Au Bon Climat 2023 Santa Barbara Chardonnay 750ml

The late Jim Clendenen's estate remains California's most reliably Burgundian address, drawing on the transverse valleys of Santa Maria and Los Alamos, where Pacific fog and wind stretch ripening for months. Whole-cluster pressed, barrel-fermented with native yeasts, full malolactic and lees ageing in French oak — a fraction new. Pale gold. Lemon curd, white peach and green apple over hazelnut, brioche and struck flint. Medium-bodied and textural, with taut citrus acidity and a saline, mineral finish. Restraint over opulence, and enduring value. Serve 10–12°C.

Pairing: roast chicken, scallops, halibut, mushroom pasta.