Au Bon Climat Chardonnay Santa Maria Valley for le Du's Wines Bien Nacido Vineyard (2001)
Winery: | Au Bon Climat |
Region: | USA » California » Santa Barbara County » Santa Maria Valley |
Varietal: | Chardonnay |
Type: | Table Wines |
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. Members of our wine club and mailing list are invited to our Spring and Fall Open Houses.
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Au Bon Climat on SnoothOctober 2015
Au Bon Climat, most any bottling I've had in recent years, is way overrated. It had a place in Santa Barbara winemaking history, but now almost always hits me as flat, far-too-monochromatic with no integrated depth, murky and flabby. Interesting in the '90s, so-so at the millenium, boring over the past 10 years has been my experience. Certainly ... Read More
October 2015
I thought the Au Bon Climat would show much better, but it was squarely in the lower half, and a contender for worst wine. The first wine tasted was the A to Z Oregon Pinot which showed clean and fresh, but with little depth and personality. The '12 Billard-Gonnet from Burgundy was very much the same, it showed a bit weedy, fresh, but uninterest... Read More
October 2015
Curious where you guys place the Au Bon Climat. Read More
October 2015
So in my line of work--some of you know that I'm a criminal defense attorney in the Bay Area--we don't often cross paths with the winemakers of the bay area. But every now and then a case shows up in court that involves the wine world. Two have attracted my attention this month. The first involves Donkey and Goat, a hip winery in Berkeley tha... Read More
September 2015
Bright, strawberry, smooth easy drinking. I like! Read More
August 2015
v v, the Golden State looks forward to hosting you, again.I assume you know ... for in-town visits would be Au Bon Climat, Jaffurs and Vogelzang.Santa Ynez and Lompoc are a short hour's drive to the north. That is, in my opinion, the most productive turf for you. Jon, has, of course already provided some excellent ideas. To that I would sug... Read More
August 2015
Al, Von's is a brand of Safeway. Safeway was merged into ... the ... the Walmart does not carry Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara County Chardonnay. I guess I'll have to check Alberson's and Haggen's to see if I owe you.And to let you know where I sit on the car thrift/status thing, I drive a Honda Civic and Peggy drives an Infiniti QX50. I reall... Read More
August 2015
This might be the quintessential (5th Element) supermarket wine. I think ... ... Haggen's. Au Bon Climat and Jim Clendenen are very important entries in the history of California Central Coast wine. This Chardonnay is quite light on the tongue with some flavors of peach and, maybe, papaya. Very easy on the oak--definitely not a vanilla but... Read More
August 2015
Quite pale yellow color. Very light on the nosesome fruit flavors of melon, peach. On the tongue a the fruitiness of a tart peach jumps out. Perhaps some earthiness. Very light touch on the oakno buttery vanilla in this one--makes me wonder if it even was oaked. Very light in body. That and refreshing tartness makes this one a very good sum... Read More
May 2015
The oil spill is, I'm guessing, about 20 miles north of downtown Santa ... ... that the best of that lot is Au Bon Climat--which is a darned good winery and is historically important to the area's wine industry. Theoretically, you can stay in downtown Santa Barbara, which is a pretty cosmopolitan city, and drive to Lompoc/Santa Ynez in about ... Read More
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