Roving Sommelier is passionate about premium quality wines. Randall Graham of Bonny Doon Vineyards is many wine lovers’ favourite Californian vigneron and has developed a fine reputation and cult status internationally, especially with connoisseurs of iconic North American vineyards and lovers of Rhône style grapes.

Established in 1983, over the years, Randall has pioneered Rhône varietals and other esoteric wine styles with great passion and is part of an original, Californian-based group of vintners known as “The Rhône Rangers”, who have championed grapes such as Syrah, Grenache. Mourvèdre, Carignan, Roussanne, and Viognier, amongst others. He first came onto my wine radar back in the day in the mid-1990s when I was head sommelier at Oxo Tower Restaurant in London. I’ve loved his quirky Rhône-inspired wine gems ever since.

So, the story goes…. “In 1954 the mayor of Châteauneuf-du-Pape was quite perturbed and apprehensive that UFOs or ‘flying cigars’ might do damage to their vineyards. So, right-thinking men all, they passed a legal ordinance prohibiting such landings. The ordinance has worked well, as there have been no such landings since the adoption of this far-sighted legislation. This stellar composition of our Cigare Volant (‘flying cigar’) contains Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Petite Sirah grapes.”

Best enjoyed in a convivial atmosphere.