Runway Vineyard Chardonnay
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2026
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
roasted chicken, pan-seared scallops, creamy mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
Tucked alongside the legendary Bien Nacido Vineyard on the wind-swept bench of the Santa Maria Valley lies Runway Vineyard, a site that benefits from the same maritime influence and sandy loam soils. Au Bon Climat's Runway Vineyard Chardonnay is a testament to the late Jim Clendenen's vision of crafting California wines with Burgundian soul. Planted in close proximity to the Santa Maria Airport, this cool-climate site experiences dramatic diurnal temperature swings and persistent morning fog. The wine is crafted using traditional methods: barrel fermentation in French oak barrels followed by aging on the lees. The result is a Chardonnay of remarkable tension, balancing bright citrus and stone fruit flavors with a distinct saline minerality and a textured, creamy finish.
🍾 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%