2019 Au Bon Climat Chardonnay Santa Barbara County

Winery Notes

Another in the long line of high quality, hand crafted, Santa Barbara County Chardonnays from Au Bon Climat. Santa Barbara County has the climate and terrior to allow Au Bon Climat to consistently make balanced and lively wines. This wine keeps on evolving, from delicious and fresh at release to a richer more complex wine with age. At the winery, we routinely drink the Santa Barbara County Chardonnays from the 1990s with special visitors to their delight. These 20 year old wines compliment many foods.

Our 35th release has an identity of its own. We have used the same vineyards for a number of years. The blend is from four well-farmed vineyards: Bien Nacido, Sierra Madre, Los Alamos and Rancho Vinedo. The average age of these Chardonnay plantings is more than 25 years, which is old compared to most vineyards in our area.

All the Chardonnay is carefully handpicked and sorted in the vineyard. After harvesting, the grapes are whole cluster pressed, and juice is quickly settled and chilled to begin barrel fermentation. The wine is dry and completed malo-lactic fermentation. We blended and processed the wine during the following summer.

Au Bon Climat has been making balanced, food friendly Chardonnays since 1982. Even in the early 2000s when ripe, oaky Chardonnays were all the rage, Au Bon Climat stuck to a more subtle and refined style, with minerality and intensity. The 2019 Santa Barbara County Chardonnay is a beautiful example of the Au Bon Climat style. The flinty, stony aromas stand out while in the background is a hard spice note from surlee barrel aging. There are notes of lemon-lime and soft vanilla. With the first taste it is irresistible. This is one of those wines that invites the consumer to have another glass. At this young age, this wine would be perfect with shellfish or poultry. It will improve for at least 10 years and as it evolves

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