Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 5 to 15 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Roasted duck breast, wild mushroom risotto, grilled salmon.
✨ wine.spec_sheet
The Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir from Au Bon Climat represents a legendary partnership in California viticulture. Located in the cool, wind-swept Santa Maria Valley, the historic Bien Nacido Vineyard was first planted in 1973 by the Miller family. Winemaker Jim Clendenen, the pioneer behind Au Bon Climat, recognized the world-class potential of this site early on, establishing his winery there in 1982. This Pinot Noir is crafted using traditional Burgundian techniques, including open-top fermentation and aging in French oak barrels from the Francois Frères cooperage. The wine is celebrated for its distinctive cool-climate character, balancing bright red fruit flavors of cranberry and raspberry with complex notes of forest floor, black tea, and exotic spices, reflecting the maritime influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Founded in 1982 by the legendary winemaker Jim Clendenen and Adam Tolmach, Au Bon Climat is a pioneering estate located in the Santa Maria Valley of Santa Barbara County, California. Situated on the historic Bien Nacido Vineyard, the winery is internationally acclaimed for its unwavering commitment to crafting Burgundian-style wines of balance, restraint, and longevity. Utilizing traditional French winemaking techniques, including open-top fermenters, manual punch-downs, and aging in classic Francois Frères French oak barrels, Au Bon Climat produces highly expressive, food-friendly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Their signature expressions, such as the Knox Alexander Pinot Noir and Nuits-Blanches au Bouge Chardonnay, showcase the unique, cool-climate terroir of California's Central Coast.