2011 Bonny Doon Le Cigare Volant Reserve "en bonbonne" Central Coast

Varietals 37% Mourvèdre, 34% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 9% Cinsault

Beautiful, deep violet robe, not quite saturated color, but nary a trace of rust. First nose is peppermint, cherries, and of course deep, loamy earth—almost the scent of decaying leaves. What I’ve loved best about the Cigare Réserve wines is their texture—utterly seamless and sleek, and secondarily, their quality of umami, no doubt a function of the glutamate released from the autolysis of yeast cells during the élevage. The wine has a very satisfying richness, an aura of confident power and authority, but it is in noway overbearing.