Rincon & Rosemary's
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2028
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
roasted duck, wild mushroom risotto, seared salmon
✨ Technical Specifications
This exceptional red bottling from Au Bon Climat represents a historic partnership between legendary winemaker Jim Clendenen and the Talley family, pioneers of the Arroyo Grande Valley. Sourced from two of the region's most acclaimed sites—Rincon Vineyard, with its calcareous clay soils, and Rosemary's Vineyard, a cooler, ocean-facing hillside planted on clay loam—this Pinot Noir beautifully marries their contrasting terroirs. Rincon provides muscular structure, dark fruit, and earthy spice, while Rosemary's contributes bright red fruit, high-toned acidity, and elegant floral notes. Crafted using Clendenen's signature traditional Burgundian methods, including open-top fermentation and aging in classic Francois Frères French oak, this wine is a testament to the cool-climate potential of southern San Luis Obispo County.
🍾 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