Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Chardonnay 34th Vintage Celebration
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 5–15 years from vintage release.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Roasted chicken, creamy mushroom risotto, grilled sea bass
✨ wine.spec_sheet
The Sanford & Benedict Vineyard is a legendary site in the Sta. Rita Hills, originally planted in 1971 by pioneers Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict. Recognizing the potential of this cool-climate, calcium-rich terroir, Au Bon Climat's founder Jim Clendenen began sourcing Chardonnay from these historic self-rooted vines in 1982. The '34th Vintage Celebration' bottling commemorates over three decades of this iconic partnership. Crafted using traditional Burgundian methods, the wine is barrel-fermented in French oak barrels from the Francois Frères cooperage and undergoes complete malolactic fermentation with regular lees stirring. The result is a Chardonnay of exceptional structure, balancing vibrant maritime acidity with a rich, textured palate and a distinct flinty minerality that defines this historic vineyard.
🍾 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.