Au Bon Climat Nuits-Blanches au Bouge Chardonnay 2013
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Wong
Wilfred -
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Robert
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Why buy Burgundy at this price? The 2013 Au Bon Climate Nuits-Blanches au Bouge delivers Chardonnay flavors that rival the world's best efforts. The wine's ripe apples, whispers of flowers, and enticing oak nuances are simply beautiful. Serve with fully ripened Epoisses cheese. (Tasted: May 24, 2017, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Enthusiast
Candied lemon peel, Asian pear and marzipan hints show on the slightly oxidative nose of this bottling from Jim Clendenen. Ripe apple and pear flavors mark the palate, along with a warm toast component, but a Meyer lemon tang and bitter orange accents cut the richness.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Another terrific wine is the 2013 Chardonnay Nuits-Blanches Au Bouge On That Road Again, which comes from the Le Bon Climate and Bien Nacido Vineyards. Like the Sanford & Benedict release, it was completely barrel-fermented and spent 18 months in new French oak. Notes of buttered apples, brioche, rising bread and white flowers all emerge from this medium-bodied, rich, textured, yet always fresh and lively effort that has tons of charm today. There’s real texture and depth, and it too will keep for a decade.
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In 1982, Jim Clendenen decided, along with Adam Tolmach, to start a winery dedicated to Burgundian varietals in leased quarters. Adam left in 1990 to pursue his own efforts leaving Jim solo at the helm. Through careful re-investment from its own production, Au Bon Climat (which means "a well exposed vineyard") has grown to over 50,000 cases annually.
Au Bon Climat sources fruit from several of the most highly regarded vineyards in the Central Coast. These include Clendenen’s own Le Bon Climat Vineyard and estate plantings at the legendary Bien Nacido Vineyard – both in Santa Maria Valley, along with Sanford & Benedict Vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills, Los Alamos Vineyard (Santa Barbara County), and San Luis Obispo County's Talley Vineyard.
The winery has cultivated an international reputation for its Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. Jim Clendenen, the “Mind Behind” Au Bon Climat, is recognized worldwide for his classically styled wines. In addition to his Burgundian-focused Au Bon Climat wines, Jim also established another brand, Clendenen Family Vineyards. This project of passion allows him to make artisan, small lots of distinctive wines from a wider spectrum of varieties in styles conducive to small lots. He has received high acclaim for Italian varietals particularly his Nebbiolo that has a five year aging regimen in barrel.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
A lesser-known but elite AVA within the larger Santa Barbara district, the Santa Maria Valley AVA runs precisely west to east starting near the coast. The valley funnels cool, Pacific Ocean air to the vineyards more inland, allowing grapes a longer hang time to ripen evenly and achieve their full potential by harvest time. Combined with minimal rainfall, consistent warm sunshine, and well-drained soils, it is an ideal environment for grape growing.
Many of the wineries here are small and highly respected, having established a reputation in the 1970s and 80s for producing excellent Central Coast wines like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. More recently, Syrah has also proven quite successful in the region. Many vineyards are owned by growers who sell their grapes to other wineries, so it is common to see the same vineyard name on bottlings from different wineries. Bien Nacido Vineyard is perhaps the best-known and most prestigious.