2005 Le Cigare Volant ~ en Magnum (1.5L)

$85.00 per bottle
$72.25 (Members)

Library Release ~ 1.5L (limit 2 per customer)

The stunning and critically acclaimed 2005 vintage has been sold out for months in the 750 ml size, but we're now making the vintage available in extremely limited quantities in magnum, a perfect size for entertaining.

The '05 Cigare shows a deep ruby robe with bright purple highlights. Aromas of spiced meat, kirsch, mushrooms, a soupçon of truffle and dark chocolate make for a richly perfumed red wine. Flavors of earthy red fruit, cocoa beans and sweet spice, balanced with moderate acidity, slightly crunchy tannins and a generous, even voluptuous texture with a long, savory finish.

This wine has the structure to age well and shows more French oak than is normal for us. Quite delicious yet clearly serious, and stylistically very Old World. Ages until kids are out of the house.

In a certain sense, this wine represents a return to our roots—the reemergence of grenache as the most significant component of the blend, but it also reflects a stylistic move, already begun in 2003 to a greater emphasis on minerality. This is achieved, we believe, by greater rigor in our grape sourcing and viticultural practice as well as a winemaking methodology that religiously conserves lees. We performed a non-trivial level of bâtonnage (stirring) of our 500-liter puncheons to aid in the digestion of the lees, promoting a sleek, unctuous texture.

This is a wine to pair with grilled beef or lamb prepared with sweet, savory spices; it will also work equally well with a cassoulet or Provençal daube.

Vital Statistics
Varietal Composition: 50% grenache, 24% mourvèdre, 22% syrah, 3% carignane, 1% cinsault
Appellation: California
Alcohol by Volume: 13.5%
TA: 5.7 g/L
pH: 3.7