Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard 2014
In the Fall of 2018 I took a trip to Santa Barbara, CA to visit a few selective wineries and taste some of their current offerings, particularly the Rhone blends. There were four of us tasting wines and my comments, on each of the wines tasted, incorporate nuances from everyone’s palate. It was a great trip, the wines were outstanding and the folks I met at each of the wineries were extremely informative, helpful and very generous with their time. The wineries have “Wine Clubs” which offer some tremendous, small production, wines that can only be obtained directly from the vineyard. I recommend to try a “Club”, click this “WineClubLink” to go to their site. I highly recommend a trip to Santa Barbara, you will not be disappointed! Keep checking back with SippingFineWine.com for all of the wineries visited, wines tasted and comments regarding the wines, wineries and folks I met.
Jim Clendenen was born in Akron, Ohio in the 1950s, graduated from UC, Santa Barbara (Pre-Law in 1976). After studying abroad and loving French wines, he left law for wine and in ’78 was assistant winemaker at Zaca Mesa Winery, by 1981 he pulled a “triathlon” and handled three harvests in one year at wineries in Australia and France. A year later he started a winery with Adam Tolmach, who left in 1990, leaving Jim solo at the helm. Through careful re-investment from its own production, Au Bon Climat (which means “a well exposed vineyard”) has grown to over 50,000 cases annually.
Planted in 1971, the fruit was selected from the oldest section of Sanford & Benedict Vineyard. Aromas of berry fruit with subtle floral and spice, aged for 22 months in new French oak. On the palate raspberry and cherry fruit flavors, a bit crisp with light oak tones. Firm tannins, a bit tight, lingering, ending with mineral notes. Very nice, but needs a bit more time. I’ll try again in a year!
Cheers!