Au Bon Climat Nuits-Blanches au Bouge Chardonnay 2014
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Au Bon Climat started making “Nuits-Blanches” in 1996. Jim Clendenen decided to “show off” the exceptional grape quality at Bien Nacido Vineyard. The winery picked later, sorted more, and kept the wine in barrel longer than any other Chardonnay. The Nuits-Blanches style is richer and oakier than other Au Bon Climat Chardonnays. The “Nuits-Blanches” is traditionally 90% Bien Nacido Vineyard “K” Block, and 10% from the estate Le Bon Climat Vineyard.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
One only has to talk with Au Bon Climat's chief, cook, and bottlewasher Jim Clendenen to get a sense of how serious this winery is, and that he aims to go great lengths to produce the best wines possible. The 2024 Au Bon Climat Nuits-Blanches a bouge is a stunning Chardonnay. Intricate, expressive, and pure this wine explodes with a multi-dimensional rush onto the palate. Pair its ripe core fruit, bright minerality, savory spices, and oak accents with an aromatic fish stew, and you will see the beautiful nuances of this wine from the Santa Maria Valley. (Tasted: January 19, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Chardonnay Nuits Blanches Au Bouge gives a gregarious nose of guava, pink grapefruit and honeydew melon with touches of orange blossom and chalk dust. Medium-bodied, with a compelling grip to the texture, it has a lively backbone and long, tropical fruit-laced finish.
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Wine Spectator
Finely textured, featuring lilting white fruit flavors that are wrapped inside a silky spiciness. Airy midpalate, with notes of lemon cream. Finishes long and rich, showing a luscious mix of sea salt and hints of caramel, accented by some dried coconut details. Drink now through 2021
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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.