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
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
Pinot Noir