Tried this new arrival over the weekend:
1. Bonny Doon Vnyd LeCigarVolant CentralCoast RW (14.4%; 65% Grenache/18% Syrah/15% Cinsaut/2% PetiteSirah; Vine age: 10-35 yrs; 10+ yr cellar potential) V&B by BonnyDoonVnyd/KingCity/CA/Earth 2021: Med.dark color; bit earthy/dusty strong Grenache/strawberry/blackberry bit floral quite fragrant classic Grenache nose; lightly tart/tangy slight earthy/dusty/OV strong Grenache/strawberry/blackberry/floral/fruity bit simple classic Grenache flavor w/ modest tangy tannins; long bright Grenache/strawberry finish w/ light bitey tannins; needs several yrs to soften the bitey tannins; not a lot of depth but a fairly pretty/perfumed Grenache at a good price. $15.00 (KK)
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More bonnybirkl from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. I have, of course, followed Randall Grahm from the very start, when his passion was making great RedBurg in Calif. It was not to be. Then he switched his passion to making great Rhone wines in Calif. It was a bit more successful at that venture...but only a bit. He made one of the first great Calif Syrahs in '82 from EstrellaRiver Syrah grapes of GaryEberle, as did BobLindquist.When he was located in the village of BonnyDoon, he planted Syrah vnyd that was one of the first cold-climate Syrah vnyds in Calif. After a big fire in his BonnyDoon wnry, he moved down to the village of SantaCruz & continued to make his wines there.
Randall's fault was the he could never focus long on one project. He became more of a marketeer with a lot of goofy labels. He often came across as a buffoon but he has, in fact, a very keen intellect. One of the more intelligent people I know in the wine biz.
In 2020, Randall sold BonnyDoon to WarRoomVentures, a large winemaking conglomerate. They have cut their lineup back to 4 wines and drastically slashed the prices. This flagship CigarVolant, his CdP blend, once sold for the mid-$30's. This Cigar has nowhere near the depth or complexity of those he used to make. It is just another pretty face. The winery in SantaCruz has now been closed and the wines made in an industrial facility down in KingCity. He retains the title of Director of Winemaking but I suspect that's more of an honorific title. I believe Nicole Walsh is still nominally the winemaker and also makes (very good) wine under her own label. Mostly his current focus is his Popelouchum project in SanJuanBautista in which he's trying to develop new grape varieties. He is still tilting at windmills with a vengeance.
Tom