Description
Jim Clendenen was venturing through France, having just graduated from pre-law at the age of 21 when the wine bug bit. From there, there was no turning back (and certainly no law school) as he ventured into the world of wines, working vintages between Australia, France and the USA. In 1982, he founded Au Bon Climat (roughly translated as ‘a well exposed vineyard’), focusing on the Burgundian varieties of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The winemaking is not overly intensive, allowing the fruit to shine forward, with the wine offering a complex blend between its fruit, savoury and earthy components. In addition to the estate, he also sources fruit from some of the most highly regarded vineyards in the Central Coast region, including Bien Nacido and Sandford & Benedict, as both Tyler and Evening Land do. Six vineyards make up the blend for the Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir, and provide one of the region’s truest expressions of what Santa Barbara has to offer.
