This liter-sized edition of Bonny Doon's legendary 'Le Cigare Volant' Rhône-inspired blend is as joyful a bottle of wine as you're going to come across this year. Here's the announcement, straight from Klatuu, himself:
Bonny Doon Vineyard is pleased to announce the release of “Take Me to Your Liter,” a celebration of its flagship wine, Le Cigare Volant, in a limited one-liter format. The 2023 “Take me to Your Liter” is a red Rhône-style blend driven by cool
climate Grenache grown in Monterey County.
One of the first California wineries to embrace Rhône grape varieties,
founder Randall Grahm established Bonny Doon Vineyard in Santa Cruz in
1983 and produced his first vintage of Le Cigare Volant (“red wine of
the earth”) in 1984. Inspired by an ordinance
passed in 1954 whereby flying saucers – or flying cigars – were
prohibited from landing in the protected vineyards of
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the Cigare has become the brand’s iconic logo.
Recently asked about the flagship wine, Grahm -- a prolific writer –
explained, “For someone like myself, whose spirit lives somewhat
randomly throughout the space-time continuum and diverse alternate
realities, this 40th anniversary of Bonny Doon is a perfect
occasion to reflect upon the inception of Cigare Volant, as I have doon
on certainly more than one occasion.”
He continued, “I am sure I’ve repeated ad vinum nauseum the
somewhat contingent nature of the birth of Cigare and I feel now so
incredibly fortunate that all the appropriate doors happened to
magically open when they did. When I started out in the business,
I had no idea whatsoever that imagining and talking about wine could be
so much fun, especially if you had a magical starship on hand to
transport you to the outer limits of your imagination. Le Cigare Volant
has been such a vehicle for me.”
This Monterey County, cool-climate Greanche-driven blend is bright, lucid, playful, and effusive - I just can't get enough of it. Imagine fresh foraged strawberries and raspberries topped with a dash of aged balsamic vinegar and a twist of black pepper. It's crazy fresh, savory, and just a little bit spicy all at the same time. It's January 7, and I may have already found my favorite value of the year. Folks, do not miss out on this one - it has me grinning ear-to-ear. The ancient aliens have spoken through winemaker Nicole Walsh. (95 Points)
- Tim Teichgraeber
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