Chardonnay Nuits Blanches Au Bouge Xxv Anniversary
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2031
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted chicken, creamy mushroom risotto, lobster with drawn butter
✨ Technical Specifications
The 'Nuits-Blanches au Bouge' Chardonnay is one of Au Bon Climat's most prestigious and storied white wines, with the 'XXV Anniversary' edition celebrating twenty-five years of pioneering winemaking on California's Central Coast. The name, a playful French pun translating roughly to 'sleepless nights in the tavern,' pays homage to the late-night dedication of founder Jim Clendenen during the grueling early harvest seasons. Sourced primarily from the historic Bien Nacido Vineyard in the cool, fog-influenced Santa Maria Valley, this cuvée represents a richer, more deeply structured expression of Chardonnay. It undergoes extended aging in 100% new François Frères French oak barrels, resulting in a luxurious, creamy texture that is masterfully balanced by the vibrant, natural acidity that defines Au Bon Climat's classic Burgundian philosophy.
🍾 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
🍷 ABV
13.5-14.5%