The Pope, UFOs, and Wine Rangers: The Unbelievable Tale of Le Cigare Volant
– A transatlantic story
Last Thursday, during Cork’s Thirsty Thursday tasting, I tasted Bonny Doon’s wine called Le Cigare Volant. “Cigare Volant” translates to Flying Cigar and is the French expression for Flying Saucer, as depicted on the wine label above.
But I really should start this story at the beginning.
Once upon a time, in the Rhône Valley in Southern France, there was a commune called Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It is the home of the famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine region. You may have heard it mentioned in the Beastie Boys rap song. This delicious and famous wine has Grenache and Syrah being the significantly dominant grape varieties and Mourvèdre coming in third place (aka Monastrell or Mataro.) The acronym GSM is often used to represent these blends with the 3 dominant varieties first letter represented.
Like a bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape · I'm fine like wine when I start to rap.
-Beastie Boys
But doesn’t Pape mean Pope in French?
Yep!
In the early 14th century, the Pope Clement V abandoned the Vatican and set up shop in the town of Avignon in the Southern Rhône. He discovered the quality of the wine from a spot about 15 minutes drive away. His successor, Pope John XXII decided he was in needed a summer residence (a.k.a. a summer castle) and decided to do it in this area. The commune became known as Châteauneuf-du-Pape (translated to New Castle of the Pope).
OK, but when do the UFOs come in … this is why I am reading! Come on – hop to it!
During the cold war, the citizens of Châteauneuf-du-Pape witnessed a series of U.F.O. sightings, bringing on fears of alien abductions. The politicians, using their usual impeccable problem-solving skills, decided to bring in a new legislation. This led to the 1954 decree “strictly” forbidding “Cigare Volant”, (flying saucers) from flying overhead, landing, or taking off in the commune of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Right! That should take care of the alien invasion problem! I wonder how they sent them the memo?!
In case you are wondering … the Cigare Volant law is still in place.
Funny! Now for the Rangers, I got Christmas Shopping and Year end reports to do!
Oh, but not just any Rangers … Rhône Rangers!
In 1986, one of the original Rhône Rangers, Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon Vineyards in Santa Cruz, California released his Grenache, Syrah dominant blend - you guessed it: “Le Cigare Volant”. This is an homage to the grape varieties of the Rhône Valley! It was a hit!
Lone Ranger definition:
a person who works or acts alone or in an isolated manner, especially one who does not consult with others or seek their approval.
"I developed this mentality that I am a lone ranger who can make it on my own."
-Oxford Dictionary
But he was not alone, with other winemakers Walter Schug and Fred Cline also giving attention to these varieties. The moniker Rhône Rangers, however, was not coined until 1989 when the Wine Spectator magazine feature this cover photo of Randall Grahm. In 1998 an official Rhone Ranger organization was born! This is the west, not the wild west after all! We want some structure here!
The organisation is built to promote American Rhône varietals. A “Rhône Ranger” wine is required to have at least 75% of the wine’s content as 1 or 2 Rhône varieties, with the winery being a member of the organization.
Our mission is to educate the public on Rhône varietal wine grapes grown in America and to promote the production and enjoyment of these wines, with emphasis on integration into our daily lives.
-Rhône Rangers Organisation
So, to be clear this wine is NOT a Châteauneuf-du-Pape in style! In other words, this is not a substitute for Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This wine is made to a different price point and from a different terroir. Terroir is a wine term that means that the wine takes on a sense of place. This sense of place includes the soil, the climate, the weather, and the people involved. This last component includes not only the people working on the vines and in the winery, but also the locals they traditionally made the wine for and the cuisine they were expecting them to pair the wine with! All these factors influence the wine and are included in the term “terroir.”
The Cigare Volant wine is made in California! It will represent a vastly different terroir than Southern France. The grape growing conditions are a factor, but as mentioned the people element is huge too. The Californian population like fruit forward wines, and well, what do they eat?
Yep! What would this wine pair greatly with?
We tested it Sunday night! Fish Tacos! Even with the higher alcohol of 14% abv, there was no problem pairing it with my mildly spicy taco and even with my husband’s hot sauce amped up version.
Why did this work? You are always so paranoid to pair spice with anything at over 14% alcohol by volume??
It is due the intensity of fruit and the moderate very ripe tannins. It surprised me how my glass level reduced in step with my meal. A true sign of a great pairing. The spontaneous back and forth between the food and wine like an unprompted dance.
See below for more information on Le Cigare Volant wine. But first, I wanted to let you know that I have compiled my wine recommendations in one place. I will do my best to keep this up to date. That version also has links on where to find the wines in Alberta.
Bonny Doon Le Cigare Volant 2021 from Central Coast, California
Style: Medium Body Red Wine
Variety: 65% Grenache, 18% Syrah, 15% Cinsault, 2% Petite Sirah
This fruit forward wine has intense flavors of ripe raspberry, blackberry, sweet sour cherry and kirsch with undertones of chocolate syrup and cinnamon ending with a persistent finish.
Best pairings: Fish tacos, grilled salmon (can handle some sweetness in glaze), vegetables (grilled or roasted), barbecued pork or chicken.
Price: ~$25 (incl. Shades of Grape 15% discount & 5% gst)
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Acknowledgment:
California Rhône Pioneers (2014) Bonny Doon Vineyard. Available at: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.bonnydoonvineyard.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/66-69-Rhone-Rangers-CY-Nb.pdf (Accessed: 11 December 2023).
Mission: Rhone rangers (no date) Mission | Rhone Rangers. Available at: https://www.rhonerangers.org/who-we-are/mission (Accessed: 11 December 2023).
Oxford languages and google - english (no date) Oxford Languages. Available at: https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/ (Accessed: 11 December 2023).
Rhone Rangers (2023) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhone_Rangers#cite_ref-:0_3-1 (Accessed: 11 December 2023).
Tales of the vine: Flying cigars (2017) The Bubbly Professor. Available at: https://bubblyprofessor.com/2011/02/04/tales-of-the-vine-flying-cigars/#comments (Accessed: 11 December 2023).
VARIN, N. (2016) Les cigares Volants Bannis à châteauneuf-du-pape, Picture of the author. Available at: https://www.laprovence.com/article/edition-vaucluse/4073641/les-cigares-volants-bannis-a-chateauneuf-du-pape.html (Accessed: 11 December 2023).
The vineyards through the ages (no date) AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Available at: https://en.chateauneuf.com/the-vineyards-through-the-ages (Accessed: 11 December 2023).
Wines (2023) Bonny Doon Vineyard. Available at: https://www.bonnydoonvineyard.com/trade-and-media/wines-2/ (Accessed: 11 December 2023).
Worobiec, M. (2010) Rhone Rangers are back in the saddle, Wine Spectator. Available at: https://www.winespectator.com/articles/rhone-rangers-are-back-in-the-saddle-20199 (Accessed: 11 December 2023).
Thanks Roger! I really appreciate your continued interest and support. 😁🙏
Thanks Heather! I had fun researching it!