Au Bon Climat Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County, California

Au Bon Climat Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County, California 2024 keeps the 13.5% ABV of its 2023 predecessor while moving to a four-vineyard blend: Bien Nacido, Los Alamos, Rancho Real, and North Canyon, with Gold Coast no longer listed. Acidity rises from 6.2 to 6.6 g/L and pH shifts from 3.43 to 3.39. Fresh, floral citrus notes of kumquat, Buddha’s hand, and grapefruit lead into vanilla icing and lemon meringue, carried by a light-to-medium palate and eight months of sur lie aging in neutral François Frères French oak.

Product Details:

• Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 13.5%
• pH: 3.39
• Total Acidity (TA): 6.6 g/L
• Grape Blend: 100% Chardonnay
• Vineyards: Bien Nacido, Los Alamos, Rancho Real, and North Canyon
• Harvest: Multiple pickings in September 2024; handpicked and sorted in the vineyard
• Pressing: Whole-cluster pressed
• Fermentation: Primary and malolactic fermentation in barrels
• Aging: Eight months sur lie in neutral François Frères French oak barrels; blended and bottled the following summer
• Producer: Au Bon Climat
• Owners: Isabelle Clendenen, Knox Alexander Clendenen, Jim Adelman, and Enrique Rodriguez
• Winemaker: Jim Adelman, General Manager and Winemaker during the 2024 vintage
• Vintage: 2024

Sensory Description:

Fresh floral citrus leads, with kumquat, Buddha’s hand, and grapefruit. The aromas open toward vanilla icing and lemon meringue, adding a softer, pastry-like note to the bright citrus. Refreshing acidity keeps the light-to-medium palate lively and balanced, while the wine’s sur lie aging lends texture. The overall impression is fresh, aromatic, and built for the table.

Producer’s Background:

Founded in 1982 by Jim Clendenen, Au Bon Climat developed a style shaped by Burgundy and Santa Barbara County’s cool Pacific influence. Its winemaking has long favored handpicked fruit, traditional methods, and Chardonnay with balance, acidity, and site expression. Clendenen’s label credit as the winery’s “Mind Behind” remains on the bottle, while the 2024 wine was produced under General Manager and Winemaker Jim Adelman, who oversaw the winery’s winemaking until his retirement in 2025.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve at 50–54°F in a wide-bowled white Burgundy glass. Pair it with chicken Alfredo, scallop sashimi, or lightly fried fish tacos with creamy cabbage slaw. The winery describes the wine as enjoyable at release and likely to develop greater richness and complexity over the next decade.