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2020 Au Bon Climat, Isabelle, Pinot Noir, California, USA

  • Red
  • Dry
  • Full Bodied
  • Pinot Noir
Ready - youthful
Erin Brooks
92/100
Antonio Galloni
94/100
Jeb Dunnuck
94/100
Product: 20201224803
2020 Au Bon Climat, Isabelle, Pinot Noir, California, USA

Description

Isabelle Clendenen says of her eponymous wine that it is “the closest thing to a Henri Jayer-style Burgundy” they make. Her father, the wonderful Jim Clendenen, was great friends with Henri; he looked to him as a mentor and, with this blend of the finest five barrels across all the vineyards he worked with, he hoped to emulate him whilst also endeavouring to show off the very best that California has to offer. 

The most noticeable thing about this wine is how its glorious, sweet, rich strawberry fruit is perfectly matched by its intensity and power. It is overt and almost hedonistic on the nose with sweet spice elements.

This concentration continues upon tasting yet an undercurrent of supreme freshness brings everything into focus, and a fine savoury line cleanses the palate, leaving a wonderfully refreshing sensation and making this a perfect match with more decadent foods. 2020 Isabelle is a gorgeous expression, not only of the finest quality that California can provide but also of Jim Clendenen’s unique and visionary winemaking style. 

Drink 2024 - 2044

Catriona Felstead MW, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Colour Red
Sweetness Dry
Vintage 2020
Maturity Ready - youthful
Grape List Pinot Noir
Body Full Bodied
Producer Au Bon Climat

Critics reviews

Erin Brooks 92/100
The 2020 Pinot Noir Isabelle opens with iodine, underbrush and tea leaves over a core of wild red and black berries. The palate is light-bodied, supple and juicy, with fragrant, earth-laced fruit and a long finish. It opens with time in the glass, so it may benefit from 2-3 more years in bottle.Drink 2024 - 2034erin_brooks, Wine Advocate (December 2023)
Drink 2024 - 2034
Erin Brooks, RobertParker.com (Dec 2023)
Antonio Galloni 94/100
The 2020 Pinot Noir Isabelle is a blend of the best barrels across all the vineyards Au Bon Climat sources from. Dark and enveloping, the Isabelle has a ton to offer. Dark red/purplish fruit, spice, lavender and licorice are nicely pushed forward. There's minimal stem inclusion here, and that comes through in the wine's lush fruit and supple contours.Au Bon Climat remains a reference point for Santa Barbara, perhaps THE reference point given the global reach these wines now enjoy. I have not seen too many changes here since Jim Clendenen passed away in early 2021, although most of these wines were made while he was still alive. The signatures are a fair amount of new oak for the Chardonnays, but often with a prominent use of large and thick-staved 350L barrels, and heavy use of whole clusters for the Pinots. The top selections often see extended time in wood. Of course, it all starts with sourcing at some of the very finest vineyards in Santa Barbara. Jim Clendenen influenced pretty much all of today’s younger generation, and that influence remains. Readers will find a number of compelling wines in this year’s crop of new releases.Drink 2023 - 2030antonio_galloni, Vinous.com.com (September 2023)
Drink 2024 - 2034
Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (Sep 2023)
Jeb Dunnuck 94/100
Lastly, the 2020 Pinot Noir Isabelle is all Pinot Noir from six different vineyards and four different AVAs. Its translucent ruby hue is followed by a great nose of spiced red and black berry fruits, spring flowers, savory herbs, and assorted baking spice nuances. Beautifully textured, medium to full-bodied, and elegant on the palate, it has integrated acidity, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's easily my favorite in the lineup and will evolve for another 10-12+ years.Drink 2023 - 2036jeb_dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (August 2023)
Drink 2024 - 2034
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (Aug 2023)

About this wine

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is probably the most frustrating, and at times infuriating, wine grape in the world. However when it is successful, it can produce some of the most sublime wines known to man. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or. Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or.
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Au Bon Climat

The late Jim Clendenen founded Au Bon Climat (ABC) in 1982. He became famous for making pioneering wines from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on California’s Central Coast. He passed away in 2021 and is remembered as one of the most charismatic and influential people of his vinous generation.
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