2021 Au Bon Climat Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard
| Type of Wine | White |
|---|---|
| Country | USA |
| Region | |
| Appellation | |
| Winery | |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Grape | |
| Content (Alc) | 0.75 ltr (13.5%) |
| Drink window | 2024 - 2034 |
In stock
26 items available
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
This is a Chardonnay with an intelligent and perfectly dosed wood aging. The winemaker Jim Clendenen is a wonderful and very sensitive winemaker who is especially world famous for his work on terroir identification in California, for the planting of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The man did groundbreaking historical research on Burgundy from the 'pre-Chardonnay' era, when white Burgundies were made from Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Aligoté. His wines are an ode to minerals, have an exceptional depth and are of an absolute world class.
The first “big” vineyard in Santa Barbara County was planted in 1971 by Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict in the cool Sta. Rita Hills AVA. The Burgundian varietals had found a home in Santa Barbara County. Jim Clendenen noticed the “magic” of Sanford & Benedict early on. He purchased a few tons of grapes in the mid 80’s and Au Bon Climat has received grapes from this vineyard every year since then; a relationship that has spanned more than 4 decades. Only Sanford Winery has that kind of “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.
The Chardonnay was harvested by hand, whole bunch pressed and barreled. We fermented in 75% new François Frères French oak barrels, as they do with the "reserve quality" wines. The wine completed alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in the barrel and remained sur lie until the following August. After racking and a light clarification, the wine was returned to the barrel. Total barrel age was 20 months.
In the glass, the Historic Vineyard Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard has a beautiful light sparkling straw yellow color. Aromas of citrus, brioche, cinnamon come on the nose and follow on the palate with some oaky notes of walnut and maple. The minerality of rock that the vineyard is known for is found throughout the wine. It has bright acidity and a clean, lively, pure style that gains richness and depth with a year or two of bottle aging and can be kept for a decade or more. This wine gets high ratings every year and supply is unfortunately extremely limited.
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 | 2021 |
| 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
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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
This is a Chardonnay with an intelligent and perfectly dosed wood aging. The winemaker Jim Clendenen is a wonderful and very sensitive winemaker who is especially world famous for his work on terroir identification in California, for the planting of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The man did groundbreaking historical research on Burgundy from the 'pre-Chardonnay' era, when white Burgundies were made from Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Aligoté. His wines are an ode to minerals, have an exceptional depth and are of an absolute world class.
The first “big” vineyard in Santa Barbara County was planted in 1971 by Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict in the cool Sta. Rita Hills AVA. The Burgundian varietals had found a home in Santa Barbara County. Jim Clendenen noticed the “magic” of Sanford & Benedict early on. He purchased a few tons of grapes in the mid 80’s and Au Bon Climat has received grapes from this vineyard every year since then; a relationship that has spanned more than 4 decades. Only Sanford Winery has that kind of “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.
The Chardonnay was harvested by hand, whole bunch pressed and barreled. We fermented in 75% new François Frères French oak barrels, as they do with the "reserve quality" wines. The wine completed alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in the barrel and remained sur lie until the following August. After racking and a light clarification, the wine was returned to the barrel. Total barrel age was 20 months.
In the glass, the Historic Vineyard Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard has a beautiful light sparkling straw yellow color. Aromas of citrus, brioche, cinnamon come on the nose and follow on the palate with some oaky notes of walnut and maple. The minerality of rock that the vineyard is known for is found throughout the wine. It has bright acidity and a clean, lively, pure style that gains richness and depth with a year or two of bottle aging and can be kept for a decade or more. This wine gets high ratings every year and supply is unfortunately extremely limited.
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 | 2021 |
| 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!