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2011 Au Bon Climat Isabelle Pinot Noir, 1.5ltr

Removed from a professional wine storage facility; Purchased at retail

Ends Sunday, 7pm Pacific

RATINGS

94Wine Enthusiast

Ripe cherry aromas swirl into graphite minerality, sweet wood and sagebrush scents... The density on the palate is just about perfect, as is the tannic tension and mouth-cleansing acidity, with rich flavors of chemise, very ripe raspberry and elderberry juice proving quite sultry and addictive.

93Vinous / IWC

Black raspberry, spicecake and potpourri scents are sharpened by notes of white pepper and zesty minerals. Taut and focused on entry, then fleshier and broader in the mid-palate, offering bitter cherry, red berry and rose pastille flavors lifted by juicy acidity. The floral quality carries strongly through the clinging finish, which features dusty tannins and an intense mineral quality.

91The Wine Advocate

...plenty of forest floor, underbrush and spice intermixed with sweet red fruits and floral notes, this beauty is medium-bodied, nicely balanced and has fine tannin framing the finish nicely.

16.5+ Jancis Robinson

...real concentration without heaviness... Real nerve and edginess. Complex.

PRODUCER

Au Bon Climat

Au Bon Climat was founded in 1982 by winemaker Jim Clendenen. The name means “well-exposed vineyard” and the winery is on the legendary Bien Nacido Vineyard in Santa Barbara County. Clendenen developed a taste for wine and winemaking during a college year abroad in the 1970s. He worked at wineries in California, France and Australia before starting Au Bon Climat with his former business partner Adam Toimach. The winery owns 100 acres and also sources grapes from other Central Coast vineyards. Clendenen is widely admired for his Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, though he has also branched into Italian style blends.

REGION

United States, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

Santa Barbara County is not an AVA, but a region just south of San Luis Obispo that includes the Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Valley appellations. Wine has been produced in the area since the 18th century when Spanish missionaries planted vineyards. It wasn’t until the 1990s, however, that producers focused on growing premier grapes for fine wines. During the 1990s more than 10,000 acres of vineyards were planted, and today there are nearly 20,000 acres of vineyards. The region received a big bump in recognition and prestige when the popular film “Sideways” was shot there in 2004. Because the region is affected by maritime weather, it is relatively cool climate makes it ideal for Chardonnay. Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and an increasingly adventuresome number of varietals are also grown successfully in Santa Barbara County.

TYPE

Red Wine, Pinot Noir

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.

VINTAGE

2011 Au Bon Climat Isabelle Pinot Noir