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Au Bon Climat

Au Bon Climat Founded in 1982, Au Bon Climat (which means "a well-exposed vineyard") produces internationally-recognized Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc wine from grapes grown in California's Santa Barbara County. The Au Bon Climat winery is located on the world-famous Bien Nacido Vineyard, and is owned by winemaker Jim Clendenen. Au Bon Climat was listed on Robert Parker's Best Wineries of the World in both 1989 and 1990, while Jim Clendenen has been named Winemaker of the Year in 1992 by the Los Angeles Times, and Winemaker of the Year in 2001 by Food and Wine Magazine. The winery is not open to the public for either tours or tastings.

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Address Web Social
3631 Sagunto Street, Santa Ynez, CA, US, 93460 Email: info@aubonclimat.com
Phone: 805-688-8688 Web: www.aubonclimat.com
Fax: 805-686-4294
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Products



  "Isabelle Morgan" Pinot Noir
Named after Jim Clendenen’s daughter. This wine is a CELLAR SELECTION of the best barrels of single vineyard of Pinot Noirs in the Au Bon Climat cellar from that particular vintage. Our premiere Pinot.
  "Knox Alexander" Estate Grown Pinot Noir
Red fruit and berries dominate the aromas in this wine. The mouth is intense and acidic with disengaged red berries, citrus, and spice. Named after Jim Clendenen’s son. This wine is a VINEYARD SELECTION, of the best sections of Bien Nacido Vineyard.
  "Knox Alexander" Estate Grown Pinot Noir
Red fruit and berries dominate the aromas in this wine. The mouth is intense and acidic with disengaged red berries, citrus, and spice. Named after Jim Clendenen’s son. This wine is a VINEYARD SELECTION, of the best sections of Bien Nacido Vineyard.
  "Larmes de Grappe" Pinot Noir
Every once in a while nature provides the substance for a truly remarkable wine. "Larmes de Grappe," or "Tears of the Whole Cluster," is one such wine. "Larmes de Grappe" was produced from grapes, the likes of which, Jim Clendenen has never seen
  Acronicus
A classic Bordeaux blend. 1/3 each Cabernet, Merlot, and Petit Verdot.
  Alban Chardonnay
This is the last of our Alban Chardonnays (a great run from ’95 to ’00) and we are going to miss it.
  Barbera
One of the major commitments that Jim Clendenen made in 1994 was a 7-acre Barbera vineyard in the very cool Santa Maria Valley. To plant Barbera in a Pinot Noir zone was a tremendous gamble, and the result has been a rewarding one.
  Barham Mendelsohn Russian River Pinot Noir
This wine is as natural a product of its Russian River Valley heritage as is possible, both from the vineyard, and in the cellar.
  Clendenen Family Chardonnay
This chardonnay reflects Jim's ideal: superb concentration without over-ripening ... low alcohol with strength and persistence. A special bottling that celebrates the terroir of the Clendenen family's "Le Bon Climat" vineyard.
  Hildegard White Wine
This is a unique, textural, and complex wine with hints of lavender, marzipan, violets, and white chocolate aromas. A great food wine popular with restaurants. A blend of Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Aligote, which is a recreation of the original planting
  Isabelle Morgan Pinot Noir
While most Au Bon Climat Pinots are vineyard specific, Isabelle is created by masterful blending in the cellar of the best barrels from those specific sites (Bien Nacido, Sanford & Benedict, Talley Rincon, Mt. Carmel...the proportions are a very proprietary secret). The result is a wine of incredible depth, complexity, and focus- very serious Pinot. For this year's Isabelle, Jim was presented with more quality components than he has ever had to work with due to the exceptional nature of the vintage. A brilliant effort worthy of space in any cellar- it will live for years.
  La Bauge au Dessus Estate Pinot
Has the usual Bien Nacido hard spice of black pepper, clove, and juniper. La Bauge au Dessus translates into “the decadent party up above” these vineyards are the highest planting of Pinot Noir at Bien Nacido Vineyard.
  Mt. Carmel Vineyard Chardonnay
Warm exposure from the cool Santa Rita Hills AVA imbues this wine with tropical notes and a distinctive minerality.
  Mt. Carmel Vineyard Pinot Noir
This wine is all about place and earth. The nose is distinctively Santa Rita Hills. The vineyard’s cool climate and low yields offer strength on the palate combined with a great finish.
  Nuits Blanches au Bouge Chardonnay
The style of this wine combines the richness of a California Chardonnay with the crisp beautiful finish of a white French Burgundy. Bien Nacido and Le Bon Climat Vineyards.
  Nuits Blanches au Bouge Chardonnay (Harmony)
The style of this wine combines the richness of a California Chardonnay with the crisp beautiful finish of a white French Burgundy. Bien Nacido and Le Bon Climat Vineyards.
  Orange Muscat
Our most developed Orange Muscat, and our last. The 2000 has by far the most botrytis, and the most unctuous mouth feel of the Orange Muscat series.
  Pinot Blanc/Pinot Gris
The Pinot Blanc provides minerality and density with apple and melon notes while the Pinot Gris gives texture and lavender and marzipan aromatics. Great value, great alternative to Chardonnay. Very popular.
  Pinot Noir "Les Reveles," Mendocino
This Pinot Noir comes from the Elke Vineyard located in the Anderson Valley of Northern California. The Anderson Valley has a cool, coastal climate perfect for growing pinot noir. This is a varietal sturdy wine, with plenty of depth.
  Pinot Noir "Les Reveles," Oregon
From the north end of the Willamette Valley. The 2001 is a vintage for the cellar ... Great structure from a cool, temperate vintage.
  Primogenito
The Il Podere Primogenito is a wine that we have been making since 1998, the first year our estate Italian varieties produced normal yields. This combination of grapes creates a wine that is much more profound than the individual components.
  Reservatum
Our version of a "Super Tuscan." Bold ... bright ... delicious. A superb food wine with great acidity. Roughly, one third each -- Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc.
  Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Chardonnay
Directly across the valley from Mt. Carmel, Sanford & Benedict’s northern exposure contributes to the Chablisian characteristics of this wine
  Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Pinot Noir
This vineyard section was planted to Dijon clones 667 and 777, providing this wine with extraordinary richness and dark fruit character. This Sanford & Benedict is a newer section form the oldest and best site in Santa Rita Hills.
  Santa Barbara County Chardonnay
65% Bien Nacido Vineyard Chardonnay and 35% Rancho Vinedo Vineyard Chardonnay -- Fruit entirely from the heart of the Santa Maria Valley AVA in Coastal Santa Barbara County 8,000 cases produced, 13.5% alcohol, 3.38 pH., .67 T.A. -- The 2002 growing season was a warm one for the coast, with vineyard yields lower than normal for Chardonnay. We picked the vast majority of our Chardonnay between 23.1° brix and 23.8° brix for balance acidity, balanced alcohol and properly ripe fruit characters. The resulting wine, after fermentation in Francois Freres French oak barrels of which less than 20 % were new, was matured sur lie in the same barrels for 9-10 months. It was bottled without filtration. This natural, non-technological, stylish and traditional winemaking consistently produces elegant, textural, complex and food-enhancing Chardonnays. The 02 reminds me of the ’85,’89,’92 and ’99 wines. It has aromas of citrus, stone fruit, fennel and custard apple. The flavors are smooth and integrated, creamy and tense, with apricot, golden delicious apple and lemon verbena nuances. This ’02 wine is the 21st in a series of ABC Santa Barbara County Chardonnays and embodies the same regional style that we have refined over the years.
  Santa Maria Pinot Noir
With fruit sourced from Garey, Bien Nacido, Rancho Vinedo, and Le Bon Climat, this wine is aromatic and floral -- brimming with elegance & finesse.

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