Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Chardonnay 34th Vintage Celebration
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2028
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted chicken, creamy mushroom risotto, grilled sea bass
✨ Technical Specifications
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.
🍾 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%