa County, plump with cassis and herbs. A touch of Cinsault infuses the nose with fragrant red flowers.

The 2013 is just entering its prime, drinking beautifully now but promising to tantalize for another decade. A Central Coast prize for those quick enough on the draw.