ACE Prime Adding Three Sizes to Luciano The Dreamer, Announces The Dreamer Wine

ACE Prime has announced a significant expansion to its Luciano The Dreamer line, adding three new vitolas as well as announcing a partnership with Mas Igneus, a Spanish wine producer that will result in wine released under The Dreamer name.

Luciano The Dreamer is part of a series of the cigars named for Luciano Meirelles, a co-founder of ACE Prime as well as its master blender and president. It debuted in August 2020 in a single 7 1/2 x 38 vitola, but early in 2022 it will get three new sizes:

• Luciano The Dreamer Hermoso No. 4 (5 x 48) — $12 (Box of 15, $180)
• Luciano The Dreamer Toro de Lux (6 7/8 x 50) — $12.50 (Box of 15, $187.50)
• Luciano The Dreamer Belicoso (5 1/2 x 52) — $12.95 (Box of 15, $194.25)

The line uses an Ecuadorian habano corojo 99 wrapper and a Nicaraguan binder, with the fillers coming from Nicaragua and Peru, and is produced at Tabacalera Pichardo in Nicaragua. It was the profile of that blend that contributed to the creation of The Dreamer wine, with which it is designed to be paired.

Mas Igneus is located in Gratallops, part of Spain’s Priorat region, one of only two areas in the country to qualify as DOCa, the highest qualification level for a wine region according to Spanish wine regulations, with Rioja being the other. The winery was started by Jérôme and Ornella Valcke, who have been friends with Meirelles for years and found “a mutual passion for developing extraordinary flavors and new harmonious experiences,” according to a press release. The company’s 25 hectares of vineyards have been certified organic by the Catalan Council of the Organic Production, or CCPAE.

“Winemakers have been on an eternal search for the elusive ultra-pairing–where two separate elements create a new experience, transcending their individual flavors,” said Meirelles in a press release. “If you love The Dreamer cigar, you will be delighted by this phenomenal Mas Igneus wine. Working with Jérôme and Ornella was simply fantastic,” adding that he became partners in the venture with the Valckes last summer.

The wine is a reserva, meaning it gets two years in French oak barrels and one year in the bottle, and is made from predominantly Grenache grapes with some Carignan and Merlot, said Meirelles. The wine is highlighted for its notes of blackberry and dark chocolate when consumed on its own, but the combination of the wine and the cigar produces a unique flavor experience, with Meirelles noting that its medium acidity is a perfect complement for the cigar.

“We found there are so many parallels between the intricacies of cigar and wine production, it’s about time we work together to create an unexpected, new, and delightful synergy of flavors,” said Jérôme Valcke in a press release.

“This is truly special – a perfect artisan experience that brings the dream to life,” said Ornella Valcke. “It was a unique and pleasant journey. Our exclusive wine and The Dreamer cigar were made for each other. Prepare for a new dimension of flavors.”

Both the wine and the new vitolas of Luciano The Dreamer are expected to be available as of February 15. A press release added that the two companies will continue with collaborations in 2022, with new releases of wines and cigars, while The Dreamer wine will be an ongoing release in new vintages, but always retaining the reserva designation.

Images courtesy of ACE Prime and Mas Igneus.

Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.