Alban Vineyard Chardonnay
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2028
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
roasted chicken, grilled halibut, creamy mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
Au Bon Climat's exploration of unique Central Coast terroirs led to historic collaborations, including sourcing fruit from the acclaimed Alban Vineyard in the cool Edna Valley. While Alban Vineyard is legendary for pioneering Rhône varieties in California, its unique microclimate and volcanic soils also yield exceptional, slow-ripening Chardonnay. Winemaker Jim Clendenen applied his signature Burgundian philosophy to this fruit, utilizing native yeast fermentation and aging in classic French oak barrels. The resulting wine beautifully marries the vibrant, mineral-driven acidity of the Edna Valley with the structured, age-worthy complexity that defines the Au Bon Climat style.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1982 by visionary vintner Jim Clendenen and Adam Tolmach, Au Bon Climat stands as one of California's most influential pioneers of cool-climate, Burgundian-style winemaking. Situated on the benchlands of the Santa Maria Valley and sourcing from iconic vineyards such as Bien Nacido, Sanford & Benedict, and the estate Le Bon Climat, the estate thrives within transverse valleys channeled by cold maritime airflow off the Pacific Ocean. Viticulture emphasizes sustainability, with key estate holdings certified organic. In the cellar, the late Clendenen's philosophy lives on through longtime winemaker Jim Adelman alongside Jim's children, Isabelle and Knox Clendenen. Vinification champions classical European restraint: whole-cluster pressing, native and selected yeast fermentations in François Frères French oak barrels, full lees contact, and unhurried elevage without excessive new wood or heavy extraction. Celebrated benchmark whites include the single-vineyard Bien Nacido K Block, Sanford & Benedict, and the flagship Chardonnay Nuits-Blanches Au Bouge, each exemplifying bright minerality, seamless acid architecture, and remarkable cellar longevity.
🍇 Grapes
Chardonnay