2023 Au Bon Climat - Chardonnay Santa Barbara (750ml)

Au Bon Climat is one of California's most enduring stories in fine wine. Founded in 1982 by the late Jim Clendenen, the winery helped establish Santa Barbara County as a world-class source for Burgundian-style Chardonnay and Pinot Noir— and today, under the stewardship of his children Isabella and Knox, that mission continues with remarkable consistency.

The 2023 is sourced from five vineyards — Bien Nacido, Los Alamos, Rancho Real, Gold Coast, and Premier Coastal — whole-cluster pressed and aged for eight months sur lie in neutral French oak. linty, stony aromas lead the nose, with an intriguing background note of clove and nutmeg from the barrel aging. Citrus and stone fruit flavors follow, finishing with a precise lemon-lime zest note. Intense but light on its feet — a wine built to complement food rather than dominate it. 

Wine Review Online awarded it 91 points, noting its excellent acidity and long finish: "not simple, but simply delicious." The wine continues to evolve from fresh and vibrant at release to a richer, more complex expression with age  — though it's hard to resist right now. Drink through 2030.