Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2026
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck, wild mushroom risotto, seared salmon
✨ Technical Specifications
Au Bon Climat's Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir is a masterful expression of one of the Santa Maria Valley's most historic sites. Originally planted in 1970 and named after Julia Jackson, this vineyard features some of the oldest Pinot Noir plantings in the region. The cool, wind-swept maritime climate and sandy loam soils of the Santa Maria Valley allow for a long, slow ripening period, preserving the grape's natural acidity and delicate aromatics. Winemaker Jim Clendenen championed this site for its ability to produce wines of immense grace and longevity. Crafted using traditional Burgundian methods, including open-top fermentation and aging in classic French oak barrels, this Pinot Noir is celebrated for its bright red fruit profile, savory dried herb undertones, and a distinct mineral backbone that reflects its coastal terroir.
🍾 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
🍷 ABV
13.5%