Vintage Clendenen Family Vineyards Le Bon Climat Pinot Noir 2006

Jim Clendenen was famous for producing internationally acclaimed Pinot Noir & Chardonnay in California. Amongst the region’s top producers, the wines he started producing in 1982 set the standard for modern, terroir-driven Californian wine from Burgundian grapes. Wines under the Clendenden Family Vineyards label are not just another label – this was a project of passion for Jim. These are artisan, nuanced wines from small lots producing distinctive wines that have had the luxury to be in the barrel as long as they need it. Long-lived, food-friendly, with firm acidity and moderate alcohol, they are really special parts of Jim’s story that we are honoured to import and represent in the UK.

Le Bon Climat is a vineyard Jim bought many years ago in the Santa Maria Valley just 5 miles from the famous Bien Nacido site where the winery is. It is situated on a very steep, windy and cool-climate site which gives incredible preserved aromatics in the wines that are made from there. It produces Pinot Noir that is dark and meaty with outstanding complexity. The wine was aged in the best new French oak barrels for 24 months and bottled without filtration.

The 2006 vintage the latest library release from the estate. A fully matured and delicious Pinot Noir to drink. On the nose, this wine exhibits enticing aromas of ripe red berries, such as cherries and raspberries, along with subtle floral notes and a hint of earthiness. The palate is beautifully balanced, with a medium body and silky tannins that provide a smooth and velvety texture. Flavours of red fruits, including cranberries and strawberries, are complemented by delicate spice undertones, such as cinnamon and clove.