Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Volant en bonbonne Reserve

This was delicious and managed to balance both the freshness of fruit with complexity lurking beneath. Nicely referential to the Rhone while being distinctly Californian, there was a solar halo to the dark red fruits. I've seen a few references to this being overly funky and there was certainly a leathery/cep/truffle thing going on, but I didn't find it obtrusive and certainly not something you wouldn't find in a Souther Rhone. The acidity and minerality are really pronounced, with tannins …

Interesting wine 13 years old, not sure if I like it or not I ran it through a rabbit strainer to get some of the settlement out it seems it's getting better the longer I wait to drink. We'll have to come back and revisit it

Drink up. This will not last much longer.

manure. and mud. but mostly manure. I like to think I can take some funk, but whoaaaaa. not like this.

Oy, this wine is funky, on the nose and on the palate Not in a good way for my taste.

This wine is sooooooo bad. Smells terrible, literally like manure. To the point that we reached out to the winery and we’re told that it is a unique style and the wine is not defective. We have loved BD wines and this bottle was one of 6 that we bought. All 6 are the same.

With smoked pork chops, zucchini fritters. Color has faded some, but no brick apparent. Cherry/black cherry nose and palate. Feels a bit old. Drink now.

Maybe this suffered in comparison being placed against a 2010 Domaine La Cote de l'Ange, but they were similarly priced on release and both at a decade old. The Chateauneuf was singing this night, while the Bonny Doon was, well, screeching.OK nose, but harsh on the palate, a bit thin in the mouth, basically came across as tired and beyond the sell-by date. Tannins were smoothed out, finish a bit clipped. Still some interest in those secondary notes, but not …

28% Syrah, 22% Grenache, 17% Cinsault, 17% Mourvedre, 16% Carignan. Unfiltered. Matured for 20 months sur lie in 5 gallon glass demijohns. Dark ruby, medium barnyard aromas, some black fruit notes, definitely pleasant. Dry, medium(-)-medium acidity, medium leathery tannin, medium alcohol and medium(+)-full body. Palate of exceptional savoriness, earth, smoked meat, leather laced with baked blueberry. Complex, rustic. Long finish displays how well alcohol, tannin, acidity, are integrated with the farmyard flavor profile. This is quite a unique (and great) …

Very slight effervescence. Otherwise, a very good bottle.

Wet earth and funk, in a good way.

Brett.