Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Au Bon Climat — Chardonnay 2023
Santa Barbara County, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A classic Santa Barbara County Chardonnay from Au Bon Climat, reflecting the restrained, balanced style that made Jim Clendenen’s wines such benchmarks for the region. This is Chardonnay without unnecessary theatrics: cool-climate freshness, measured richness, and an easygoing personality that still carries plenty of character.

Aromas & Flavors
Fresh apple, pear, lemon, white peach, and citrus blossom, with subtle vanilla, mineral, and lightly toasted nuances adding complexity without dominating the fruit.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied, fresh, and beautifully balanced. The acidity provides just the right amount of tension, while a subtle creamy texture rounds the palate. Clean, composed, and remarkably easy to enjoy.

Food Pairings
Grilled fish, roasted chicken, shrimp, crab cakes, creamy pasta, or simply enjoyed on its own.

Verdict
A solid representation of what Santa Barbara Chardonnay does so well. It has freshness without austerity, texture without heaviness, and enough complexity to remain interesting while being completely approachable. A terrific casual Chardonnay.

Did You Know?
Au Bon Climat was founded by Jim Clendenen in 1982 and became one of the defining producers of cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in Santa Barbara County, favoring balance and restraint long before those qualities became fashionable in California.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is what I want a casual Santa Barbara Chardonnay to taste like. Affable, balanced, subtly textured, and carrying just enough tension to keep every sip fresh. Nothing overdone and nothing missing. It has officially earned a spot among my New World Chardonnay staples. — 11 days ago

Jenks

9.0

Back on track, this is tasty. — 2 years ago

Michael Chelus

9.0

Apple, lemon candy, dried apricot, oak and hints of peach. Great acidity and balance. — 4 years ago

Hawk Bear

9.0

Smooth and not too oaked. Got in wine club shipment — 4 years ago

Justin Lintz

9.2

Good everyday — 5 years ago

Bloody Amateur

9.0

Blasts out of the glass. Everything I love in a Gamay. Thank you Jay @ Hogstone for your curatorial eye. — 6 years ago

Amy

9.0

master the world — loved!! — 3 months ago

S.S. Mandani

9.1

Peppers, cherries, black pepper, star anise.

Tart cherry, light peppercorn, nice front palate tannins. A bit of earth. — 6 months ago

romo

9.1

Though Jim is gone, this wine lives on and got fun with air after 60 mins. Drink up. — 2 years ago

Eric I

9.2

Great wine to pair with an LSU loss — 3 years ago

Andrew Lohse

9.0

Fat and peachy — 4 years ago

Michael Chelus

9.2

Cherry, cranberry, rhubarb, blackberry, mossy earth and oak. Light-bodied and moderate tannins. — 5 years ago

Tom Balamaci

9.2

Fantastic example of the region and one of its top winemakers doing what they do to produce an exceptional, balanced Chardonnay — 5 years ago

Austin Hohnke

9.2

Only made for the U.K. market. Great wine with perfectly integrated oak. Can we please have this stateside?!? — 5 months ago

S.S. Mandani

9.1

Perfumed red fruits.

Cherry, zippy structure, earthen, licorice, fennel. — 7 months ago

Jenks

9.4

100% whole cluster. Bangin fruit. So good. Oregon ftw! — 2 years ago

Jenks

9.0

Apparently this translates to “up all night” or something heeeeeyyyyy — 2 years ago

Ola Lenin

9.3

Schoolbook pinot with warm strawberry and sloeberry fruit. Cranberries on the finish. Some oak and spices on the finish. Simply very enjoyable! — 4 years ago

Zack Hall

9.2

Really nice — 5 years ago

Meri Crowther

9.1

Great fresh drinking white. Amazing price performer. — 6 years ago

with Matthew