Talinda Oaks Sanford and Benedict Vinyeard Pinot Noir
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2030
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
roasted duck, creamy mushroom risotto, grilled salmon
✨ Technical Specifications
This bottling highlights Au Bon Climat's historic connection to the legendary vineyards of Santa Barbara County. The late Jim Clendenen, a pioneer of cool-climate California winemaking, was among the first to recognize the extraordinary potential of the region's unique transverse valleys. Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, originally planted in 1971 in what is now the Sta. Rita Hills, is widely considered the cradle of premium Pinot Noir in the area, renowned for its ancient chert-heavy soils and cooling maritime breezes. Talinda Oaks, another prized source, contributes to the winery's legacy of crafting balanced, age-worthy wines. Crafted using traditional Burgundian techniques—including open-top fermentation, manual punch-downs, and aging in fine French oak barrels from Francois Fr"eres—this Pinot Noir showcases a savory complexity, vibrant acidity, and a structure that favors elegance over extraction.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1982 by the visionary late winemaker Jim Clendenen and Adam Tolmach, Au Bon Climat is situated in the cool-climate expanse of the Santa Maria Valley in Santa Barbara County, California. Operating out of the acclaimed Bien Nacido Vineyard, the winery forged an international reputation by championing restraint, balance, and classical Burgundian traditions long before cool-climate California viticulture entered the mainstream. Driven by early harvesting, indigenous fermentations, and meticulous French oak aging, Au Bon Climat crafts structured, age-worthy wines distinguished by high natural acidity and moderate alcohol levels. The estate is celebrated globally for its expressive site-specific and reserve bottlings of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, including iconic signature labels such as Knox Alexander, Isabelle, and Nuits-Blanches au Bouge.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Pinot Noir