Dennison Vineyard Pinot Noir
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2027
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck, wild mushroom risotto, seared salmon
✨ Technical Specifications
While Au Bon Climat is deeply rooted in the Santa Maria Valley, legendary founder Jim Clendenen occasionally looked northward to explore other exceptional cool-climate terroirs. The Dennison Vineyard, situated in the chilly, fog-laden 'deep end' of Mendocino County's Anderson Valley, caught his attention for its ability to produce Pinot Noir of immense tension and grace. The vineyard's gravelly soils and dramatic diurnal temperature shifts yield small, concentrated berries with striking natural acidity. In the cellar, Clendenen applied his classic Burgundian approach: open-top fermentation, manual punch-downs, and thoughtful aging in François Frères French oak barrels. This bottling beautifully bridges the gap between Au Bon Climat's signature structural elegance and the rustic, wild-berry, and forest-floor character native to the Anderson Valley.
🍾 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