Bonny Doon Releases New Vintage of Vin Gris de Cigare Rosé

The Santa Cruz winery's signature pink wine is a blend of Grenache, Grenache Blanc, and other Rhône varietals.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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Bonny Doon Vineyard, the renowned Santa Cruz winery, has released the 2018 vintage of its popular Vin Gris de Cigare rosé. The wine is a blend of Grenache, Grenache Blanc, Carignane, Cinsaut, Mourvèdre, and Picpoul, sourced from vineyards in Monterey County and Contra Costa County. Winemaker Randall Grahm describes the wine as the "pink analogue" of Bonny Doon's flagship Le Cigare Volant red blend.

Why it matters

Bonny Doon's Vin Gris de Cigare has become a springtime tradition for many wine lovers, offering a refreshing and food-friendly rosé that showcases the winery's commitment to making "naturally soulful, distinctive, and original wine." The 2018 vintage promises to continue this legacy.

The details

The 2018 Vin Gris de Cigare is made from 38.5% Grenache, 30.5% Grenache Blanc, 12.5% Carignane, 10% Cinsaut, 6% Mourvèdre, and 2% Picpoul. The Grenache grapes come from the cool-climate Alta Loma Vineyard in Monterey County, while the Carignane is sourced from old vines in Contra Costa County. Grahm also notes that the wine underwent lees stirring to give it a creamy mouthfeel.

  • The 2018 vintage of Vin Gris de Cigare was recently released.

The players

Bonny Doon Vineyard

A renowned winery in Santa Cruz, California, known for its innovative and unconventional approach to winemaking.

Randall Grahm

The founder and winemaker of Bonny Doon Vineyard, who is described as being on an "adventure to make naturally soulful, distinctive, and original wine."

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What they’re saying

“The Grenache for our Vin Gris came in large part from bespoke sections of the Alta Loma Vineyard, a cool climate site in the Arroyo Seco region of Monterey County that gives us grapes with a distinctive black currant character. The Carignane, responsible for the fundament of the wine, derived from very old vines from Antioch in Contra Costa County.”

— Randall Grahm, Winemaker, Bonny Doon Vineyard (nowandzin.com)

The takeaway

Bonny Doon's Vin Gris de Cigare rosé has become a springtime staple, offering wine lovers a refreshing and distinctive pink wine that showcases the winery's commitment to crafting unique and high-quality vintages.