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. — 8 days ago

Peter van Dijk

9.4

@delectable, this is the boghis climat — 4 months ago

S.S. Mandani

9.1

Perfumed red fruits.

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

Hawk Bear

9.0

Smooth and not too oaked. Got in wine club shipment — 4 years ago

Justin Lintz

9.2

Good everyday — 5 years ago

Timothy

9.2

Dificil a ciegas decir que es un pinot origin, Macerado con la cáscara, el color es casi un rosé. Muy bueno — a month 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

S.S. Mandani

9.1

Peppers, cherries, black pepper, star anise.

Tart cherry, light peppercorn, nice front palate tannins. A bit of earth. — 6 months ago

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. — 4 years ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.2

Straw gold color. Blend of Malvasia (45%), Rhein Riesling (40%) and Friulano (15%). Intensely floral on the nose with a hints of apricot, honey and a touch of petrol. Green apple, pear and minerals fill the pallet. Spicy and citrusy finish. Clean and rich. Intense acidity. Outstanding food wine. — 4 years ago

Michael Wilson

8.9

For @Scott Gregory — 6 years ago

Jay Kline

9.6

See my previous notes from last year. By all accounts, this bottle is an analog of the previous bottles I have enjoyed of the 2021 “Vie Erte”. This time, I was able to track the wine over three days and it never lost power. The fruit and structure are in harmonious balance. I am so excited to try this vintage when it begins to show some secondary characteristics…but I’m fully expecting to see exercise some serious patience. These wines will love for a very long time. — 2 months ago

Amy

9.0

master the world — loved!! — 3 months ago

Ana Bumgardner

9.0

2024 vintage on 3/15/26 at Sanaa (Indian food). Very good chard. — 6 months ago

Eric I

9.2

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

Ola Lenin

9.3

Schoolbook pinot with warm strawberry and sloeberry fruit. Cranberries on the finish. Some oak and spices on the finish. Simply very enjoyable! — 4 years ago

Michael Chelus

9.2

Cherry, cranberry, rhubarb, blackberry, mossy earth and oak. Light-bodied and moderate tannins. — 5 years ago

Meri Crowther

9.1

Great fresh drinking white. Amazing price performer. — 6 years ago

with Matthew