Wine Article
2010 Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Volant
Last edited on 3/9/2016 by Cesare
This is the only version of this article / View version history
Alcohol: 13.3%
Production: 296 cases
Varietal: 28% Syrah, 22% Grenache, 17% Cinsault, 17% Mourvèdre, 16% Carignane
Appellation: Central Coast
Vineyard Designation: 27% Bien Nacido, 23% Evangelho, 17% Alta Loma, 16% Bechtold, 9% Gonsalves, 5% Ca’ del Solo, 2% Alamo Creek, 1% Enea
Pronunciation: luh see-gar vole aunt
Acid: 6.0g/L
pH:3.68
Aging: 10-15 years from release (February 2014)
Serving Temperature: 55-65º F
Label Artist: Chuck House
Alcohol: 13.3%
Production: 296 cases
93 points, Wine Review Online
Spearmint, cassis and blackberry leaf with even suggestions of cardamom and cocoa in the nose. The palate is doonright Burgundian—lush, creamy, and savory—lots of dark fruit—sloe and Damson plums, bing cherries and açaí (too long in Santa Cruz?) and a bright acidity, with exceptional length.
Production Notes:
Grenache (a quarter of the blend, 5% from our former Ca’ del Solo estate) adds rich black fruit flavors and a discreet spiciness. Syrah is principally sourced from Bien Nacido vineyard in Santa Maria Valley, which produces the closest analogue we have found to a Northern Rhône Syrah— tannic and meaty in the lower registers; peppery, fruitful and delicately floral in the top, all the while showing great balance and harmony. A select group of non-irrigated, centenarian Contra Costa vineyards continues to provide Mourvèdre for Cigare. A touch of Cinsault provides a very particular fragrance of flowers and aromatic herbs.
Winemaker Notes:
Not so dissimilar from our ’09 blend, wherein we have a slightly higher percentage of Syrah as compared to the historical norm; we’ve found that by including compensating levels of Cinsault and Carignane in the blend, we’ve been able to tame the extreme extraversion of the Syrah component. 2010 was a cool vintage that provided an extra aromatic “lift” to the already vivid Cigare nose. My guess is that this is a Cigare of extreme ageworthiness.
Food Pairing Notes
Lamb, wild mushrooms, roasted chicken.
Production: 296 cases
Varietal: 28% Syrah, 22% Grenache, 17% Cinsault, 17% Mourvèdre, 16% Carignane
Appellation: Central Coast
Vineyard Designation: 27% Bien Nacido, 23% Evangelho, 17% Alta Loma, 16% Bechtold, 9% Gonsalves, 5% Ca’ del Solo, 2% Alamo Creek, 1% Enea
Pronunciation: luh see-gar vole aunt
Acid: 6.0g/L
pH:3.68
Aging: 10-15 years from release (February 2014)
Serving Temperature: 55-65º F
Label Artist: Chuck House
Alcohol: 13.3%
Production: 296 cases
93 points, Wine Review Online
Spearmint, cassis and blackberry leaf with even suggestions of cardamom and cocoa in the nose. The palate is doonright Burgundian—lush, creamy, and savory—lots of dark fruit—sloe and Damson plums, bing cherries and açaí (too long in Santa Cruz?) and a bright acidity, with exceptional length.
Production Notes:
Grenache (a quarter of the blend, 5% from our former Ca’ del Solo estate) adds rich black fruit flavors and a discreet spiciness. Syrah is principally sourced from Bien Nacido vineyard in Santa Maria Valley, which produces the closest analogue we have found to a Northern Rhône Syrah— tannic and meaty in the lower registers; peppery, fruitful and delicately floral in the top, all the while showing great balance and harmony. A select group of non-irrigated, centenarian Contra Costa vineyards continues to provide Mourvèdre for Cigare. A touch of Cinsault provides a very particular fragrance of flowers and aromatic herbs.
Winemaker Notes:
Not so dissimilar from our ’09 blend, wherein we have a slightly higher percentage of Syrah as compared to the historical norm; we’ve found that by including compensating levels of Cinsault and Carignane in the blend, we’ve been able to tame the extreme extraversion of the Syrah component. 2010 was a cool vintage that provided an extra aromatic “lift” to the already vivid Cigare nose. My guess is that this is a Cigare of extreme ageworthiness.
Food Pairing Notes
Lamb, wild mushrooms, roasted chicken.