Au Bon Climat Chardonnay Los Alamos 2022

Part of the "Santa Barbara Historic Vineyards Collection," this chardonnay is remarked by purity. From the windswept slopes of the Los Alamos Valley, this wine offers a refreshing aroma of wet limestone and delicate flavors of white peach, creamsicle and key lime. Aged in French oak barrels for 16 months, it boasts a rounded structure, lingering tropical tones, mineral notes and elegant balance.

The Los Alamos Vineyard is roughly 500 planted acres, most of which is on flat bottomland of the Los Alamos Valley that is sandwiched between the warmer Santa Ynez Valley and cooler Santa Maria Valley appellations. The best grapes from this vineyard are found to the north on the gentle slopes of the hills. Au Bon Climat sourced grapes grown at the top of the wind-swept slopes of the Solomon Hills. On this hilltop the wind and shallower soils keep the yields low and the grapes struggle to ripen. Even though it is a struggle, the small crop ripens early. The fruit is hand harvested, whole cluster pressed and put to barrel. It was aged 16 months on the lees in 33% new François Frères French oak barrels. 

Au Bon Climat and Los Alamos Vineyard share a lot of history. The first Au Bon Climat winery was a small barn on the Los Alamos Vineyard property. That was in 1982. Since then Los Alamos Vineyard has changed hands a few times and Au Bon Climat moved from that property in 1989. Most of the owners of Los Alamos have been interested in farming cheaply and setting and ripening a lot of grapes. This sort of viticulture was of no interest to Au Bon Climat. In 2004, the farming of this vineyard was “handed over” to Tavo Acosta. Tavo is one of the new generation of viticulturists in the Santa Maria area. This group of grape growers are motivated to grow the best grapes to make the best wine, and they drink wine, too. This newer farming is more hands-on and expensive than the earlier methods, but the quality difference is huge. The improvements at Los Alamos vineyard are ongoing and this vineyard continues to be a large part of the Au Bon Climat portfolio.