Bonny Doon Vineyard kicked off its adventure with a daring—if somewhat misguided—attempt to bring Burgundy vibes to California. But Randall Grahm soon discovered that the real magic lay in crafting distinctive and original wines using Rhône varieties right in the beautiful Central Coast. A delightful lesson learned (albeit by chance) was that blended wines absolutely flourish in a warm, Mediterranean climate. Who knew?

Fast forward to 1986, when Bonny Doon released its inaugural vintage of Le Cigare Volant (the 1984 vintage)—a playful homage to Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This wine quickly became the winery’s flagship starship brand, launching Bonny Doon into the hearts of wine lovers everywhere.

From that point, Bonny Doon Vineyard embarked on a wild ride of innovation! It led the charge in popularizing Rhône grapes across California and was the first to introduce cryo-extraction techniques for its whimsical “Vins de Glacière.” They also pioneered microbullage, embraced screwcaps for premium wines, and kicked off a true transparency revolution with ingredient labeling. Talk about a creative whirlwind that jazzed up the California wine scene—though it did come with a bit of a focus challenge!

As Bonny Doon grew, it became a home for fan-favorite brands like Big House, Cardinal Zin, and Pacific Rim, rocketing up to the 28th largest winery in the United States. But Randall had an epiphany—his beloved winery had drifted away from its original mission of making soulful, standout wines. While he relished those effortless restaurant reservations, he knew it was time for a change.

So, he bravely decided to part ways with the larger brands (Big House and Cardinal Zin in 2006, followed by Pacific Rim in 2010). With a fresh perspective, Bonny Doon Vineyard set out to create the unique and expressive wines that had always been its true passion. Wine lovers can now continue to enjoy this exciting evolution and savor the incredible wines that flow from this legendary vineyard.

Thomas Fogarty Winery was founded in 1978 by inventor Dr. Thomas Fogarty and winemaker Michael Martella. Dr Fogarty’s penchant for innovative thought and Martella’s viticulture instincts allowed them to lead the development of the cool Skyline Ridge area; true pioneers in one of California’s premiere Pinot Noir and Chardonnay regions.

Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard

The seeds for Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard were planted when a young man by the name of Ken Burnap took a prom date out to one of the finest restaurants in San Antonio, Texas. Ken ordered a bottle of wine and mangled the pronunciation of the French variety. The very snobby and pretentious wine steward humiliated Ken with his reaction and in the manner of most of us when barely out of our teens, Ken vowed to learn as much as he could about wine and go back to show that wine steward a thing or two. 

Pelican Ranch Winery is a small, family owned and operated winery specializing in Rhone and Burgundy style wines from the best vineyards in California. Established in 1997, the winery is located a short distance from Monterey Bay which provides the constant, cool, coastal influence that allows for controlled, slow fermentation. The result is rich, full-flavored, complex wines.