Isabelle Morgan Pinot Noir
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 5–15 years from vintage release, though exceptional vintages can cellar beautifully for up to 20 years.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Roasted duck, wild mushroom risotto, herb-crusted rack of lamb
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Au Bon Climat's 'Isabelle' Pinot Noir is a flagship cuvée created by the late, legendary winemaker Jim Clendenen. Named in honor of his daughter, Isabelle Morgan Clendenen, this wine represents a masterclass in blending. Unlike single-vineyard designates, Isabelle is a barrel-selection cuvée sourcing the finest Pinot Noir from top-tier cool-climate vineyards across California, often spanning from northern Mendocino down to the Santa Maria Valley and Sta. Rita Hills, including the historic Bien Nacido and Sanford & Benedict vineyards. This unique approach allows for a wine of exceptional complexity, structure, and consistency. Crafted using traditional Burgundian techniques—open-top fermentation, manual punch-downs, and extensive aging in premium François Frères French oak barrels—it is celebrated for its seamless integration of dark berry fruit, savory forest floor, and refined spice.
🍾 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.