Winemaker Notes
The 30th Anniversary release of this, their flagship wine. A beautiful wine—dark and mulberry in color as in nose. One scents cool loamy earth with suggestions of raspberries and Damson plums. This largely Grenache vintage of Cigare has an unmistakable spiciness to it—orange peel, cinnamon and black pepper. Grenache is not just about fragrance however; any synesthete worth his/her Maldon salt will know that the scent of Grenache is in part highly textural—soft and velveteen. And sure enough, on the palate the wine is also an essence of velours.
Grenache 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 Cinsaut provides a very particular fragrance of flowers and aromatic herbs.
Blend: 55% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 16% Mourvedre, and 4% Cinsaut.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
The blend of 55% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 16% Mourvèdre and 4% Cinsaut offers subtle mulberry fruit on the nose, a spicy peppercorn kick and plenty of gamy meats. That funky meat quality, from raw to jerkied, is prominent and pure on the sip, surrounded by exotic plums and Middle Eastern spices.
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Wine Spectator
Elegant and open-knit, with accents of game, licorice, raspberry and pepper that build richness toward polished tannins. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault. Drink now through 2026.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2013 Le Cigare Volant was brought up in puncheon and foudre (the foudre have “lees shelves” which allow more lees exposure) and is 55% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 16% Mourvèdre and the rest Cinsault. Tasting like a classy Côtes du Rhône with its black cherries, blackberries, peppery herbs and garrigue aromas and flavors, it’s elegant and seamless on a palate offering tons of sweet fruit and loads of charm.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
The largest and perhaps most varied of California’s wine-growing regions, the Central Coast produces a good majority of the state's wine. This vast California wine district stretches from San Francisco all the way to Santa Barbara along the coast, and reaches inland nearly all the way to the Central Valley.
Encompassing an extremely diverse array of climates, soil types and wine styles, it contains many smaller sub-AVAs, including San Francisco Bay, Monterey, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Valley.
While the Central Coast California wine region could probably support almost any major grape varietiy, it is famous for a few Central Coast reds and whites. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel are among the major ones. The Central Coast is home to many of the state's small, artisanal wineries crafting unique, high-quality wines, as well as larger producers also making exceptional wines.