Pinot Noir Isabell Morgan
⏳ Drinking Window
2024 - 2030
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck, wild mushroom risotto, herb-crusted rack of lamb
✨ Technical Specifications
Crafted as a tribute to founder Jim Clendenen's daughter, Isabelle Morgan Clendenen, this cuvée represents the pinnacle of Au Bon Climat's blending artistry. First created in 1994, 'Isabelle' is unique because it is not a single-vineyard bottling; instead, Clendenen sought to craft the ultimate California Pinot Noir by selecting and blending the absolute best barrels from top-tier, cool-climate vineyards across California, including Bien Nacido, Sanford & Benedict, and Talley. Utilizing traditional Burgundian techniques, the wine is fermented in open-top fermenters with manual punch-downs and aged in premium François Frères French oak barrels. This meticulous selection process yields a Pinot Noir of profound depth, complexity, and structure, seamlessly blending rich dark fruit, savory spice, and a signature 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
Pinot Noir
🍷 ABV
13.5%