Le Cigare Volant 2000 is a lovely blend: thirty-nine percent Grenache, thirty-two percent Mourvèdre, twenty-eight percent Syrah, and one percent Viognier. Most of these varietals are less commonly known, and each is probably worthy of some discussion in future articles. The important thing here is that all of these influences come together to produce a wonderful wine: big, rich, and earthy.

Though produced in California, the wine is made to be reminiscent of Rhône wines, sort of a new-world Châteauneuf du Pape. Niki said that it had a tangy start, but wasn't sure whether that was the wine or whether it might have been influenced by some other taste on her palate. We had a half-bottle (375 mL) with dinner following cocktails.

Describing the wine as earthy will quickly get you in the right neighborhood for taste, but it comes with some other flavors that make it interesting. I detected cherries and plums, but there were some other things in there that I couldn't quite identify.

For dinner, I opted for spaghetti with a meatball. My tomato-based sauce and the slightly-spicy meatball had enough of a taste that they required a wine that was big enough to stand up to them, and Le Cigare Volant complemented the dish well. This is a very drinkable wine, one that should pair well with a wide variety of meals.

No flying saucer was harmed in the making of this article.