Nielson Vineyard Pinot Noir
⏳ Drinking Window
2024 - 2030
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck, wild mushroom risotto, seared salmon
✨ Technical Specifications
The Nielson Vineyard holds a sacred place in California wine history as Santa Barbara County's very first commercial vineyard, planted in 1964 by pioneer Uriel Nielson. Au Bon Climat's single-vineyard bottling from this historic site pays homage to those deep roots in the Santa Maria Valley. Influenced by the unique transverse mountain ranges that funnel cool Pacific breezes and fog directly into the valley, the old vines produce fruit with remarkable natural acidity and concentrated flavors. Winemaker Jim Clendenen long championed this terroir, crafting a Pinot Noir that balances bright red fruit, earthy complexity, and savory spice. Traditional Burgundian techniques, including open-top fermentation and aging in classic French oak barrels, preserve the vineyard's distinct maritime signature and elegant structure.
🍾 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
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
13.5%