S.S. Mandani

9.1

Peppers, cherries, black pepper, star anise.

Tart cherry, light peppercorn, nice front palate tannins. A bit of earth. — 3 months ago

Jake Hajer

9.1

A big Pinot. The bottle is laughably huge and heavy. Needs time to open up. Still can age another 10. — 9 months ago

Roger Cabrera

9.0

Golden straw in the glass. The wine is youthful with aromas of ripe red apple, fresh sage, and sunflowers. Medium body with a semi-lucious lanolin quality, medium acidity. Lingering finish. Unfaulted wine of superior quality. — 3 years ago

Daniel Bloom

9.1

N: Lemons, ginger, banana peel, very fresh, like a just passed thunderstorms sun. You can smell the oak, but it’s like a ghost in the background.
P:Lemon custard, ever so light, creamy,tart, long finish, slight wood. He was really talented.
R.I.P. Jim Clendenen
If served this “ blind”, very few would peg it as a Cali Chard. A stylistic response to criticism of previous, over the top Chards.
With time and air, some flinty mineral goodness appears along with the sensation of citrus pith. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Partnership w/Jim Clendenen at Au Bon Climat. Barbara Barham & Richard Mendelsohn planted 5 acres of Pinot on Lala Panzi Ranch in the RRV. They had similar visions on Pinot’s & thus led to this partnership. Aged in predominately new Allier & Vosges wood. Aromas of berry fruits with dusty earthy nose. On the palate, berry flavors come forth with hints of tea & spice. Medium+ length, fine tannins, ending with earthy mushroom character, it was good, lost its luster, at its prime now! — 6 years ago

Eric Urbani

9.0

Took a long time to open up but then, v nice — 7 years ago

Eric Urbani

9.1

Super interesting- love it. Will pair well with food — 8 years ago

Austin Hohnke

9.2

Agree with Ashley Lanie. So much complexity here for $24 on the shelf. Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah, and Cabernet. Leather, tobacco leaf, and baking chocolate all wound up in a robe of juicy cherries and red berries. Nose is super mature. Sangiovese explains the acidity. Wine is drinking great! — 4 months ago

Ming L

9.4

My first Clendenen Family Vineyards bottling.

It opens with apricot, baked apple, pear, and jasmine, unfolding into light vanilla, lemon curd, grapefruit zest, and just the slightest hint of Sherry. On the palate it’s warm and plush with lively acidity. Compared to ABC typically more mineral-edged style, this bottling feels more opulent, with greater emphasis on texture, offering a fuller expression while still carrying Jim Clendenen’s hallmark balance.

What a treat! — 9 months ago

Andrew Lohse

9.0

Fat and peachy — 4 years ago

Daniel P. Drake

8.9

Last night I opened the 2017 Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County, California. It has been a little bit since I have had an Au Bon Climat from Jim Clendenen. Jim's work is always spot on and well worth what you pay.

On the nose there is cranberry, strawberry, cherry, anise, clove, spice and a nice earthiness.

On the palate there is cranberry, strawberry, cherry, caramel, herbal notes, red currant, light oak and that nice earthiness.

This wine is light to medium bodied with medium to medium + acidity and medium fine tannins that lead into a medium to medium long fresh fruit finish. Continued health to everyone. Please be safe and continue social distancing. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 6 years ago

David L

9.4

Au Bon Climat 2014 Isabelle Pinot Noir
This is best-barrel bottling by Jim Clendenen, named after his daughter.
Medium body. Ripe cherry, very ripe raspberry, black licorice, sweet spices. Mouth-cleansing acidity. Drinking for another 5 + years. Drinking like it’s a premier league PN😉 — 6 years ago

Narun P

9.0

100% Chardonnay

Medium straw color. Fresh, clear, and transparent.

Sophisticated bouquet showing more restrained fruit profile backed up by clear stone-y/minerally characters.

Structurally, this wine is not as robust as the Los Alamos bottling tasted alongside of it. Med to med low acidity, med body (13.5 abv), dry. Reserved fruit profile of Asian pear and yellow apple. A hint of oak spices such as thyme and cilantro. Pronounced mineral, almost saline notes.

This bottling is rather flat when compared with the Los Alamos. Jim Clendenen said he intentionally made this in a "non-fruit" style that he prefers. Need at least 7 years before this is ready for business. 90+. — 9 years ago

Jenks

9.1

Bien Nacido PV from Au Bon Climate. — 7 months ago

Max Gottesfeld, FWS, CSW

9.1

Uber ripe cherries verging on turning with full up front flavor and a crisp finish with garrigue for sure and as it opened. — 10 months ago

Roger Cabrera

9.0

Excellent freshness and complexity. Med+ acidity, med body, and wonderful tones of Bosc pear, white peaches, and the most subtle nuttiness. Confirmed on the palate. Clean finish with a corsage of white flowers. Drink now or hold for another three years. — 3 years ago

Nathan Kinney

9.4

Big fan, eat with anything off the grill — 6 years ago

Eric Urbani

9.0

Fab new offering from Jim Clenenden. Almost clear in the glass belies fine acid and balance. 2018 vintage. — 6 years ago

Eric Urbani

9.3

This 2015 is just gorgeous — 7 years ago

Rob

9.0

Jim Clendenen & Emeril Lagasse dinner through the Triangle Wine Experience — 8 years ago