Sierra Madre Vineyard Pinot Noir
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2026
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck, wild mushroom risotto, seared salmon
✨ Technical Specifications
The Sierra Madre Vineyard, first planted in 1971, is one of the most historic and influential cool-climate sites in the Santa Maria Valley of Santa Barbara County. This vineyard benefits from the unique transverse mountain ranges of the region, which draw cold marine winds and fog directly from the Pacific Ocean, resulting in one of the longest growing seasons in California. Winemaker Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat recognized the exceptional potential of this site early on, sourcing fruit to craft a Pinot Noir of remarkable elegance, bright acidity, and structural longevity. Made using traditional Burgundian techniques, including fermentation in open-top vessels, manual punch-downs, and aging in fine French oak barrels from Francois Frères, this wine is celebrated for its vibrant red berry fruit, forest floor complexity, and refined, savory finish. It stands as a testament to the pioneering spirit of Santa Barbara winemaking.
🍾 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
🍷 ABV
13.5%