Description
BONNY DOON PICPOUL ARROYO SECO BEESWAX VINEYARD
From the Winery: “While Bonny Doon Vineyard began with the (in retrospect) foolish attempt to replicate Burgundy in California, Randall Grahm realized early on that he would have far more success creating more distinctive and original wines working with Rhône varieties in the Central Coast of California. The key learning here (achieved somewhat accidentally but fortuitously) was that in a warm, Mediterranean climate, it is usually blended wines that are most successful. In 1986 Bonny Doon Vineyard released the inaugural vintage (1984) of Le Cigare Volant, an homage to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and this continues as the winery’s flagship/starship brand.
This is our seventh vintage of Picpoul from the Beeswax vineyard, and very confidently I’d suggest that it is one of our best efforts to date. Picpoul or “lip-stinger” is known, of course, for its tingling acidity, but coupled with its singular savoriness, it creates a dramatic sensation on the palate. (The ’18 is perhaps a little bit softer than vendanges d’antan.) I know that it’s impossible to smell the sensation of saltiness, but the nose of our Picpoul is maritime, coupled with a discreet suggestion of peaches, wildflowers and the (we really can’t help it, but it’s in there) ubiquitous fragrance of beeswax. The ’18 seems to possess a unique suggestion of spearmint, which is a fragrance that seems to pop up every now and then in other varieties grown at Beeswax Vineyard. This wine is utterly brilliant with the briniest oysters you can find or with Dungeness crab.”
