2012 Au Bon Climat, Sanford & Benedict Chardonnay, Santa Ynez Valley,California, USA

2012 Au Bon Climat, Sanford & Benedict Chardonnay, Santa Ynez Valley,California, USA

Product: 20121175365
 
2012 Au Bon Climat, Sanford & Benedict Chardonnay, Santa Ynez Valley,California, USA

Buying options

Available by the case In Bond. Pricing excludes duty and VAT, which must be paid separately before delivery. Storage charges apply.
You can place a bid for this wine on BBX

Description

Delicately crafted, Au Bon Climat’s Sandford & Benedict Chardonnay has a lovely brightness to it and an unforced nature. The initial waft of oak is crisp and clean, evident but gentle and balanced, it interplays discreetly with notes of warm butter, honey and soft orchard fruits and there is even an impression of young spring vegetables at the back of the nostrils. The palate brings a real fresh attack and whilst there is moderate weight and viscosity it is the upfront citrus accents with spice and cream that leave the lasting impression. Ripe yellow fruit and a citrus twist accompanies the finish and leaves a gentle tingle long after the wine is finished. This is a beautifully clean, crisp and complex offering.  Peter Newton, Private Account Manager

This has a gorgeous nose of fresh but ripe lemons, mingling with toast and a delicious yellow nectarine character. It has lovely texture, being full-bodied for a white wine with a focused, pure, mineral core, buttressed by the lovely ripe lemon fruit. The finish is delicious and long with subtle notes of spice and vanilla. This showcases the elegance that fine Californian Chardonnay can achieve. Drink 2015-2020.
Catriona Felstead MW, Wine Buyer
Founded in 1982, Au Bon Climat (which the winemaker translates as "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. Like an extra from a Spinal Tap video or a lost member from the Beach Boys,  Jim Clendenen is quintessentially Californian in style, while his wines take on an old world and classic style.  Jim Clendenen has full respect for his peers in Burgundy and says, '… I like to think our wines can share that stage.' He is responsible for some of the most balanced and delicious wines this side of Burgundy.

A trusted and faithful supplier with Berry Bros. & Rudd over the years, we have grown to love and respect the style and panache present in the Au Bon Climat wines.  Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that present a beautiful perfume and balance so ever present in top end Burgundy yet with a New World / Californian brightness to each wines. 

Jim Clendenen has been no stranger to praise from the trade, indeed Au Bon Climat has been on Robert Parker's short list of Best Wineries in the World, and has in the past been selected by Oz Clark as one of fifty world-wide creators of Modern Classic Wines.  His basic wines with their barrel ageing before release are delicious early in their lives, but having tasted back vintages I can attest to the fact that Au Bon Climat wines (especially the single vineyard offerings) have an ability to gain great complexity with age over the next 3 – 5 years.

wine at a glance

Delivery and quality guarantee

About this WINE

Au Bon Climat

Au Bon Climat

The late Jim Clendenen founded Au Bon Climat (ABC) in 1982. He became famous for making pioneering wines from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on California’s Central Coast. He passed away in 2021 and is remembered as one of the most charismatic and influential people of his vinous generation.

Jim’s passion for wine was born from a trip to Burgundy in the mid-1970s when he studied Law at UC Santa Barbara. During subsequent visits, his enthusiasm for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grew, and he became convinced that the Californian hills were capable of something special with these two noble varieties.

Au Bon Climat translates as “a well-exposed vineyard”, a name that suits the vineyards’ coastal position, with its benevolent Pacific fog and cooling breeze. Making the most of these conditions, ABC buy clones from Burgundy. This contributes to creating wines that emulate Europe’s restraint and finesse but with a magic touch of New World flair.

The vineyards ABC source their grapes from read as a ‘who’s who’ of Central Coast vineyards. Bien Nacido and Jim’s “Le Bon Climat” are the most significant contributors. The influence of the Pacific can be felt standing in the canyon of Bien Nacido, where the warm days and cool nights characterise this superb terroir. Le Bon Climat, in contrast, consists of mainly hilltop vineyards which were certified organic in 2003.

Find out more
Chardonnay

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.

Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.

It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.

Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.

Find out more