Have you seen our mind? We seem to have completely lost it.

Some flying cigars are to blame.

Seriously, (it’s hard to be serious in a Bonny Doon state of mind) this is arguably the best Rhône Ranger deal EVER. It has to be. Grahm, after all, is THE ORIGINAL Rhône Ranger. So, if it’s not, then what is?

We did not see this coming. An iconic Bonny Doon at an insane price, direct from the deep cellars of mad genius Randall Grahm?! The man who changed the way America drinks wine since the 80s one wine at a time, to get Wine Spectator to call him “one of California’s most innovative vintners!” And Jancis Robinson praises him as “California’s most quixotic winemaker” while Dan Berger, for Napa Valley Register says “I view Grahm as one of the world’s most astounding wine people.” All for good reason. Because he simply is.

It’s such an honor to be “the chosen one” for finding a celebrity winemaker’s library stash new homes. Lucky us means lucky you. What we have here is the very last vintage of the flagship Le Cigare Volant as Grahm made it, because he sold his beloved winery after it. To clarify, this wine, after 2018, is NOT the top-of-the-line gem it’s been since the inaugural 1984 vintage, 2017 is his true swan song.

A lively bright ruby with fiery crimson swirls within. The nose is upfront with ripe red and black berries, Bing cherry, plum sauce, and a fascinating candied ginger nuance. One sip and you know, if only from a caressing texture, that this was crafted by a visionary. There’s bright, juicy acidity, against a brambly red and black wild fruit basket, with balsamic fig, smoky minerals, and scorched earth all adding complexity. Very long and complex, sneak this into any great Rhône lineup blind and it will play for wine of the night. An aged cheese and charcuterie platter with dried fruits and nuts is the ultimate pairing experience.

The label reads “Red Wine of the Earth” but we beg to differ, this is from another planet good. Like the 40% OFF given the fame and fortune before us, a true spectacle of interstellar magnitude!

Hop on this nutsy ride NOW and do it fast - or you’ll miss out.

94 Points, Editors’ Choice – Wine Enthusiast

“Fairly exuberant in style for this famous bottling, yet with that rocky frame intact, this vintage’s blend of 35% Grenache, 34% Mourvèdre, 17% Cinsault and 14% Syrah hits the nose with aromas of baked blackberry, toasty Dr. Pepper spice and dried meat. The palate is tense with leathery tannins, offering cranberry, dried cherry, hibiscus and black-tea flavors.”