2019 Au Bon Climat Chardonnay 34th Vintage Celebration Sanford & Benedict Vineyard
| Type of Wine | |
|---|---|
| Country | |
| Region | |
| Appellation | |
| Winery | |
| Vintage | 2019 |
| Grape | |
| Content (Alc) | 0.75 ltr (13.5%) |
| Drink window | 2024 - 2034 |
Low Stock
Only 4 left
Description
Au Bon Climat's slogan is "An homage to the wines of Burgundy" and that sums it up nicely. The Chardonnay from Sanford & Benedict Vineyard are among Au Bon Climat's top models. Today, the Sanford & Benedict vineyard is considered one of the best vineyards in America. im Clendenen wanted to celebrate the greatness of this iconic vineyard and therefore created the "Vintage Celebration" program. From the very best years, Au Bon Climat keeps some wine back, gives it a longer maturation and keeps it in the cellars under perfect conditions.
About Historic Vineyard collection
This wine comes from the Historic Vineyard collection. This collection originally represented five iconic vineyards that were instrumental in increasing the recognition of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the Central Coast. Today, ABC's Historic Collection includes wines from the Los Alamos, Bien Nacido, Talley and Sanford & Benedict vineyards. These established vineyards allow for wines of great intensity and character. As the official exclusive importer of Au Bon Climat, we naturally carry these wines.
Tasting notes
The Au Bon Climat Chardonnay 34th Vintage Celebration Sanford & Benedict Vineyard has enticing aromas of macadamia nut, cream, sweet butter and orange peel are accompanied by flavors of coconut, cherimoya and other creamy white fruits, supported by hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and mineral notes. While rich and opulent, the wine remains tight and refined in style and will develop beautifully with bottle age.
Winemaker's Notes
This certified sustainable vineyard has a layer of hard, pebbly quartz gravel on well-drained soils, combined with the cool climate (Climate Region 1) near the Pacific Ocean. This creates the perfect medium for quality Pinot and Chardonnay, with a distinctive Sta. Rita Hills AVA character. The “Vintage Celebration” is the “reserve” Chardonnay edition from the Sanford & Benedict vineyard. To take this to the next level, we used new 350-liter barrels of premium French oak, custom made by François Frères to Jim Clendenen’s specifications. This outstanding wine was given a slightly longer aging period, with two years of barrel aging before being lightly processed and bottled. The 2019 edition is an exceptional wine from a winery that has been making great Chardonnay from this historic vineyard for over 30 years.
Background story
The first “big” vineyard in Santa Barbara County was planted in 1971 by Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict. Jim Clendenen saw the “magic” of the Sanford & Benedict vineyard decades ago and was fortunate enough to purchase a few tons of grapes in the 1980s. Since then, Au Bon Climat has received fruit from the original plantings in this vineyard every year, except for 1990 when the vineyard was in transition. Only Sanford Winery has such a long “history” with this vineyard. Today, the vineyard is owned by the Terlato family, who have improved their farming practices. The vineyard is now sustainably managed and is in better condition than ever.
The success of this vineyard led to a “planting boom” in the new Sta. Rita Hills AVA, where the surrounding hillsides are now covered in vines. Jim Clendenen wanted to celebrate the greatness of this iconic vineyard and created the “Vintage Celebration” program. Today, the Sanford & Benedict vineyard is considered one of America’s finest.
Delicious with oysters, salmon in beurre blanc, chicken fillet with a creamy tarragon sauce or a Gruyère cheese, ham and onion tart.
FACT: In the tab 'Attachments' you will find the official fact sheet of this beautiful wine. We will automatically send you this when you order this wine. The wine is in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you come to pick up the wine you will often also receive a nice discount . You will see your discount immediately when you choose 'Pick up' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht almost next to the A16 with plenty of parking. Click here for our address.
Specifications
| Type of Wine | White |
|---|---|
| Country | USA |
| Region | Californie |
| Appellation | Santa Barbara County |
| Winery | Au Bon Climat |
| Grape | Chardonnay |
| Biological certified | No |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Vintage | 2019 |
| Drinking as of | 2024 |
| Drinking till | 2034 |
| Alcohol % | 13.5 |
| Alcohol free/low | No |
| Content | 0.75 ltr |
| Oak aging | Yes |
| Sparkling | No |
| Dessert wine | No |
| Closure | Cork |
| Parker rating | 96 |
| Vinous rating | 96 |
| Tasting Profiles | Complex, Droog, Houtgerijpt, Krachtig, Rijk, Rond, Vol, Wit fruit |
| Drink moments | Indruk maken, Lekker luxe, Open haard |
Professional Reviews
Parker
The Wine Advocate
RP 95+
Reviewed by:
Erin Brooks
Release Price:
NA
Drink Date:
2025 - 2040
The 2021 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Historic Vineyards Collection is fragrant and alluring, with tones of matchstick giving way to perfumed quince, beeswax and cashew. The palate is bursting with perfumed fruit, its expansive layers streaked with flint and honey. It has a vibrant acidity, a silky texture and a long, layered finish.
Published: Dec 29, 2023
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Wine Spectator
No written review available.
Vinous
95
Drinking Window
2024 - 2031
From: Santa Barbara: California's Undiscovered Jewel (Aug 2024)
The 2021 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Santa Barbara Historic Vineyards Collection is deep, creamy and layered. Apricot, mint, tangerine oil, passion fruit and a kiss of French oak all meld together. This is an exuberant style for S&B, with tons of fruit density and pure power that captures the late Jim Clendenen's approach to the maximum.
- By Antonio Galloni on July 2024
Jim Clendenen passed away in early 2021, but his style is very much alive at Au Bon Climat and Clendenen Family Vintners. Élevage for both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is on the longer side relative to present-day standards. New oak is often in the 75-100% range, although increasingly, the preference leans toward 350-liter barrels. As usual, the Pinots are done with a high percentage of whole clusters. These wines continue to represent classicism in Santa Barbara. Clendenen succeeded in achieving that most elusive of elements in wine: balance. It’s great to see these wines showing so well.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
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Wijnhuis
The brain behind the Au Bon Climat winery is Jim Clendenen. He was born in Akron, Ohio and graduated in law from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1976. During his studies he had his "junior year abroad" in 1974 in France where he discovered that life was more than just tacos.
After graduation, he spent both a month in Burgundy and Champagne, which convinced him to pursue a career in wine rather than pursuing a law degree. During the 1978 harvest, Jim Clendenen was an assistant winemaker at Zaca Mesa Winery. He stayed there for 3 years and gained a great wealth of experience. In 1982 Clendenen, together with Adam Tolmach, decided to establish a winery with only Burgundian varieties of rented plots. In 1990 Adam left again and Jim took the helm solo. Through careful reinvestment from its own production, Au Bon Climat (meaning "a well-exposed vineyard") has grown to over 50,000 crates per year.
Au Bon Climat collects grapes from several vineyards on the California Central Coast, particularly Santa Barbara County, all of which are highly regarded. These include Clendenen's very own Le Bon Climat Vineyard and also grapes from the legendary Bien Nacido vineyard - both in Santa Maria Valley. Also grapes from Sanford & Benedict Vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills, Los Alamos Vineyard (Santa Barbara County) and Talley Vineyard in San Luis Obispo County.
The winery has built an international reputation with its Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. Jim Clendenen, as they call it the "Mind Behind" Au Bon Climat, is recognized worldwide for its classically styled wines. In 1989 and 1990, Au Bon Climat was on Robert Parker's shortlist of Best Wineries in the World and in 1991 was selected by Oz Clark as one of the 50 global creators of Modern Classic Wines. Dan Berger of the Los Angeles Times named Clendenen "Los Angeles Time Winemaker of the Year" in 1992; Food & Wine Magazine named him "Winemaker of the Year" in 2001. Germany's leading wine magazine Wein Gourmet named Clendenen "Winemaker of the World;" and in 2007 Jim was inducted into the James Beard Foundation's "Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America." There are many accolades, but Jim does not rest on his laurels. He is constantly looking to refine his profession and therefore leads the pack.
Au Bon Climat wines order online at Grand Cru wines
You can of course buy Au Bon Climat wines online at Grandcruwijnen.nl, the wine trade with one of the largest wine collections in the Netherlands and Belgium, where you can order both special wines and wines for every budget. Quality products, fast delivery & reliable service that is Grand Crus!
Au Bon Climat's slogan is "An homage to the wines of Burgundy" and that sums it up nicely. The Chardonnay from Sanford & Benedict Vineyard are among Au Bon Climat's top models. Today, the Sanford & Benedict vineyard is considered one of the best vineyards in America. im Clendenen wanted to celebrate the greatness of this iconic vineyard and therefore created the "Vintage Celebration" program. From the very best years, Au Bon Climat keeps some wine back, gives it a longer maturation and keeps it in the cellars under perfect conditions.
About Historic Vineyard collection
This wine comes from the Historic Vineyard collection. This collection originally represented five iconic vineyards that were instrumental in increasing the recognition of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the Central Coast. Today, ABC's Historic Collection includes wines from the Los Alamos, Bien Nacido, Talley and Sanford & Benedict vineyards. These established vineyards allow for wines of great intensity and character. As the official exclusive importer of Au Bon Climat, we naturally carry these wines.
Tasting notes
The Au Bon Climat Chardonnay 34th Vintage Celebration Sanford & Benedict Vineyard has enticing aromas of macadamia nut, cream, sweet butter and orange peel are accompanied by flavors of coconut, cherimoya and other creamy white fruits, supported by hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and mineral notes. While rich and opulent, the wine remains tight and refined in style and will develop beautifully with bottle age.
Winemaker's Notes
This certified sustainable vineyard has a layer of hard, pebbly quartz gravel on well-drained soils, combined with the cool climate (Climate Region 1) near the Pacific Ocean. This creates the perfect medium for quality Pinot and Chardonnay, with a distinctive Sta. Rita Hills AVA character. The “Vintage Celebration” is the “reserve” Chardonnay edition from the Sanford & Benedict vineyard. To take this to the next level, we used new 350-liter barrels of premium French oak, custom made by François Frères to Jim Clendenen’s specifications. This outstanding wine was given a slightly longer aging period, with two years of barrel aging before being lightly processed and bottled. The 2019 edition is an exceptional wine from a winery that has been making great Chardonnay from this historic vineyard for over 30 years.
Background story
The first “big” vineyard in Santa Barbara County was planted in 1971 by Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict. Jim Clendenen saw the “magic” of the Sanford & Benedict vineyard decades ago and was fortunate enough to purchase a few tons of grapes in the 1980s. Since then, Au Bon Climat has received fruit from the original plantings in this vineyard every year, except for 1990 when the vineyard was in transition. Only Sanford Winery has such a long “history” with this vineyard. Today, the vineyard is owned by the Terlato family, who have improved their farming practices. The vineyard is now sustainably managed and is in better condition than ever.
The success of this vineyard led to a “planting boom” in the new Sta. Rita Hills AVA, where the surrounding hillsides are now covered in vines. Jim Clendenen wanted to celebrate the greatness of this iconic vineyard and created the “Vintage Celebration” program. Today, the Sanford & Benedict vineyard is considered one of America’s finest.
Delicious with oysters, salmon in beurre blanc, chicken fillet with a creamy tarragon sauce or a Gruyère cheese, ham and onion tart.
FACT: In the tab 'Attachments' you will find the official fact sheet of this beautiful wine. We will automatically send you this when you order this wine. The wine is in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you come to pick up the wine you will often also receive a nice discount . You will see your discount immediately when you choose 'Pick up' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht almost next to the A16 with plenty of parking. Click here for our address.
| Type of Wine | White |
|---|---|
| Country | USA |
| Region | Californie |
| Appellation | Santa Barbara County |
| Winery | Au Bon Climat |
| Grape | Chardonnay |
| Biological certified | No |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Vintage | 2019 |
| Drinking as of | 2024 |
| Drinking till | 2034 |
| Alcohol % | 13.5 |
| Alcohol free/low | No |
| Content | 0.75 ltr |
| Oak aging | Yes |
| Sparkling | No |
| Dessert wine | No |
| Closure | Cork |
| Parker rating | 96 |
| Vinous rating | 96 |
| Tasting Profiles | Complex, Droog, Houtgerijpt, Krachtig, Rijk, Rond, Vol, Wit fruit |
| Drink moments | Indruk maken, Lekker luxe, Open haard |
Parker
The Wine Advocate
RP 95+
Reviewed by:
Erin Brooks
Release Price:
NA
Drink Date:
2025 - 2040
The 2021 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Historic Vineyards Collection is fragrant and alluring, with tones of matchstick giving way to perfumed quince, beeswax and cashew. The palate is bursting with perfumed fruit, its expansive layers streaked with flint and honey. It has a vibrant acidity, a silky texture and a long, layered finish.
Published: Dec 29, 2023
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Wine Spectator
No written review available.
Vinous
95
Drinking Window
2024 - 2031
From: Santa Barbara: California's Undiscovered Jewel (Aug 2024)
The 2021 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Santa Barbara Historic Vineyards Collection is deep, creamy and layered. Apricot, mint, tangerine oil, passion fruit and a kiss of French oak all meld together. This is an exuberant style for S&B, with tons of fruit density and pure power that captures the late Jim Clendenen's approach to the maximum.
- By Antonio Galloni on July 2024
Jim Clendenen passed away in early 2021, but his style is very much alive at Au Bon Climat and Clendenen Family Vintners. Élevage for both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is on the longer side relative to present-day standards. New oak is often in the 75-100% range, although increasingly, the preference leans toward 350-liter barrels. As usual, the Pinots are done with a high percentage of whole clusters. These wines continue to represent classicism in Santa Barbara. Clendenen succeeded in achieving that most elusive of elements in wine: balance. It’s great to see these wines showing so well.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Exclusive Content
Sign in to unlock professional wine reviews from world-renowned critics
The brain behind the Au Bon Climat winery is Jim Clendenen. He was born in Akron, Ohio and graduated in law from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1976. During his studies he had his "junior year abroad" in 1974 in France where he discovered that life was more than just tacos.
After graduation, he spent both a month in Burgundy and Champagne, which convinced him to pursue a career in wine rather than pursuing a law degree. During the 1978 harvest, Jim Clendenen was an assistant winemaker at Zaca Mesa Winery. He stayed there for 3 years and gained a great wealth of experience. In 1982 Clendenen, together with Adam Tolmach, decided to establish a winery with only Burgundian varieties of rented plots. In 1990 Adam left again and Jim took the helm solo. Through careful reinvestment from its own production, Au Bon Climat (meaning "a well-exposed vineyard") has grown to over 50,000 crates per year.
Au Bon Climat collects grapes from several vineyards on the California Central Coast, particularly Santa Barbara County, all of which are highly regarded. These include Clendenen's very own Le Bon Climat Vineyard and also grapes from the legendary Bien Nacido vineyard - both in Santa Maria Valley. Also grapes from Sanford & Benedict Vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills, Los Alamos Vineyard (Santa Barbara County) and Talley Vineyard in San Luis Obispo County.
The winery has built an international reputation with its Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. Jim Clendenen, as they call it the "Mind Behind" Au Bon Climat, is recognized worldwide for its classically styled wines. In 1989 and 1990, Au Bon Climat was on Robert Parker's shortlist of Best Wineries in the World and in 1991 was selected by Oz Clark as one of the 50 global creators of Modern Classic Wines. Dan Berger of the Los Angeles Times named Clendenen "Los Angeles Time Winemaker of the Year" in 1992; Food & Wine Magazine named him "Winemaker of the Year" in 2001. Germany's leading wine magazine Wein Gourmet named Clendenen "Winemaker of the World;" and in 2007 Jim was inducted into the James Beard Foundation's "Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America." There are many accolades, but Jim does not rest on his laurels. He is constantly looking to refine his profession and therefore leads the pack.
Au Bon Climat wines order online at Grand Cru wines
You can of course buy Au Bon Climat wines online at Grandcruwijnen.nl, the wine trade with one of the largest wine collections in the Netherlands and Belgium, where you can order both special wines and wines for every budget. Quality products, fast delivery & reliable service that is Grand Crus!