
There is a huanting quality to this wine that leaves tasters scratching their heads and thinking "Man this is good, but what IS it that I'm tasting, that certain something I can't quite put my finger on..." and that's when they dive back in for another sip.
The Winemaker
To repeat an important and recurring theme of ours, I note that club selections are based on our knowledge and aesthetic, not simply on media awards and ratings. When our palate agrees with the award-givers, it is a happy coincidence.
And though we don’t dispense ratings or awards, we only select wines for our store when we think they are a great wine for the price.
In honoring Au Bon Climat in this way, we’re in good company. Beginning in 1989 / 1990, Au Bon Climat was included on Robert Parker's list of Best Wineries in the World. In 1991, Owner/Winemaker Jim Clendenen was selected by Oz Clark as one of the fifty creators of Modern Classic wines. That same year, Dan Berger of the L.A. Times ranked Clendenen as #8 in his Top Twenty California Winemakers, then named him "L.A. Times Winemaker of the Year" in 1992, a title he earned again in 2001 from Food & Wine Magazine.
The Wine
This is a unique, textural, and complex wine with hints of lavender, marzipan, violets, and white chocolate aromas. A great food wine popular with restaurants. A blend of Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Aligote.
Our affiliated wine bar - Tastes of the Valleys - is the designated tasting room for Au Bon Climat. The ABC wines are produced by owner-winemaker Jim Clendenen, a not-shy producer who bottles dozens of wines every year under a variety of labels.
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