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
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%