So here's the verdict: There's nothing quirky or funky about it. But ... it's fresh and clean, delicious and refreshing, full of fascinating and complex orange aromas and flavors that I suspect are more attributable to a splash of Orange Muscat grapes than to extended skin contact. I wouldn't hold it up as a typical skin-contact wine. But priced in the middle teens, I'd definitely consider it lightly chilled as a summer sipper.
Bonny Doon Vineyard 2022 Central Coast Le Cigare Orange ($14.99)
Bonny Doon Le Cigare Orange is a fascinating wine that's easy to enjoy. . It's a clear, light orange color, and its aroma offers orange and tangerine, orange peel, and a hint of dairy that evokes memories of a 1980s Orange Julius. Orange zest presides in a citric flavor that's dry, tart, and acidic, with a whiff of dried apricots and bitter orange joining the party in a long finish. A good wine for summer sipping at a modest 11.6% alcohol. (June 28, 2023)FOOD MATCH: It's a quirky wine for pairing, with its bold orange character, but high acidity should save it at the table. Wine-Searcher.com suggests it with goat cheese or feta, and I could see it as a match with a summery salad plate with cheese. We enjoyed it with a Lidia Bastianich recipe for pasta with butter, fresh sage, and walnuts.
WHEN TO DRINK: The producer says this wine is good to drink from now through 2031. I don't have the experience with orange wines to have an opinion, but if you have a good cellar, it wouldn't cost that much to try!
VALUE:
It's a good value even in the middle to upper teens, but it's worth shopping around: I paid $15 locally, the winery offers it online for $17.99, and Wine-Searcher.com shows a $16 average U.S. retail but finds many vendors offering it in the lower teens.
WEB LINK:
Here's a link to the winery's fact sheet on the 2022 vintage.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Compare prices and look for vendors for Bonny Doon Le Cigare Orange on Wine-Searcher.com.
Learn more about Bonny Doon Vineyard and find links to its full portfolio at this Wine-Searcher link.
