Great show, one of the best so far. Bonny Doon has always been one of my favs going back 10 years or so.

I’m in to the whole “Old world” scene these days, especially Rhones AND Cornas!!! It was nice to hear that Randall is a Rhone-head too.

The comments on Bien Nacido Vineyard Syrah made me think of the potential in having a show dedicated to new world wines with old world characteristics. Just a thought.

Great Great show and awesome guest! Randall came across sincere and committed to making serious wine with a sense of belonging! I never had a BD before but for sure I’ll seek some soon. Excellent idea writing the ingredients on the wine label…The public is entitled to know… Cheers!

QOTD: Was only slightly aware of some of the changes taking place, but was too busy expanding palate with other wines. Recently I’ve really only noticed Big House Red and White and Pacific Rim advertised, though I haven’t been actively seeking out any BD wines. Used to be on their e-mail list a few years ago. I think Randall Graham has always been passionate about winemaking. Am interested in trying some of the wines featured on the show.

Never heard of Bonny Doon, but I’ve only been in the wine game for 1 1/2 years.

You were entertaining!

Fantastic episodes with great insight. Keep it up.

Gary, Chris & Randall, ANOTHER great episode!!! Great to get to know the genius behind the wines!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂

GV, these two episodes were so great–a really interesting conversation with Randall. As far as his QOTD goes, we have enjoyed Bonny Doon wines previously and knew they sold some labels but didn’t realize why. I am a huge fan of Rhone wines so I will definitely seek out the Syrah you tried.

As an aside since you mentioned it, you should definitely do a show on Mexican wines, esp those from Guadelupe Valley. My fiance and I took a trip last year to that region and we also thought tempranillo was best. Interestingly, they struggle with the salinity of the soil, so we’d be interested to see what you thought. Again, great shows and we look forward to more!

i see bonny doon as a carnival type of wines that have shock value. actually not quite as animated as you Randall, you come across as much more refined. funny how i realize your labels are radical unlike yourself but it sounds like your wine making is much more similar to you! i must say i havn’t had a bd wine…tried to catch you while in Spokane Washington but seating was too limited. cheers.

Gary & Chris, The episodes with guests are also a nice format!!! Good to get details and get a fabulous education!!!! 🙂

Great 2 part series!

What issue of wine spectator is the ad in?

Randall looked as though he were in the Witness Protection Program with all the bottles in front of his face.

QOTD: More P.R. wouldn’t hurt. I knew Bonny Doone was changing, but as I haven’t had any for awhile I wasn’t familiar with what was the old Bonny Doone and what is the new Bonny Doone. Is the old Bonny Doone still called Bonny Doone? Really interesting show though.

Part 2 was just as good as part 1, excellent show! As for the QOTD: I see Bonny Doon as a company that isn’t afraid to go and do some crazy things, and I appreciate that. And even though some of the lesser expensive wines (Big House, for example) had a crazy amount of marketing put into them, they were still really good to drink. So I think more companies should strive to be more like Bonny Doon, because its just fun to drink them, or look at their labels, or their ads.

Very cool show! Thank you to Gary and Randall.

The WS ad and now this episode has made me VERY interested in Bonny Doon. The relatively unusual varietals…the emphasis on bio-dymamic practices…the transparent labeling…this is really interesting stuff! I’m going to join the wine club as soon as possible.

PS. How about Randall immediately stating his dislike of football and not knowing who “Alex P. Keaton” is? Hilarious.

Great show, Randall you brought thunder. Gary, needless to say, you always do.

QOTD: Excellent question. Honestly, being very young, I just got into wine about 1-2 years ago. Bonny Doon has been, to me, just as you said Randall: a marketing shtick. Perhaps my analysis has not been fair, I have only had one Bonny Doon wine and I imagine it is NOT your greatest showing (Pacific Rim Riesling). I thought you were one of the lower end labels that was more interested in making cool packaging rather than create quality wine.

After watching this epic WLTV show, I have determined I have been too harsh without a great enough sample of your work. I will absolutely seek out your wines in the stores and try them, particularly the Bien Nacido Syrah. It seems, to me, you truly do care about your product and that you are, to put it mildly, an innovator in the wine field.

Again, great show….keep rockin.

Really enjoyed visiting bonny doon’s tasting place. Also find the ad lovely.
Keep up the good work Mr Graham. I will see which wines we do have up here in Quebec.

thanks

Pretty new to bonny doon wines in general, though i have bought a couple of bottles of big house red and thought they were a great value for 10 bucks.

I think JaredLevy said it well.
I’ve been seriously into wines for around 5-6 years, and generally Boony Doon was periphery and somewhat schticky. But I had only had one, as I was buying mostly newer wines from Spain, Israel, Rhone, and Burgundy when I wanted to splurge. But your philosophy and approach to making honest wines is clearly from your heart as well as your head. I am looking forward to trying them soon.

QOTD: After ordering a case of Bonny Doon Vin de Glacier for my restaurant and receiving some Pacific Rim Riesling, I contacted my wine rep to find out that things had been shaken up with Bonny Doon. Then, at a large scale tasting, I was fortunate enough to have a lengthy conversation with a sales rep from Boony Doon and he explained, in detail, how the company was changing and where Randall wanted it to go. I’m glad to hear that you’ve taken a step back in your production and focused again on fantastic wine making. Thanks for a great, great show.

Thanks for a great interview GV!
I guess I was never super impressed with the BD wines, but anyone with a sense of humor and a positive outlook is way ahead in my book. Now I find out, I haven’t had the “real” Bonny Doon, so I’m going to have to try some soon.

I had my first Bonny Doon about 6 weeks ago actually (Le Cigare Volent) and Love everything they are doing. I remember it for it’s earthy and old world style, by itself was very pleasing which keeps me going back and getting more. It is also very obvious that they don’t stop there, the marketing, label, and story gives it personality… it makes it exciting!

One of my fav. EP in a looong time Gary! What a great guest! I love Randels passion and some sort a muted crazyness… An eye opening EP!

@QOTD:

Unfortunately we do not get much BD to Germany, but their Raspberry Infusion I had was really something special!

OMG! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I have been a recent fan of WLTV for the past couple of months, enjoying all the awesome knowledge that makes me want to expand my palate even more.

I’ve noticed, as many others, that your show wines that are unavailable. This is totally fine and I just do the next step, which is what Vayniacs should do, and find comparable variations and JUST GET OUT THERE!

BUT, I must thank you for re-acquanting me with a past love of mine, Cigare Volant from Bonny Doon. It was a bottle that tied together everything I loved; my girlfriend, a great steak joint, and everything good in my life. I have a few wines in my life that are so engrained with specific events of happiness, family, etc. Your last episode with Randall Grahm not only unlocked those memories, but made me think about how that wine might play in future events. I can see you passion of wine now as a great connector.

I can’t wait to say hello to the Cigare Volant again and see how it fits in with my new life (new city, new girlfriend(now fiance), and new palate -thanks to you!).

It was a long lost friend, hopefully a renewed best pal in my collection.

Can’t thank you enough!

Matthew Evans
Minneapolis, MN

thank for the show, and sorry for my english

QOTD: confusius says each man have 4 faces, one he shows to the others, one is what the others see, one is what he think he is, and the last one is what he is realy….

even to be a clown you have to work hard, it is a serious job(look gary, lol)

for Bonny Doon just want to say even we still have very bad wines but i believe that only good one have futur….

last think why a “new world winery” should make a old world wine????

QOTD: I’ve always thought of Bonny Doon as cheap wine. Then I tried the Cigare Volant not knowing who produced it. I loved the wine, but sadly enough I don’t think I would have tried it had I known it was made by Bonny Doon. Of course, now I’ll try your other wines, but you may be losing buyers by putting that name on the labels.
Great Show, Great Guest

Ta again for a great show…I agree 100% with Randall about the S-content issue. I think that’s why I prefer Jurançon mouilleux as dessert wine to its more famous French brother.

QOTD : I’m not that familiar with Bonny Doon, but I’ve checked through its website (which is really worthwile, not only for its artwork) and the choice of grapes make me think that they are trying to make the best wine, and not just a clone (being Belgian, I compare it to the many belgian style beers being brewed in USA, and only some of them can really stand the test with the original from Belgium) to earn money with the name. For instance the albariño…Personally, it’s one of my favourite white wines, and of course, I’m lucky to be living in Spain, so I have a huge choice in Rías Baixas (really the wine area name for the wines made with albariño grapes in Galicia) wines, but Gary is completely right that it’s not the easiest wine to like…so it takes some guts to make an albariño-based wine in USA : hat’s off for that! Keep on doing the good work, and I will certainly try one of the Danny Boon wines next time in USA (very nice labels as well!).