Randall Grahm purchased property in San Juan Bautista, California in 1980-1981 and established Bonny Doon Vineyard. He began producing Rhone varieties in the early 1980s and gained recognition as a pioneer of the "Rhone Ranger" movement. Today, after reducing production significantly in the late 2000s, Grahm focuses on making small-production, high-quality wines from estate vineyards. He currently oversees around 25 wines that showcase Rhone and Bordeaux varieties grown in California.
2. BDV History
1980-81- Purchase property, planted
1982- Build small Bonny Doon based winery
1983 – first estate fruit produced
1989 – Cover of Wine Spectator “Rhone Ranger”
1990 – 60,000 cases and growing
2000 - 250,000 cases, Big House & Cardinal Zin, Pacific Rim
2005 – headed toward 500,000 cases
2005-2010 – Extensive soul searching lead to Doonsizing
Today – overall production cut by 92% renewed focus
Making the best wines of his career with renewed focus!
3. Randall Grahm
President and Owner for Life
Born in Los Angeles in 1953
Attended Uncle Charlie’s Summer Camp, U of CA at SantaCruz
Wine Merchant in Beverly Hills, opportunity to taste great French wines and this singular
experience turned him into a complete and insufferable wine fanatic.
University of California at Davis to complete a degree in Plant Sciences in 1979
Purchased property in the Santa Cruz Mountains in a magically quaint eponymous hamlet known
as Bonny Doon, intent on producing the Great American Pinot Noir.
Encouraged by experimental batches of Rhône varieties, and he has been a tireless champion of
the grapes of the Rhône since the inaugural vintage of Le Cigare Volant.
In 1989 Randall appeared on the cover of the Wine Spectator, as “The Rhône Ranger,”
In 1991 Randall was indicted into the Who’s Who of Cooking in America by Cook’s
He was proclaimed Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year by the James Beard Found. in 1994
His idiosyncratic newsletters and articles were collected, published as the award-winning book,
“Been Doon So Long: A Randall Grahm Vinthology” in 2009.
In 2010 the Culinary Institute of America inducted him into the Vintner’s Hall of Fame.
He lives in Santa Cruz with his muse Chinshu, their daughter, Amélie and his thesaurus.
4. Order of the
Dooniverse
#1. Vin Gris De Cigare 2014
#2. A Proper Claret 2013
#3. Gravitas 2014 New Item, since April
#4. Clos de Gilroy 2014 just released
#5. Le Cigare Volant 2011 just released
4,915 cases
2527 cases
15, 939 cases
10,925 cases
3,139 cases
5. Order of the
Dooniverse
#6. ¿Querry? Cider 2013
#7. Syrah, “Le Pousseur” 2012
#8. Le Cigare Blanc, 2013
#9. The Heart has it’s Riesling, 2013
2,192 cases
7,000 cases
2,126 cases
1,650 cases
6. Vin Gris de Cigare, 2014
1 . True Vin Gris, Provencal Pink, it charms are
seductively subtle…..inviting you in….
2.Cepage: 35% Grenache, 18% Mouvedre, 16%
Grenache Blanc, 12.5% Roussanne, 8% Carignane,
8% Cinsaut, 1.5% Marsanne, 1% Counoise
3. An elegant wine that draws one in and holds
one’s attention throughout a meal!
Production:
15,939 cases
Tasting Note: Chalky/smoky gunpowder teas aspect to the nose, with wild strawberry
and hint of wintergreen. The palate has a sleek, salty, savory, and is mouthwatering, with
a refreshing acidity. Wonderful persistent finish.
Food Pairing: Super food friendly for everything from salads to fowl and pasta!
Alcohol: 13.%
SRP = $16.00
7. A Proper Claret 2013
1 . Stylistically differentiated style from typical
CA “Bordeaux Blend” lower alc. & higher acidity
2. New World (fruitiness & softer tannins)
& Old World meet (earthiness & savoriness)
3. Great Value, priced way below quality it
delivers!
Production:
10,925 cases
Alcohol: 13.5%
SRP = $16.00
Tasting Note: lean, neither overly alcoholic, nor overly extracted,
nor overly oaked, silky notes of violets & textural elegance with a
lovely minty cedar aspect and great balance with soft tannins on
the finish.
Food Pairing: leg of Lamb, and most meat items off the Grill!
Red Fishnets??
8. Gravitas 2014
1 . Savory White Bordeaux Blend
54% Old vine Semillon, 43.5% Sauvignon
Blanc and 2.5% Orange Muscat
2. Sauvignon Musqué, a fragrant varient of
SB makes up part of the SB blend!
3. Lined priced with A Proper Claret, making
it perfect for BTG on-premise or stack outs
off-premise.
Production:
4,915 cases
Alcohol: 13.5%
SRP = $16.00
Tasting Note: Haunting perfume of magnolia flowers, white
peach, ripe bosc pear, exotic saffron & a touch of lavender
honey on the nose as well as orange blossom, jasmine, key lime
custard, quince and vanilla. Aromas are echoed on the palate,
with a light, deft, fresh acidity and savory lingering finish.
Food Pairing: Seafood, oysters, cassoulet, grilled veggies and
lighter entrees.
9. Clos De Gilroy 2014
1 . Great expression of cool climate Grenache
Stylistically different from virtually all other
Grenaches produced in CA.
2. Exciting flavor profile, lies between
Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhône & Zin
3. Amazing food pairing abilities, with refreshing
acidity
Production:
cases
Alcohol: 14.5%
SRP = $16.00
Tasting Note: Exceptional spice box with red fruits, bright raspberries, black pepper
with hints of clove/gingerbread, bing cherry, red currant and Santa Rosa plum. Very
osft with plush tannins, this is the “genius” of Grenache!
Food Pairing: Refreshing savory texture pairs well with a range of dishes, not the
least being Ahi tuna steak. Best served with a slight chill, especially in the summer.
10. Le Cigare Volant, 2011
#1. Iconic wine, homage to Chateauneuf du Pape,
produced since 1984.
2. A study in perfect balance, Extremely elegant,
Burgundian style.
3. Synthesis of Old World & New World Styles
appealing to both camps….
Production:
2,527 cases
Tasting Note: dark cool loamy earth, raspberries, Damon plums and
cherry/chocolate, sleek and racy with lively acidity, soft tannins great
persistence.
Food Pairing: Extraordinary food wine, especially with lamb, and game
bird.
Biodynamically
Farmed
Alcohol: 14.2%
SRP = $45.00
11. ¿Querry? Cider 2013
1 . Unusual blend of pear, apple, and quince
Try it with a sprig or Rosemary as a garnish!
2. Nearly dry making it very food friendly
Goes with everything!
3. . “Cider” category is on Fire!
Production:
7,000 cases
Alcohol: 6.9%
SRP = $14.00
375 ml available – think Hotel mini Bar
Tasting note: The heady suggestion of quince, the pungent dusky perfume
of pear, & earthy succulence of apple. Crisp in acidity, just off-dry
Food Pairing: all new approach to pairing sushi, sashimi and cheeses, excellent
with charcuterie, seafood, poultry, works with virtually everything
12. Syrah “Le Pousseur” 2012
Production:
2,126 cases
SRP = $25.00
Tasting Note: Aromas & flavors of concentrated black fruits, spice &
earth, anise/licorice, with refreshing acidity & savoriness on the palate
Food Pairing: Grilled meat, and BBQ
#1 . Perfumed elegance , enchanting & captivating
#2. Fruit sourced Exclusively from cool climate sites
#3. Moderate alcohol make it super with food
Alcohol: 13.4%
13.
14. The Heart has
it’s Riesling 2013
Production:
2,912 cases
SRP = $13.99
1 . Both Sweet & Tart i.e., Balanced
Huge consumer base for this style!
2. 70+ year old dry farmed Riesling Vines
52% Wirz vineyard San Benito County
3. Classic Old World Riesling Characteristics
“Kabinett” style
Alcohol: 9.5%
R.S. 3%
Tasting Note: Very delicate body, with kirsch, Mirabelle plum and
earthiness that bespeaks the Nahe, with refreshing acidity.
Food Pairing: Asian cuisine or perfect by itself on a hot summer day
15. USA Cider Sales
2005 – 2011
3-5 million 9 liter cases
2012
9 million 9 liter cases
2013
16 million 9 liter cases
2014
24 million 9 liter cases
Karen McNeil "The Wine Bible”
Click Here
Based on TTB data….
2015
30 ?? million 9 liter cases