Quick Sip: Bonny Doon Vineyard 2011 Le Cigare Blanc

Hello Friends,

Today’s Quick Sip is the Bonny Doon Vineyard 2011 Le Cigare Blanc. I had an opportunity to review this wine for a recent episode of CellarPass TV. Bonny Doon’s founder, Randall Grahm, initially set out in the late 1970s to make the “Great American Pinot Noir.” Living up to its name, “The Heartbreak Grape,” he abandoned the idea and charted a seemingly unexplored course in the early 1980s that would earn him the the moniker, “The Original Rhone Ranger.” The Le Cigare Blanc is the producer’s homage to the complex blended wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. See my tasting notes accompanied by a picture I snapped of the bottle as well as a classic (space) rock music pairing recommendation below. Cheers!

 Bonny Doon Vineyard 2011 Le Cigare Blanc

Review: Bonny Doon Vineyard 2011 Le Cigare Blanc (SRP $28): This is an appealing Rhone-inspired blend composed of 62% Grenache Blanc and 38% Roussanne from the Beeswax Vineyard in the Arroyo Seco appellation of Monterey County. The wine displays pleasant aromas of tree fruit, melon, and citrus blossom interwoven with mineral tones, muted honey notes, and understated hints of the very thing the vineyard is named after (Beeswax if you’ve forgotten already). The aromas extend to the palate with a nice brightness throughout. While lean, it shows some richness in the texture that’s perfectly balanced by fresh, racy acidity that persists through to the crisp, medium-length finish. Overall, this is a wonderful food wine that is also enjoyable on its own. It is also a bottle that has the potential to get more interesting with short-term cellaring. Approximately 1,650 cases of this wine were produced. (Other info: ABV 12.5%, bio-dynamically farmed, complete malolactic fermentation, saw some time in French oak barrels, screw cap enclosure.) Click here to find this wine.

Hawkwind: Hall Of The Mountain Grill #1974 #SpaceRock

Have a question about this post? Feel free to drop me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter. Stay tuned ...more to come. Happy Sipping, my friends! Disclosure: This wine was provided for review. Thoughts are my own.

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