Bonny Doon Vineyard 'Le Cigare Volant' 2023 Central Coast, California

Grape: 61% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 15% Cinsault, 4% Petite Sirah

Style: Medium bodied with supple tannins. Juicy red cherry, plum, dried herbs, and white pepper glide into savory earth and a touch of smoke. A California homage to the Rhône.

Details: Practicing biodynamic. Sourced from top Central Coast sites: Loma Del Rio Vineyard (32%), Ventana Vineyard (29%), Oak Knoll/Chalk Knoll Vineyard (20%), Rick’s Vineyard (15%), Sin Falta Vineyard (4%). 13.5% abv. First released in 1986, Le Cigare Volant remains Bonny Doon’s flagship blend.

Story: Randall Grahm founded Bonny Doon Vineyard in the 1980s and quickly realized California’s Central Coast was better suited to Rhône varieties than Burgundy grapes. In a move that was both visionary and tongue-in-cheek, he created Le Cigare Volant as a tribute to Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Its name drawn from a 1954 French decree forbidding UFOs (cigares volants) from landing in Rhône vineyards. Randall, of course, made the UFO his emblem.

Bonny Doon went on to redefine American wine culture, pioneering Rhône varietals in California, advocating screwcaps for fine wine, and demanding transparency on labels long before it was trendy. Today, Le Cigare Volant represents the best of Doonville: a thoughtful, delicious blend that balances intellectual curiosity with pure Central Coast drinkability.