Pinot Gris Pinot Blanc
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed within 1–5 years of vintage release to appreciate its vibrant fruit and crisp acidity.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Fresh oysters, roasted chicken with herbs, spicy Thai curries
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Crafted by the late, legendary winemaker Jim Clendenen, the Au Bon Climat Pinot Gris/Pinot Blanc blend is a testament to his love for the classic varieties of Alsace, reimagined in the cool maritime climate of Santa Barbara County. Sourced primarily from the historic Bien Nacido Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley, this wine breaks the California mold of Chardonnay dominance. Clendenen famously championed these lesser-known Burgundian and Alsatian mutations, blending them to achieve a perfect harmony of texture and vibrant acidity. The Pinot Gris provides rich stone fruit flavors, mid-palate weight, and a copper-hued complexity, while the Pinot Blanc contributes bright citrus notes, structural acidity, and mineral precision. Fermented using native yeasts and aged on its lees in neutral French oak barrels, this white wine undergoes minimal intervention to preserve its fresh, aromatic, and deeply savory character.
🍾 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.