Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2030
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck breast, wild mushroom risotto, grilled salmon.
✨ Technical Specifications
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.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1982 by the visionary late winemaker Jim Clendenen and Adam Tolmach, Au Bon Climat is situated in the cool-climate expanse of the Santa Maria Valley in Santa Barbara County, California. Operating out of the acclaimed Bien Nacido Vineyard, the winery forged an international reputation by championing restraint, balance, and classical Burgundian traditions long before cool-climate California viticulture entered the mainstream. Driven by early harvesting, indigenous fermentations, and meticulous French oak aging, Au Bon Climat crafts structured, age-worthy wines distinguished by high natural acidity and moderate alcohol levels. The estate is celebrated globally for its expressive site-specific and reserve bottlings of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, including iconic signature labels such as Knox Alexander, Isabelle, and Nuits-Blanches au Bouge.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Pinot Noir
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
13.5%