Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County
オー・ボン・クリマ ピノ・ノワール サンタバーバラ・カウンティ
Au Bon Climat
Pinot Noir
About this wine
Au Bon Climat's entry-tier, flagship Pinot Noir is a handcrafted blend from premier Santa Maria Valley sites — chiefly Bien Nacido, North Canyon, and Rancho Real — with smaller portions from Kick On and Los Alamos vineyards. Grapes are hand-harvested, fermented in small open-top lots with daily manual punch-downs, then aged 8-12 months in François Frères French oak. The result is a cool-climate, Burgundian-leaning Pinot Noir with red currant, blueberry, and blood orange aromas, subtle bay leaf, white pepper, and wet stone notes, balanced acidity, and a silky, well-structured palate at a moderate 13.5% ABV.
A lean, Burgundian-style entry point into Au Bon Climat's Pinot Noir range.
Sommelier's Note
"More Burgundian than northern Californian — lean, savory, and structured rather than fruit-forward, this is Pinot Noir for people who actually like Pinot Noir."
Food Pairings
Young vintages pair well with lamb or lighter roasted meats; with a few years of age it flatters salmon or pasta in a mild red sauce. Also enjoyable with oak-grilled burgers or mildly spiced Indian dishes.
When to drink it
Casual dinners, introducing friends to cool-climate California Pinot Noir
Specs
- Grape Varieties
- Pinot Noir
- Style
- Red
- Alcohol
- 13.5%
- Price Range
- $25-35 (US retail; reference conversion, not an official JP price)
Terroir & Winemaking
Hand-harvested grapes from Bien Nacido, North Canyon, Rancho Real, Kick On, and Los Alamos vineyards. Fermented in small open-top lots with daily manual punch-downs; aged 8-12 months in François Frères French oak.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County taste like?
- Red currant, blueberry, and blood orange aromas with subtle bay leaf, white pepper, and wet stone notes; the palate is bright, well-balanced, with soft tannins and a silky, structured finish.
- Is this Pinot Noir light or full-bodied?
- It is a lean, cool-climate style — closer to Burgundy than to riper northern California Pinot Noir — with moderate alcohol (13.5% ABV) and vibrant acidity rather than heavy fruit weight.
- What food pairs well with this wine?
- Young vintages suit lamb or lighter roasted meats; with age it pairs beautifully with salmon or pasta in a mild red sauce, and also works with oak-grilled burgers or mildly spiced dishes.
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Talk to the SommelierMore wines from this producer
オー・ボン・クリマ イザベル・ピノ・ノワール
Au Bon Climat Isabelle Pinot Noir
RedPinot Noir
Isabelle is the flagship cuvée of Au Bon Climat, created in 1995 to celebrate the birth of winemaker Jim Clendenen's daughter. Rather than a single-vineyard wine, Isabelle is a meticulous multi-vineyard blend assembled from the finest barrels across at least six prestigious sites — from Bien Nacido and Sanford & Benedict in Santa Barbara County to parcels as far north as the Russian River Valley. Small lots are fermented separately in open-top vessels, punched down by hand, and transferred by gravity only; they are then aged 22–24 months in 100% new François Frères French oak. The result is Au Bon Climat's most powerful and complex Pinot Noir: layers of ripe red and dark cherry, forest floor, and toasted spice framed by silky tannins and vivid acidity, with the structure to evolve gracefully for 10–15 years. Wine Enthusiast awarded the 2017 vintage 96 points and the 2020 vintage 95 points.
オー・ボン・クリマ シャルドネ サンタバーバラ・カウンティ
Au Bon Climat Chardonnay Santa Barbara County
WhiteChardonnay
Au Bon Climat's flagship, entry-tier Chardonnay draws on three well-farmed Santa Barbara County sites — Bien Nacido, Los Alamos, and the estate Le Bon Climat vineyard. Grapes are whole-cluster pressed, settled, and barrel-fermented in relatively neutral François Frères French oak, then aged sur lie for about 10 months with malolactic fermentation completed. The result is a full-bodied, dry white with mouth-filling citrus and orchard fruit, flinty/stony minerality, and a background spice note from lees aging, built to gain richness and complexity with a few years of bottle age. It remains the most widely available introduction to Jim Clendenen's Burgundian-inspired winemaking.
オー・ボン・クリマ シャルドネ ニュイ・ブランシュ・オ・ブージュ
Au Bon Climat Chardonnay Nuits-Blanches au Bouge
WhiteChardonnay
First produced in 1996, Nuits-Blanches au Bouge ("sleepless nights") is Au Bon Climat's top-tier Chardonnay, created by winemaker Jim Clendenen to showcase the extraordinary quality of the Bien Nacido Vineyard's 'K' Block. The blend is traditionally about 85-90% Bien Nacido Chardonnay with 10-15% from the estate Le Bon Climat vineyard. Grapes are picked later and sorted more rigorously than for any other Au Bon Climat Chardonnay, fermented and aged entirely in new French oak for around 18 months. The style is richer, oakier, and more concentrated than the winery's other Chardonnays, showing ripe stone fruit, caramelized lemon, chalky minerality, and toasted spice, with the structure for extended aging. Certain vintages released in Japan have carried special local nicknames (e.g. the 2019 vintage was named '独歩,' Dokuho, in tribute to Japanese fans).