Isabelle - Pinot Noir - Santa Barbara 2015 - Au Bon Climat - - United States

The field:

Jim Clendenen of the good climate with Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon is one of the most charismatic characters in the California wine industry. A physical "Didier Dagueneau" and a passion for the pursuit of perfection. Jim is not owner of vineyards and purchases grapes primarily in the Santa Maria Valley area south of California where the vineyards of good taste and of Sandford and Benedict, a vineyard of 245 hectares close to the Pacific, and its cooling influence and its morning fogs. For many years, he used an old farm and the studios abandoned the CBS as chai. Since 1988 he has his own winery that looks more like a warehouse than a conventional chai. Anyway, Jim Clendenen wine are recognized by the industry as part of the elite. At Jim, not exuberant, heavy Chardonnay found sometimes in the Napa and Sonoma Valley well that Jim concedes that some "wineries" of the Napa now are Chardonnay in its own way. For him, Chardonnay should be planted in cooler than the Napa regions, which allows you to harvest with a potential of alcohol more baset a high acidity content. There are no sulfur and oxidation is considered to be beneficial. High temperatures of fermentation (26 ° C). Used French barriques are all exclusively from François Frères.
No withdrawals, no sulfur, a complete malolactic fermentation in barrel, an ageing on Lees for at least a year and often 18 months for the reserved wines, no filtration, this is the main characteristics of the vinification of whites of the good Climate.
The entry-level Chardonnay are generally superb right out, Reserves require a bit more time to soften and acquire wealth that perfectly balances the acidity. For the vinification of his Pinot, Jim shows the same disrespect for the technology and conventions. Maceration as long as possible with winding, punching and malolactic in barrel, collage and minimum racking and no filtration. Pinot black of the good climate are a subtle mix of sweet red fruits well centered around a structure firm but with finesse that is not unlike the Volnay. Jim Clendenen also produces white Pinot and the Aligoté wines of remarkable Italian varietals.