Bonny Wines From Bonny Doon

If you have the time and the inclination you'll find the key to Grahm's inner thoughts at www.bonnydoonvineyard.com

The first time I met Grahm he was working from a ramshackle series of industrial warehouses in Santa Cruz, California. Things have changed since then but it's safe to say the usual chaos and anarchy still reign at Bonny Doon.

In a nutshell, he makes make a lot of different wines -- few of which could be described as conventional California. Some of the best examples of the winery's eclectic offerings (note the consistent scores) are today's picks. So, let's get started.

The Pacific Rim Riesling is a revolutionary blend of riesling fruit from California, Washington state and Germany's Mosel Valley. As Grahm puts it: "We are doing our best to make the world safe for the noblest white grape of them all and the perfect accompaniment to all manner of fusion and Asian cuisine.

The 2000 cuvée bears a non-vintage moniker because its international blend doesn't conform to American wine laws. A large percentage of fruit comes from eastern Washington and it's blended with what Grahm describes as "a very discreet amount from old vines in Monterey's San Benito County and a generous dollop from our pal, Johannes Selbach, in the Middle Mosel."

This riesling is a fresh, aromatic white reminiscent of mineral, white flowers, Asian pear and green apple flavours with a squeeze of orange rind in the finish.

Ca' del Solo Malvasia Bianca 2001 comes from Monterey but it is the muscat of Piedmont, Italy. Expect a clean nose with spicy, muscat, floral characters and pure fruit with more mineral, honey and apple flavours. Its prominent acidity is the perfect foil to Thai coconut curry or pork tenderloin and apple chutney. Well chilled it becomes a sophisticated summer sipper for the patio.

The Cardinal Zin "Beastly Old Vines" 2000 is derived in large part from old vines grown at the warm Sacramento Delta. Again Grahm points out: "The secret of old vines is that they can, in principle, owing to their deep roots, more or less always keep their cool." Cardinal Zin is supplemented by some extraordinary old vine carignane grown quite nearby the winery on Montebello Ridge.

Look for a big, spicy pepper nose with lifted berry jam notes and warm, spicy, raspberry/licorice flavours. The structure is soft but with firm tannins in the finish. Despite its fruity nose the flavours are mostly earthy. The 23-per-cent content of carignane grapes contribute to the earthy, mushroom notes in what is a solid zin. The 2000 label is soon to be replaced by an even richer '01 version.

The Ca' del Solo Big House Red 2000 is a blend of syrah, cabernet franc, carignane, sangiovese, barbera, petite sirah, petit verdot, dolcetto, and grenache. Look for an intense dusty floral/raspberry nose that, thanks to its screw-cap closure, are the same aromas captured by the winemaker at bottling. Grahm has put nearly 80,000 bottles of premium Big House wine (named after Soledad prison, which abuts the vineyard) into the North American market with screw caps rather than corks.

There is bright acidity in the mouth which is what you would expect from a wine with barbera and sangiovese in the blend, along with plenty of plummy black cherry and raspberry fruit. It is "bigger than house" on the palate but the finish is long, smooth and delicious and it will remain so thanks to its screw-cap closure.

The Bonny Doon Framboise N/V will enrapture even the most cynical fan of fortified fruit wines. The nose is pungent raspberry that is as pure as it gets. Its rich, warm, jammy, intense, raspberry flavours are sensational. I'm not sure there's a better raspberry potion that I've tasted. A little of this Mount Vernon raspberry elixir will go a long way.

Today's finale is Domaine des Blagueurs Sir-Rah Syrah 1998, Bonny Doon's wine from the Pays d'Oc in the south of France. It has a typical meaty, smoky blackberry/cherry aroma. It is super smooth and round on the palate with dried licorice and earth mixed with black raspberry and tangerine flavours. It's a fat powerful, full-bodied, dry red that needs drinking.

Sun wine columnist Anthony Gismondi is also co-host of The Best of Food and Wine, which airs at noon each Saturday on CFUN 1410 AM.

BONNY DOON VINEYARDS

SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA

Wine: Pacific Rim Riesling N/V, United States

Price: $19.99 *

UPC: 769434301274

Score: 14/20

Comments: An international riesling to pair with pork or spicy Asian dishes.

Wine: Ca' del Solo Malvasia Bianca 2001, Monterey County, Calif.

Price: $22.75

UPC: 769434202977

Score: 15/20

Comments: Spicy muscat, floral characters and honey apple flavours.

Wine: Cardinal Zin "Beastly Old Vines" 2000, Monterey County

Price: $37.95

UPC: 769434122268

Score: 15/20

Comments: Berry-jam nose and warm, spicy, raspberry and licorice flavours.

Wine: Ca' del Solo Big House Red 2000, California

Price: $19.95

UPC: 769434201260

Score: 15/20

Comments: Delicious, plummy black cherry and raspberry fruit.

Wine: Bonny Doon Framboise N/V, Washington state

Price: $19.99 375mL *

UPC: 769434105001

Score: 18.5/20

Comments: Is there a better raspberry potion in the world?

Wine: Domaine des Blagueurs Sir-Rah Syrah 1998, Vins de Pays d'Oc, Languedoc

Price: $19.75

UPC: 769434901269

Score: 15/20

Comments: Dried licorice and earth with black raspberry and tangerine skin flavours.