Clendenen Family has elected to stop bottling Chardonnay or Pinot Noirs

Jim Clendenen was best known for Au Bon Climat and its beautiful Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs.  But Jim’s devotion for fine wine could not be limited to just Burgundian Varietals, so in 2000 he began Clendenen Family Vineyards. A passion project that allowed him to craft high end, small quantity wines from estate grown fruit, and exceptional varietals outside of Burgundy. With each vintage came new wines and new experimentations to discover the versatility of Santa Barbara County.

Much of the fruit sourced for Clendenen Family was from estate vineyards: Bien Nacido, Le Bon Climat and Rancho La Cuna.  These three vineyards also supplied Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that would be produced under the Clendenen Family label.

As both brands have grown and expanded worldwide, there was confusion among our customers between the Chardonnay and Pinots and how they differed between Au Bon Climat and Clendenen Family.  The vast number of wines made under both labels means it’s nearly impossible for our distributor’s sales teams, our customers and even some of our staff to keep everything straight. To eliminate this confusion, Clendenen Family has elected to stop bottling Chardonnay or Pinot Noirs. The Clendenen Family Chardonnay has blossomed into our limited production Bien Nacido  “K Block” and you can now find Rancho La Cuna Pinot Noir under the Au Bon Climat label.

Even without Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Clendenen Family wines diversity offers something for everyone. The wines are true to their varietal characteristics, are beautifully balanced, and pay homage to the style and winemaking of their homelands. Have fun exploring.