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. — 3 days ago

David Dorn

8.9

Nice chinon- classic expression and beautiful with food — 5 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Leftovers from our 2nd Annual, “Bierock Bonaza: Let’s have some funza with Runza”.

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of three hours. The 2015 pours a deep ruby with a slightly purple tinge and a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of lightly stewed, spiced strawberry, ripe fig, and cherry lozenges, red flowers, green herbs, with a touch of leather, and a mix of organic and inorganic rocky earth. Just the faintest hint of mouse. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. The alcohol is also medium+. Delicious. Drink now through 2030.
— 6 months ago

Ted

9.2

Nectarines that need to ripen. I liked this. Very different. — 9 months ago

with Jeni

Jenks

9.0

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

Michael Chelus

9.0

Apple, lemon candy, dried apricot, oak and hints of peach. Great acidity and balance. — 3 years ago

Michael Bontà

9.5

Clear pale salmon. Medium + intensity on the nose with strawberry, blood orange, geranium leaf, pink grapefruit, tomato leaf, white peach. On the palate dry, medium + acidity, medium + intensity medium body, long finish and medium alcohol with notes of grapefruit, red cherry, grass, white peach and something plastic that I can't quite identify but isn't undesirable. Outstanding wine and fun to drink on its own without food. Creamy and sophisticated — 2 months ago

Stephen Mathews

9.2

2016 vintage is my favorite so far — 5 months ago

Andy@andyberke.com

9.4

Absolutely delicious. Lots of minerality. Stiff bouquet but smooth with a wonderful finish — 6 months ago

Brian Hearty

9.1

2024. Young, fresh, and delicious Chablis. — 7 months ago

Tom Casagrande

8.9

Nose is a little reticent at first, giving shy whiffs of Granny Smith apples and crushed rock. Just the barest hint of Chablis “brothiness” as I like to call it. As it airs and warms, it’s a bit more forthcoming. In the mouth it’s on the lighter side, but certainly showing Chablis minerally character. Acids medium low. A nice aperitif Chablis but color me a bit disappointed, for now, given the producer. Will try to check back in after a few hours.

UPDATE: After several hours, showing noticeably more fruit and depth. — 7 months ago

John Jaye

9.2

Super drink. Soft tannins, lots of fruit and a great aroma — 2 years ago

Gene Harlow

9.5

2019 blend and it is outstanding. This is a fun find and seriously good! Dark fruits with a great balance of oak. Elyse has really done well with this deep balanced red blend. — 3 years ago

Amy

9.0

master the world — loved!! — 3 months ago

S&M

9.2

6/5/26 home cooked dinner with my love. Melon, black currant, plum. Did not taste licorice hiding in there. Was wonderful. Definitely buy again. . — 3 months ago

Bill

9.5

From Perry Guy collection. Outstanding! — 5 months ago

Ted

9.4

Beauty. Red licorice and ripe plums. The bottle disappeared very quickly. 😆 — 6 months ago

with Jeni

S.S. Mandani

9.1

Perfumed red fruits.

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

David Walusis

9.4

2014 on Thanksgiving 2025… what a special bottle which opened up nicely in the glass. — 10 months ago

Eric I

9.2

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