Talley Vineyard Chardonnay
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2030
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
roasted chicken, grilled lobster, creamy mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
The partnership between Au Bon Climat's late, legendary winemaker Jim Clendenen and the Talley family represents a historic milestone in Central Coast viticulture. Sourced from the Rincon and Rosemary's sections of the Talley Vineyard in the Arroyo Grande Valley, this Chardonnay benefits from a unique microclimate defined by cool maritime breezes from the nearby Pacific Ocean and calcareous clay soils. Clendenen applied classic Burgundian techniques to this exceptional fruit, utilizing barrel fermentation in French oak, complete malolactic fermentation, and extensive lees aging. The result is a Chardonnay that beautifully balances California richness with Old World structure, showcasing vibrant acidity, mineral undertones, and a capacity to age gracefully.
🍾 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
Chardonnay
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
13.5%