Synopsis, Our Opinion: An OUTSTANDING Chardonnay with old
world tastes that were beautifully tanned by the California sunshine.
Producer/Winery: Au Bon Climat; Santa Maria, California.
Grape Variety: Chardonnay.
Geographic Appellation, Region, Country: Santa Ynez Valley; Central Coast, California.
Vintage: 2016
Price: $48.00 (with a club discount)
Purchased From: Au Bon Climat tasting room; Santa Barbara, California.
Paired With: Seared tuna, baked potatoes and green peas.
Tasting:
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Chilled before drinking. Clear, wheat straw color. Whiffs of baked apple, lemon and just a touch of distant orange blossom floral aromas. Smooth, almost silky, but unusually fresh and lean, medium to full body and 100-grit texture. Flavors of rich lemon, tart apple and cooked juicy pears, but with oak and vanilla noticeably absent. Plenty of vibrant acidity from start to finish, glimmers of Burgundian-like tart fruit in a VERY fresh finish and a strong mineral aftertaste that was simply captivating. WOW, unusual California Chardonnay that was rich, delicious and memorable. Absolutely perfect paired with the seared tuna. We called it an OUTSTANDING Chardonnay with old world tastes that were beautifully tanned by the California sunshine.
Photo from Au Bon Climat
Comments: Learn more about Au Bon Climat wines.
See all our reviews of Au Bon Climat wines.
Alcohol Content: 13.5%
Closure: Aluminum covered 50mm natural cork. Note: The cork was hard, brittle and broke off three quarters of the way from the top. We were very lucky to extract it using a “Cork Pops” remover.
UPC Code: 8 57833 00333 5
Imported by: Not applicable.