2003 Le Cigare Volant
(luh see-igar vole-aunt)
$50 per bottle, or $42.50 per
bottle for Wine Club Members
Library Release
In 2003, the Cigare temporarily drifted away from its
traditional reliance on grenache as a moral tether. Here syrah and
mourvèdre are dominant, and the result is a dense vintage. One can
hardly quarrel with the results. The meaty musculature of the syrah
and mourvèdre provide a solid framework for the spice cake and
peppery ornamentation. The wine will continue to coalesce and
evolve for at least another 7-10 years.
Tasting Notes:
A brilliant deep black cherry color with very faint russeting at
the rim. Wildly aromatic, yielding lush plummy aromas that deepen
into black currant, chocolate, tobacco, and tea, plus a grounding,
earthy gaminess. On the palate it's remarkably fresh, with juicy
black fruits like blackberry, black currant, cherry, plums, anise,
and spice. The finish is long and savory, with lingering spicy
plum.
Gentle decanting will enhance this wine's aromatics, which continue
to unfold beautifully even after several hours. This is a lush and
powerful wine evocative of a Rhône cuvée, yet in its full maturity
is fully integrated, all elements in harmonious balance, yielding a
seamless experience from first aroma through final delicious
sip.
Vinification:
Hand harvest and sorted; 15% whole cluster fermented; 100% ML; aged
in 10,000 liter French oak upright tanks as well as in 25% new and
75% neutral French oak for 18 months; followed by 18 months in
bottle prior to release.
Vital Statistics
Varietal Blend: 35% mourvèdre, 32% syrah, 26% grenache, 7%
cinsault
Appellation: California
Cellaring: 10+ years from release (2006)
Alcohol by Volume 13.5%
TA: 6.2 g/L
pH: 3.6
