This wine is rare among ABC wines, as it is not destemmed and is fermented whole bunch. It is produced in limited quantities only in the best vintages, with two vintages produced to date, 2001 and 2005. After 11 years, the 2016 VTG was finally released. Very small quantities were then released in 2017 and 2018. The name of the wine means "tears of the grape bunch" - made to cry by whole bunch fermentation - named after the strong astringent properties of the tannins in the stems, which are tough to handle. Expected to age well. %
"L'Am de Grape" wine made with 100% whole-cluster fermentation
At Au Bon Climat, there is a cuvée that is made "Every once in a lifetime." This is "L'Ame de Grape," a wine made with 100% whole-cluster fermentation.
At Au Bon Climat, they follow the brewing methods of Henri Jayer and usually remove all the stems, but they also produce cuvées using whole-cluster fermentation when they determine the condition of the grapes to be made.
Only a few barrels are produced.
A few percent of it is blended into Isabelle and Knox to add subtle nuance to the top cuvées.
It is only produced in outstanding vintages when the stems are woody (very hard and completely dry) to be released as a standalone wine, and has only been produced in two vintages to date, 2001 and 2005, but in 2016 it was newly released after 11 years.
In 2017, 2018, and 2019, very small amounts were produced for blending only from fully ripe grape clusters, and in response to demand from all over the world, only small amounts were bottled and released, making this a rare product.
There are no plans for bottling in 2020 or 2021.
The name of the wine means "tears of the grape bunch" - it was named after the strong astringent properties of the tannins in the stems, which are caused by whole-cluster fermentation.
This wine has strong tannins, which are rare for Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir, and adds depth and complexity.The fruitiness dominates when young, but the wine becomes even more appealing as it ages.
Technical information
Fermented in open tanks, punched down by hand twice a day to ensure gentle extraction, gently pressed after fermentation and aged for approximately two years in French barrels (100% new François Frères), before being blended in several batches and further aging repeated. The wine is clarified using egg whites without using a filter, and the sediment is allowed to settle naturally, and only the top layer is transferred to a tank and allowed to settle before bottling.
It will then be aged in the bottle for a further two years, before being released for around four years.
Field Information
From a parcel of old vines planted in the 70's at Sanford & Benedict Vineyards.
Santa Barbara County's first "great" vineyard.
Planted in 1971 by Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict, the vineyard was originally planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling but was later planted to Pinot Noir vines.
The vineyards are located on the western edge of the Santa Ynez Valley, about 16 kilometers from the Pacific Ocean.
The Santa Ynez Valley enjoys a unique geographical advantage: the mountains that run east to west through the Valley provide a pathway to the Pacific Ocean, drawing cool air inland.
This ocean cooling influence creates an ideal growing climate (Region I) for classic Burgundy varieties.
Vintage: 2019
Capacity: 750ml
Type: Red wine
Taste: Medium bodied
Main variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Country of Origin: America
Region Name: California
AVA: Santa Barbara County
Nested AVAs, Others: Santa Rita Hills
Vineyard: Sanford & Benedict
Winemaker: Jim Adelman
Cap: Cork
Alcohol content: 13.5%