Wild Boy Chardonnay
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed within 2–7 years from vintage release.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Roasted chicken, pan-seared scallops, creamy mushroom pasta
✨ wine.spec_sheet
The 'Wild Boy' Chardonnay is a liquid tribute to the late, legendary winemaker Jim Clendenen, whose boisterous personality, flowing locks, and rebellious spirit earned him the nickname 'Wild Boy' from his peers in Burgundy. Unlike some of Au Bon Climat's more reserved, lean Chardonnays, this cuvée leans into a slightly richer, more expressive style while maintaining Clendenen's signature vibrant acidity. Sourced from cool-climate vineyards in Santa Barbara County, including the famed Bien Nacido, the wine undergoes barrel fermentation and aging in classic Francois Frères French oak barrels. It beautifully balances the sun-drenched richness of California fruit with the structure, minerality, and elegance of traditional Burgundian winemaking.
🍾 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.