2020 Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard
| Type of Wine | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | USA |
| Region | |
| Appellation | |
| Winery | |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Grape | |
| Content (Alc) | 0.75 ltr (13.5%) |
| Drink window | 2024 - 2034 |
In stock
58 items available
Description
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.
Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard is one of the great Pinot vineyards of the world. The wine has a nose of fragrant red and black cherries, star anise and earth. The palate is silky and expansive with nuanced, spicy berry notes boosted by fine acidity, with a long finish. Scored 95+ points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate; 94 points Wine & Spirits Magazine; 92 points Wine Lover; 90 points Wine.
The vineyard was planted in 1971 and the Pinot Noir was selected from the oldest section of the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, located in the very cool Sta. Rita Hills - one of America's great Pinot vineyards.
After being carefully hand picked in the early morning hours, the grapes arrived at the winery nice and cold. Cool grapes allow time for a cold soak and slower fermentation. During the cold, prolonged soaking, the fruit-driven aromas and flavors are much more pronounced. The slower fermentation also aided in the gradual extraction of additional aromas and flavors as the alcohol content slowly increased. 50% of the fruit was fermented in whole bunches to further enhance the intensity and spice. The wine was further aged in new French oak Francois Frères barrels. and spent a total of 22 months in the barrel before being bottled unfiltered and having some additional bottle aging.
The background story
Planted in 1971, the fruit they use is selected from the oldest section of the prestigious Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, located in the very cool Sta. Rita Hills appellation. It is truly one of the best Pinot vineyards in America. Jim Clendenen noticed the "magic" of Sanford & Benedict early on. He purchased a few tons of grapes from Michael Benedict in the mid-80s, and Au Bon Climat has received grapes from the vineyard every year since then except one (when the vineyard was in transition in 1990). It's a relationship that spans more than 4 decades. Only Sanford Winery has such a "history" with this vineyard. The iconic, sustainably farmed vineyard was instrumental in raising awareness that Santa Barbara County produces world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. As a result, Sanford & Benedict Vineyard earned a spot in Au Bon Climat's Santa Barbara Historic Vineyards Collection series.
FACT: In the 'Attachments' tab you will find the official fact sheet of this beautiful wine. We will automatically send it to you 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 | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | USA |
| Region | Californie |
| Appellation | Central Coast |
| Winery | Au Bon Climat |
| Grape | Pinot Noir |
| Biological certified | No |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| 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 | 94 |
| Vinous rating | 93 |
| Tasting Profiles | Complex, Droog, Fruitig, Houtgerijpt, Mineraal, Rood fruit, Soepel, Tannines, Vol |
| Drink moments | Indruk maken, Lekker luxe, Open haard |
Professional Reviews
Parker
The Wine Advocate
RP 94
Reviewed by:
Erin Brooks
Release Price:
NA
Drink Date:
2021 - 2028
Pale ruby-garnet, the 2019 Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard has singular aromas of wild strawberries and blackberries with nuances of allspice, dried flowers, citrus peel and autumn leaves. The palate is light-bodied and fresh with an alluring flourish of spices, delicate, transparent fruits and a long, graphite-laced finish.
Published: Mar 15, 2022
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Vinous
93
Drinking Window
2024 - 2032
From: Brilliance in Santa Barbara (Sep, 2023)
The 2020 Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Santa Barbara Historic Vineyards Collection is a powerful, expressive wine. Dark fruit, lavender, cloves, leather and incense fill out the layers. Dynamic and full of energy, the 2020 has a ton to offer. I would give it a few years to settle down. Readers will find a Pinot of real substance. This bottling is intended to be the best lots from Sanford & Benedict done with a high percentage of stems, about 50% in this vintage.
- By Antonio Galloni on July 2023
Au Bon Climat remains a reference point for Santa Barbara, perhaps THE reference point given the global reach these wines now enjoy. I have not seen too many changes here since Jim Clendenen passed away in early 2021, although most of these wines were made while he was still alive. The signatures are a fair amount of new oak for the Chardonnays, but often with a prominent use of large and thick-staved 350L barrels, and heavy use of whole clusters for the Pinots. The top selections often see extended time in wood. Of course, it all starts with sourcing at some of the very finest vineyards in Santa Barbara. Jim Clendenen influenced pretty much all of today’s younger generation, and that influence remains. Readers will find a number of compelling wines in this year’s crop of new releases.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
94
Wine and Spirits Magazine
Score: 94 "Au Bon Climat’s Sanford & Benedict bottling is the yardstick against which all other bottlings from the vineyard must be measured. Right from the first inhale the provenance is there, the scent of the sea, the cool, lovely tension between cranberry-strawberry-red fruits and a deeper black-cherry core. The flavors go bright and dark as well, with the grainy forthrightness in the texture betraying a sneaky depth and grip in the tannins. Lovely now, this will only grow more profound with some cellar time." —P.J.C. (240 cases)
Antonio Galloni's Vinous
Score: 90 "The 2017 Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard needs a bit of air for the fruit and inner sweetness to emerge. Sweet dried cherry, crushed flowers, spice and licorice are nicely lifted. In tasting, the 2017 feels a bit light and fragile. For that reason, I would prefer to drink it over the next handful of years."
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!
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.
Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard is one of the great Pinot vineyards of the world. The wine has a nose of fragrant red and black cherries, star anise and earth. The palate is silky and expansive with nuanced, spicy berry notes boosted by fine acidity, with a long finish. Scored 95+ points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate; 94 points Wine & Spirits Magazine; 92 points Wine Lover; 90 points Wine.
The vineyard was planted in 1971 and the Pinot Noir was selected from the oldest section of the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, located in the very cool Sta. Rita Hills - one of America's great Pinot vineyards.
After being carefully hand picked in the early morning hours, the grapes arrived at the winery nice and cold. Cool grapes allow time for a cold soak and slower fermentation. During the cold, prolonged soaking, the fruit-driven aromas and flavors are much more pronounced. The slower fermentation also aided in the gradual extraction of additional aromas and flavors as the alcohol content slowly increased. 50% of the fruit was fermented in whole bunches to further enhance the intensity and spice. The wine was further aged in new French oak Francois Frères barrels. and spent a total of 22 months in the barrel before being bottled unfiltered and having some additional bottle aging.
The background story
Planted in 1971, the fruit they use is selected from the oldest section of the prestigious Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, located in the very cool Sta. Rita Hills appellation. It is truly one of the best Pinot vineyards in America. Jim Clendenen noticed the "magic" of Sanford & Benedict early on. He purchased a few tons of grapes from Michael Benedict in the mid-80s, and Au Bon Climat has received grapes from the vineyard every year since then except one (when the vineyard was in transition in 1990). It's a relationship that spans more than 4 decades. Only Sanford Winery has such a "history" with this vineyard. The iconic, sustainably farmed vineyard was instrumental in raising awareness that Santa Barbara County produces world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. As a result, Sanford & Benedict Vineyard earned a spot in Au Bon Climat's Santa Barbara Historic Vineyards Collection series.
FACT: In the 'Attachments' tab you will find the official fact sheet of this beautiful wine. We will automatically send it to you 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 | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | USA |
| Region | Californie |
| Appellation | Central Coast |
| Winery | Au Bon Climat |
| Grape | Pinot Noir |
| Biological certified | No |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| 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 | 94 |
| Vinous rating | 93 |
| Tasting Profiles | Complex, Droog, Fruitig, Houtgerijpt, Mineraal, Rood fruit, Soepel, Tannines, Vol |
| Drink moments | Indruk maken, Lekker luxe, Open haard |
Parker
The Wine Advocate
RP 94
Reviewed by:
Erin Brooks
Release Price:
NA
Drink Date:
2021 - 2028
Pale ruby-garnet, the 2019 Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard has singular aromas of wild strawberries and blackberries with nuances of allspice, dried flowers, citrus peel and autumn leaves. The palate is light-bodied and fresh with an alluring flourish of spices, delicate, transparent fruits and a long, graphite-laced finish.
Published: Mar 15, 2022
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Vinous
93
Drinking Window
2024 - 2032
From: Brilliance in Santa Barbara (Sep, 2023)
The 2020 Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Santa Barbara Historic Vineyards Collection is a powerful, expressive wine. Dark fruit, lavender, cloves, leather and incense fill out the layers. Dynamic and full of energy, the 2020 has a ton to offer. I would give it a few years to settle down. Readers will find a Pinot of real substance. This bottling is intended to be the best lots from Sanford & Benedict done with a high percentage of stems, about 50% in this vintage.
- By Antonio Galloni on July 2023
Au Bon Climat remains a reference point for Santa Barbara, perhaps THE reference point given the global reach these wines now enjoy. I have not seen too many changes here since Jim Clendenen passed away in early 2021, although most of these wines were made while he was still alive. The signatures are a fair amount of new oak for the Chardonnays, but often with a prominent use of large and thick-staved 350L barrels, and heavy use of whole clusters for the Pinots. The top selections often see extended time in wood. Of course, it all starts with sourcing at some of the very finest vineyards in Santa Barbara. Jim Clendenen influenced pretty much all of today’s younger generation, and that influence remains. Readers will find a number of compelling wines in this year’s crop of new releases.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
94
Wine and Spirits Magazine
Score: 94 "Au Bon Climat’s Sanford & Benedict bottling is the yardstick against which all other bottlings from the vineyard must be measured. Right from the first inhale the provenance is there, the scent of the sea, the cool, lovely tension between cranberry-strawberry-red fruits and a deeper black-cherry core. The flavors go bright and dark as well, with the grainy forthrightness in the texture betraying a sneaky depth and grip in the tannins. Lovely now, this will only grow more profound with some cellar time." —P.J.C. (240 cases)
Antonio Galloni's Vinous
Score: 90 "The 2017 Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard needs a bit of air for the fruit and inner sweetness to emerge. Sweet dried cherry, crushed flowers, spice and licorice are nicely lifted. In tasting, the 2017 feels a bit light and fragile. For that reason, I would prefer to drink it over the next handful of years."
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!