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Bonny Doon ‘Le Cigare Blanc’, 2003, Central Coast, California

If you’re tired of wines made by stuffy, run-of-the-mill winemakers, well Randal Grahm is the guy for you. He’s a little nutty, but his wines are top notch. Currently, his Ca del Solo vineyard in Monterey is dedicated mainly to developing Italian inspired reds and whites, but as a younger man his main interests lied more in the realm of Rhone varietals….

The whites of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, an area of the southern Rhone in France, were the inspiration for this mostly Roussanne blend. The small amount of Grenache blanc adds the floral notes to the stony minerality of the Roussanne. This wine is a treat on the nose and palate. White peach and apricot are the dominant fruits, while honeysuckle and rose are perhaps the most apparent aromatics. Mainly stainless steel conditioned, with some neutral oak, this wine is clean and fruit forward.

Shellfish for seafood, foul for meat and brie for cheese, mild foods are the way to go when pairing this wine. Honestly, I recommend this wine be consumed unaccompanied. All the eating interferes with the drinking and buzz development.

I love Rhone wines, red and white, and Randal Grahm has helped me see that these particular blends need not be from France to be enjoyable. They say the most eccentric men are frequently the most brilliant as well. If the quality of his wine speaks to his intelligence, then he must be crazy. Check out his website for a laugh, and check out The Iron Bridge Wine Company for his wines: $20.