Au Bon Climat

Impassioned by a formative trip to Burgundy in the 1970s, this then-student of Law decided to eschew his studies and later establish his own winery dedicated to the production of Burgundian varieties on California’s Central Coast.

With the help of his business partner Adam Tolmach, the pair established Au Bon Climat in an old dairy in the cool Santa Maria Valley.

Since then, ‘ABC’ has been dedicated to the production of site-specific, cool climate renditions of Californian Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (among others), combining American vision and ebullience with European restraint and sensibility.

In the Vineyard

‘Au Bon Climat’ accurately conveys the favourable coastal position of their vineyards, with their position on the Central Coast and transverse valleys meaning that the vines benefit from Pacific fog and cooling breezes from the coast to the west, moderating ripeness and extending the growing season. If this tempered situation wasn’t enough, ABC also utilise low-yielding Burgundian clones in the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay plantings, resulting in some of the most elegant and yet flavoursome examples of the styles in the so-called ‘New World’. 

Au Bon Climat sources grapes from a royal roster of Central Coast vineyards, including:

- Bien Nacido: A legendary vineyard first planted in 1973, ideally located on an elevated bench in the Santa Maria Valley AVA where perfect aspect is combined with a Pacific influence, resulting in perfectly ripe fruit with excellent acidity.

- Sanford & Benedict: The first ‘great’ vineyard in Santa Barbara County, planted by Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict in 1971. Located on the western end of the transverse Santa Ynez Valley, it benefits from the cooling maritime breezes and well-drained clay, loam, fractured shale, and chert (rocky) soils, resulting in intensely flavoured Pinot Noir and Chardonnay fruit.

- As well as Rancho La Cuna and Los Alamos (Santa Barbara County), Runway and Solomon Hills (Santa Maria Valley) and Talley (Arroyo Granda Valley).