Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir

Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir is a Burgundian-styled California Pinot Noir at 13.5% ABV in a standard 750ml bottle. Awarded 93 points and a Best Buy designation from Wine & Spirits Magazine, this bottling draws fruit from the celebrated Bien Nacido and Clendenen Family vineyards, two of Santa Barbara County's most respected sites for cool-climate Pinot Noir.

Quick Facts: ABV: 13.5%  |  Origin: Santa Barbara County, California  |  Style: Cool-Climate Pinot Noir  |  Winery: Au Bon Climat

Production & Heritage

Au Bon Climat was founded in 1982 by the late Jim Clendenen, a winemaker who spent decades championing restrained, food-friendly wines at a time when California largely favored riper, higher-alcohol styles. The Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir is fermented in barrel, whole-cluster pressed, and aged for approximately 12 months in François Frères French oak — roughly 10% new — allowing the fruit character to lead rather than the wood. Grapes are hand-picked at moderate sugar levels to preserve acidity and keep the finished wine at a lean 13.5% ABV, a deliberate choice that encourages complexity over sheer power and gives the wine genuine aging potential.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with spiced cranberry and strawberry before unfolding into hibiscus, anise, and a subtle earthiness. There is a lightly floral, almost tea-like quality beneath the red fruit that adds real nuance.

Taste: On the palate, bright pomegranate and raspberry greet you on entry, transitioning to riper plum and dark cherry through the mid-palate. Baking spice, clove, and a thread of red licorice emerge as the wine opens, supported by fresh acidity and ripe, fine-grained tannins. The balance between fruit and structure is the hallmark here — juicy but never heavy.

Finish: The finish is long and detailed, with lingering notes of black tea, loam, and a trace of mocha from the François Frères oak. A cooling anise quality persists, keeping the palate fresh and inviting the next sip.

How to Drink Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir

This wine is built for the table. Serve it slightly below room temperature — around 58–62°F — to let the aromatics lift without sacrificing mid-palate weight. A classic Coq au Vin showcases the wine's earthy spice alongside braised poultry. In a Pinot Noir Sangria with fresh berries and star anise, the cranberry and clove notes hold up beautifully against added fruit. For a lighter approach, try it alongside a Burgundy-style cheese board with Époisses and walnuts, where the wine's acidity and structure cut through richness without overpowering delicate flavors.

Best For

• Weeknight dinners where a serious wine at a reasonable price point makes the meal feel special
• Gifting a Burgundy lover who appreciates California's cooler-climate expressions
• Building a cellar with age-worthy Pinot Noir that rewards patience over several years
• Blind tastings comparing Old World and New World Pinot Noir styles

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir taste like? It delivers bright cranberry, raspberry, and dark cherry fruit layered with anise, baking spice, and black tea, all framed by fresh acidity and fine tannins. The overall impression is elegant and Burgundian rather than fruit-forward and heavy.

How does Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir compare to Moillard Le Duché Bourgogne Pinot Noir? Both wines sell at similar price points in the upper-$20 range and share a restrained, Burgundian sensibility with moderate alcohol and bright acidity. The Au Bon Climat tends to show slightly more ripe red and dark fruit intensity from its Santa Barbara County origins, while the Moillard leans on leaner, more mineral-driven Old World character.

Is Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir good for sipping neat? Absolutely — at 13.5% ABV with balanced acidity and layered aromatics, it rewards slow, contemplative drinking on its own, though it truly shines alongside food.

Where is Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir made? Au Bon Climat is located in Santa Barbara County, California, and the winery sources fruit for this bottling from Bien Nacido Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley and the Clendenen Family Vineyard — both cool-climate sites influenced by transverse mountain ranges that funnel Pacific Ocean fog and wind inland.

What foods pair well with Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir? Roast duck or duck confit, where the wine's acidity cuts through the richness of the skin. Grilled salmon with herbed butter, complementing the cranberry and spice notes. Wild mushroom risotto, matching the earthy, loamy undertones. Aged Gruyère or Comté, whose nutty sweetness pairs with the wine's fine tannins. Charcuterie with cured meats like saucisson sec, where the wine's fruit and acidity cleanse the palate between bites.

What sizes does Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle, which is the most widely available format.

Is Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir worth the price? Positioned in the entry-level to mid-range tier for quality Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir, it consistently over-delivers — the Best Buy designation from Wine & Spirits Magazine reflects genuine critical recognition that this wine punches well above its price class.

Why Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir?

What separates this bottling from the crowded field of California Pinot Noir is discipline. The 12-month aging program in François Frères oak at only 10% new barrels keeps varietal character and vineyard expression at the center of the glass, a philosophy Jim Clendenen championed for nearly four decades. Sourcing from Bien Nacido — widely regarded as one of California's grand cru–caliber vineyards — gives the wine a structural backbone that many peers at this price simply lack. With 93 points from Wine & Spirits Magazine and 92 points from Robert Parker, this is one of the most reliably acclaimed values in American Pinot Noir, a benchmark for what cool-climate California can achieve when the winemaking respects the grape rather than trying to reinvent it.