Nuits-Blanches au Bouge Chardonnay
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2031
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted chicken with tarragon butter, seared sea scallops, creamy mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
The 'Nuits-Blanches au Bouge' Chardonnay is a legendary cuvée from Au Bon Climat, born from the late Jim Clendenen's playful wit and his deep reverence for Burgundy. The name, translating to 'Sleepless Nights at the Bouge' (a nod to late-night harvest revelry and a humorous play on Burgundy's Côte de Nuits), reflects the tireless passion poured into this reserve-style bottling. Sourced primarily from the old-vines of the historic Bien Nacido Vineyard and Le Bon Climat Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley, this wine represents the richer, more opulent side of Au Bon Climat's portfolio. It is fermented and aged in 100% new François Frères French oak barrels for up to 18 months, undergoing full malolactic fermentation. This extended barrel program imparts a luxurious texture, seamlessly integrated with vibrant cool-climate acidity and a distinct mineral backbone.
🍾 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
Chardonnay
🍷 ABV
13.5-14%