Au Bon Climat, founded by the late Jim Clendenen in 1982, is a benchmark producer of Burgundian-style wines in California, particularly renowned for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. This Chardonnay hails from Santa Barbara County, a cool-climate region that allows for long, even ripening, enhancing balance and freshness. The fruit is sourced from five top vineyards, handpicked, whole bunch pressed, and fermented and aged in neutral François Frères oak barrels for 8 months on lees. The 2023 vintage shows vibrant aromas of citron, apple blossom and chamomile, with grapefruit, lemon zest, and hints of clove and nutmeg on the palate. A beautifully poised wine with flinty minerality and bright acidity—classic, versatile, and built to age.