The nickname changes every year. In 2020, the name was "Hindsight" and it means "learn from the past and gain something new". It means that the late Jim Clendenen's great achievements will be passed on to the future by his daughter Isabelle and son Knox. Named by Isabelle. Made with 90% Bien Nacid and 10% of the wine's own Le Bon Climat vineyard. Barrel fermentation and barrel aging (100% new barrels) by François Frères, aged for 18 months (once racked every 12 months), and 100% malolactic fermentation is completed.
"Hindsight"
Each year of Nuit Blanche has a nickname.
The year 2020 is "Hindsight," which in Japanese means "learning from the past for the new."
"Knowing the old and considering the new = we cherish the achievements and ideas of the late Jim Clendenen and look to the future."
The eldest daughter, Isabelle, and eldest son, Knox, have joined the winery, and the nickname also expresses their determination to take Au Bon Climat's future forward together with this solid team.
The humorous and confident nicknames that were started by their father, Jim Clendenen, have been passed down to the second generation even after Jim's death.
This wine is a special wine that is not heavy and lively, even though it is 100% barrel fermented, 100% aged, and brewed in 100% new barrels in François Frères barrels. This wine was started as an antithesis to the high Parker points given to wines with a rich barrel aroma, which were once synonymous with California Chardonnay. (VTG first released in 1996)
Technical information
The grapes are carefully selected and the wine is aged in 100% new François Frères barrels (France) for a longer period (18 months) than Au Bon Climat's other Chardonnays.It is then bottled without artificial clarification or filtering.
Tasting Comments
A truly star-like wine, rich, textured and impressive with attention to detail.
Elements of candied lemon, pineapple, and mint resonate with the richness that comes from barrel aging.
In addition to lovely aromas of apricot, lavender and caramel, it has the freshness of lemon-lime, the spiciness of clove, and the mellow nuances of honeydew melon and vanilla.
This is by no means a wine that is overly oaky, but rather the nuances of the oak are well blended and the excellent acidity stands out.
Bottle aging adds even more smoothness, making this a wine that will be enjoyable even ten years from now.
Field Information
90% grapes are from Bien Nacid Vineyard.
The trees are from K-blocks that were planted in the early 1970s, and all of the clones are Clone 4 from UC Davis.
Normally, as the fruit ripens, the sugar content increases and the acidity decreases, but this clone is grown in the cool climate of the Santa Maria Valley, where the sugar content increases gradually as the fruit ripens, which reduces the tendency for the acidity to decrease and keeps the pH low.
Chardonnay, with its low pH, can be aged for a long time, blends well with oak, and pairs well with food.
The remaining 10% comes from Le Bon Climat Vineyards, Dijon clones 76 & 96.
The yield is very low and as it is an early ripening clone, it is harvested about one month before Bien Nacid.
It is characterized by being fully ripe even with a low sugar content.
Vintage: 2020
Capacity: 750ml
Type: White wine
Taste: Medium bodied
Main variety: 100% Chardonnay
Country of Origin: America
Region Name: California
AVA: Santa Barbara County
Nested AVAs: Santa Maria Valley
Vineyard: 90% Bien Nacido, 10% Le Bon Climat
Winemaker: Jim Adelman
Cap: Cork
Alcohol content: 13.5%
JAN: 850755000264