Wine · Santa Cruz, California
Bonny Doon Vineyard
The Santa Cruz winery that helped bring Rhône grapes to California.
- Founded
- 1983
- Founded by
- Randall Grahm
- Based in
- Santa Cruz, California
Making it since
1983
Their story
Randall Grahm founded Bonny Doon Vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains in 1983. He was one of the first California winemakers to champion Rhône grapes like Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, and in 1989 Wine Spectator put him on its cover as "The Rhone Ranger."
His flagship, Le Cigare Volant, first released from the 1984 vintage, was a playful nod to Châteauneuf-du-Pape. In 2020 Grahm sold Bonny Doon to WarRoom Ventures, staying on as winemaker and partner, and the lineup was trimmed to a handful of Rhône-focused wines.
How it's made
Bonny Doon focuses on Rhône varieties grown on California's Central Coast. The winery was also an early adopter of screw caps for premium wine, switching in 2001.
Why we carry them
We have a soft spot for Bonny Doon because it showed so many people what California Rhône blends could be. Le Cigare Volant is still a fun bottle to share.
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